Code. 12

**Code. 12** is the name of the twelfth chapter of the **Given**manga.

## Summary

Akihiko and Haruki felt proud with their performance, Yayoi experiences a heartbreak and Ritsuka finally remembers what had happened with Mafuyu backstage. The following day, Koji gave Haruki a copy of their performance and Ritsuka visited Mafuyu who was down with fever.

## Characters

* Mafuyu Sato
* Ritsuka Uenoyama
* Haruki Nakayama
* Akihiko Kaji
* Yatake Kouji
* Yayoi Uenoyama
* Shougo Itaya
* Ryuu Ueki
* Waka Kurihara
* Kasai
* Kedama

## Story

Akihiko and Haruki are proudly listening to the crowd nearby talking about Mafuyu and Ritsuka during their performance. Koji then suggests to them to start setting up social media accounts for the band. In the middle of trying to light up a smoke, Haruki accidentally burned the tips of his hair which Akihiko then suggests him to trim it short while touching his hair.

It then shows Yayoi cutting her hair while Ritsuka and their father hysterically try to stop her. When asked why she’s acting like that, Yayoi confessed that she was dumped. Ritsuka and his father were dumbfounded, resulting in a more enraged Yayoi. Ritsuka then thought that Kaji had turned her down and Yayoi is more upset about this breakup than her previous one.

In the midst of his deep thought, Ritsuka suddenly remembers what happened backstage at the live performance. He said that, with all the craziness happening before the concert, he barely even remembered getting home. He then started panicking because he had missed the most important part; he doesn’t know what Mafuyu actually feels about him.

The next day, at class, Ryou is chatting with Waka about the live performance. Waka stated that she had never been to a concert so she had her boyfriend accompany her. It was revealed that Waka and her boyfriend went to the same school as Mafuyu, and Waka’s boyfriend was in the same class as Mafuyu. Waka and her boyfriend were surprised at Mafuyu’s performance.

She said that she somehow understood the meaning of his song. She was shaken the moment Mafuyu started singing and she was grateful that she had someone next to her to hold hands with. She was amazed at the courage Mafuyu had, to be able to stand on the stage that day. Excited to listen to Mafuyu singing again, Ryou asked Ritsuka if they had decided on their next show but Ritsuka was unresponsive. His classmates wondered if he had a burn out. Kasai then revealed that Mafuyu had taken the day off because of a fever. She suggested that Ritsuka check up on Mafuyu.

Koji visited Haruki at his part-time job cafe. He presented a USB containing the band’s first live performance. Haruki was surprised that Koji edited the video in less than a day. Koji then said that after going home, he watched the live footage and he was sucked into the editing hole. Koji asked them to play another show.

He said that the reason he was obsessed with editing the footage was because he was entranced by the band’s performance. He was interested to see where the band will go from that point on. Haruki started blushing, saying that he felt like he was getting hit on. Koji said that his business is done, and he’d leave as soon as he finishes his drink. As Haruki turned his body, Akihiko was seen at the cafe’s entrance and he was staring at the two of them with a blank face.

Meanwhile, Ritsuka is now at Mafuyu’s apartment. He’s thinking that things might be awkward between them after what happened backstage, but he didn’t think of it until he’s finally at the apartment because he was so worried about Mafuyu. Steeling himself, he rings the doorbell to Mafuyu’s unit. Mafuyu opened the door, looking disheveled and sweaty.

Ritsuka was overwhelmed by Mafuyu’s scent as soon as he entered the entryway that he decided to go home quickly. Furball (Kedama) bolted out the moment Mafuyu opened the door and spinned around Ritsuka. Mafuyu then invited him in but he said that he’s only checking up on Mafuyu because his mom isn’t home.

However, Ritsuka gave in as Mafuyu weakly slid down in the entryway. He said that he’d at least take Mafuyu into his bed before going home. Tucked in bed, Mafuyu kept insisting Ritsuka to stay for a bit more. Ritsuka sat gingerly on the side of the bed and then he reached out to touch Mafuyu’s face. Mafuyu responded by pressing his face against Ritsuka’s hand. Ritsuka then asked if the lyrics that Mafuyu sang the previous day was about his heartbreak. He also said that he couldn’t remember most of the song well.

Mafuyu admitted that the lyrics were about his heartbreak story and he said that he wanted to write a different song next time before dozing off. Ritsuka marveled at how amazing Mafuyu was even though he didn’t want to hear Mafuyu sing about being in love with someone else. He was also amazed at how much emotion Mafuyu had been keeping in his small frame. Ritsuka then said that he wants to be in the song if there’s going to be a “next.”

Haruki trimmed the ends of his hair that were burned by the lighter. As he was about to tie up his hair, Akihiko appeared and excitedly offered to help tie his hair. Haruki asked if he could tie someone’s hair properly. Akihiko said that he hasn’t heard any complaints before. They then bicker about how Akihiko sounds like a pick-up artist. Haruki reminisces the day he started growing out his hair, the day he first saw Akihiko two years ago at the end of fall. He had been letting his hair grow like an offering or a prayer since that day, as he had fallen in love with Akihiko.