A series of you and me [CHAPTER 23]
Title: A series of you and me
Chapters: 23/?
Genre: Angst. Romance. Smut.
Warnings: Angst.
Ratings: PG-13 to R
Pairings: AoixUruha - ReitaxRuki (?)
Disclaimer: I only own my imagination ♪
Synopsis: Kouyou finds his life ruled by the glimpses of him he can see.
Comments: 3 updates within a week, be sure to catch up!
The street was momentarily giving its space to that sunday's flea market. When usually it was empty, deserted, on this sunday, people were gladly out under the winter sun, warming up with cups of coffee handed out by Sakai. He had exceptionnally opened the coffee shop to help the brave people trying to sell their old belonging.
It was without surprise that he saw the faces of Yuu Shiroyama and Takanori Matsumoto around. He waved at them and came closer to greet them properly, giving out a cup of coffee with a smile:
- Here you go guys! Drink it up to feel better.
They thanked the man and Sakai noticed something unusual:
- Wow, why are you faces so gloomy guys? Is it a heart matter?
At the way Yuu and Takanori exchanged glances, he understood he had been right.
- Well, I won't bother you anymore, a lot of people here need some dark love too!
Takanori rolled his eyes as Sakai walked away:
- He and his metaphors.
Yuu smiled:
- That was a beautiful one.
They leaned against a wall, tired to walk around.
- So tell me, what happened tonight for you to be so quiet.
Yuu swallowed a bit of coffee, in need of its bitterness.
- Uruha. I saw him.
Takanori held his arm, stunned, and repeated:
- Uruha? As your Uruha who left you months ago and that you loved so much? That one you told me about that day when you were drunk like a fish?
Yuu giggled, nervously. Takanori had such a good memory.
- This one.
Takanori felt like his heart would explode:
- Wha-What happened? Did you guys make up? Did you sleep with him? What did he say?
Yuu held out a hand, already exhausted by Takanori's speech:
- Calm down. Nothing inappropriate happened.
In response, the hairdresser punched Yuu's arm:
- You better not for the sake of my best friend!
Yuu smiled gently:
- I wouldn't do such a thing to Kouyou, and you know it.
- How do you know I meant Kou?
Yuu looked away:
- You care for each other like best friends do.
The hairdresser smiled, satisfied and realised that the feeling of warmth in his heart wasn't exclusively the coffee's fault.
- Uruha came back, right after you were gone to dance. He came at home, we talked all night long about our respective lives. He learnt about Kouyou and walked away, as simple as that. Since I woke up, I feel like I lived a really vivid dream.
Takanori tapped Yuu's shoulder gently:
- How did you feel? I mean, when you saw him, did you still feel love in your heart?
Yuu lowered his head, withdrawing into his thoughts of tonight, looking for his past feelings.
- I...I felt relieved. Relieved to finally find him in front of me. I wanted to kiss him, to love him, to waste myself and forget the pain he inflicted but, I couldn't. In fact, everytime I wanted to forgive him, the thought of Kouyou would prevent me to do anything. There was a great nostalgy also.
- What did he say about Kouyou?
- He said that I should be here for him, and save him. He made me promise it. And that, he stayed away from me because he couldn't make me happy.
"Humans wither by my side. Like flowers, they begin to die slowly when they're close to me."
Takanori remembered. Those words. A shot of adrenaline inside, loud heartbeats resonating until his head. He grabbed Yuu's arm:
- Tell me how is he physically again?
Yuu frowned, hesitant:
- Tall...Blonde...I don't know, brown eyes,...
Blonde.
"I don't know, I'd like to try it out again. I used to bleach my hair and I miss the feeling somehow, of a blonde me."
Takanori closed his eyes, a headache threatening. He opened them again:
- So Yuu, did you notice anything strange in him?
The dark haired shrugged his shoulders:
- I don't know. He seemed a little more at peace than in the past.
Takanori nodded and faked surprise while looking at the screen of his smartphone:
- Oh jeez, I must go Yuu! I'll call you later maybe!
He walked away, pressing the call button under Akira's number.
Akira sighed, sleepy and stared at Takanori still in his underwear.
- Oh? You were oversleeping?
The blonde bartender walked away in his kitchen and Takanori heard Akira's muffled voice by the distance:
- Make yourself at home, I'll bring coffee in a minute or two.
- I'd like a tea if you don't mind it!
The hairdresser sat on the couch, a bit nervous. In fact he had rushed here without wondering if it would be awkward or not between them, yet Akira didn't care about wandering around half naked even with the information that Takanori was lusting after him.
He came back with an Earl Grey tea for Takanori and a cup of strong coffee for himself. He settled in an armchair near the coffee table and gazed at Takanori who was doing his best to look neutral.
- So, what happened?
Takanori tried to speak but stuttered, said "fuck" then tried again:
- Do you remember this guy that Yuu loves, or wait, used to love?
Akira frowned:
- That dude who left him alone and he still thought about?
Takanori nodded excitingly:
- Yeah! Well, he saw him again tonight! But listen to me, Kouyou came to see me yesterday at the salon and asked me to bleach his hair! Now, do you get it?
Akira laughed:
- Not at all! I just woke up, please, let me activate my brain first!
Takanori realised that Akira didn't know any details about Uruha.
- Well, when Yuu told me about Uruha, this guy, he said he was blond and as tall as he is. He saw him tonight! But yesterday, in my salon, came Kouyou who asked me to bleach his hair. Don't you find it surprising that Kouyou became blond, then that night, BAM, Yuu meets Uruha again??!
Akira looked at the ground, thoughtful then raised his head up again and showed a "revelation" type of face to his friend:
- Are you saying that they are the same person? Because if so, it looks so fucking sick to me.
Takanori glared at him:
- Don't bad mouth about Kou!
Akira laughed:
- I don't! I mean, if it's the same person, just why? Bloody why?
Takanori stayed quiet and remembered what Kouyou told him weeks ago:
- Kou told me that there was someone he loved but he couldn't allow himself to love him because he would ruin him. And Uruha told Yuu the same tonight, that he stayed away because he couldn't make him happy. Their reasons are similar, that's why I think Kouyou is Uruha, and Uruha is Kouyou.
Akira nodded:
- Yuu doesn't know about it, right?
Takanori shook his head no:
- I'm afraid if he finds out.
- Will you tell him everything?
Takanori, once again, gave a negative answer:
- It's up to Kouyou. His choice if he wants to let Yuu know. On both cases though, it'll be cruel. Cruel to hide the truth and cruel to reveal it.
There was a knock on the door that interrupted them. Akira stood up and went to the door, still half naked. When he opened, he stared, surprised and when Takanori came along to check who was here on a sunday afternoon, he decided to take his leave. He excused himself and left Akira's place under his and the waitress with pink hair's eyes.
On monday morning, the usual customers were already gathered early in the morning to get their dose of legal drug: coffee, tea, hot chocolate for some. And on this morning, all of them were greeting back an employee they strongly missed.
Sakai came closer to him, smiling happily:
- You don't know how relieved I am to have you back!
He returned the smile:
- Not as much as I am. I missed it here.
Sakai tapped his back:
- All of them were whining every morning to me! "Where is Takashima-san? I miss talking to him about philosophy!"
Kouyou laughed heartedly:
- Oh I'm the favourite employee here!
Sakai crossed his arms, pouting:
- Hey we are only two! This business is getting bigger so I think it's time to hire one or two persons to help. I'd have never thought it will get this successful.
He looked into Kouyou's eyes, serious:
- It's all thanks to you. Your talent and big heart gave us some faithful customers. At first you were so cold and distant...But slowly, you bloomed, just like a flower and since that, this coffee shop feels warmer.
With that, embarrassed by his straightforward words, Sakai went to hide in the back of the coffee shop. Kouyou smiled to himself while cleaning the cups, a strand of hair falling from behind his ear bothered his view.
A new customer had arrived, so Kouyou turned around, unable to see him properly.
He pushed away the blond strand of hair and looked through his large framed glasses the man who was standing here in shock.
Yuu.
The dark haired turned around and left the coffee shop. And still in his apron, Kouyou ran after him, bumping into customers on the way. But he didn't care. It was Yuu. For Yuu he could try and do anything now.
Even disappoint him.
So he ran after him, caught him back, blocked his way and said, out of breath:
- Let me tell you everything.
Yuu closed his eyes.
- Yuu, please...
When Yuu opened his eyes again, he wouldn't look back at him, staring at the ground and said through his teeth:
- Get the fuck out of my way.
Kouyou didn't want to fight. He had never wanted to see Yuu this cold and hurtful. Yuu wasn't like this. All along, he had been the one who hurt and who would be cruel but...Why was it so unbearable now that they had switched places?
I can't face you now, can I? Is it really you? Why do I want to give up now? Why am I not fighting you back with all my love, redeeming myself from all the pain I gave you?
- You have all the rights to be mad at me.
But Yuu pushed him away and said, before walking away:
- I don't want to see you ever again.
Kouyou sat on the ground and cried.
Yuu heard him sob, but still walked away.
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Angsty piece right? Angsty cursed is around, maybe because right now I'm being angsty in my head too lol. Anyway, you guys were waiting for this scene so much, I hope your heart isn't too broken right now! Hey wait next chapter please! And fuuuuu, thanks for the love ♥ I love you guys so much for sticking with me for all this time ♥