Chapter Text
I can see soulmates.
I have been able to see em ever since I was a kid.
It was terrifying, really.
Think about it, yer normal childhood being turned upside down and ripped away from ya in a blink of an eye.
I remember it was on a cool autumn day, it was just another day in class. The trees dropped stars of red and gold, decorating the ground with their brilliant colours. I remember seeing some of the other kids, excitedly running around outside in the courtyard, jumping into piles of leaves and kicking them to watch them slowly drift down like confetti.
I remember my lunch, a homemade bento of croquettes and egg salad that Ma woke up early to make, cold and untouched in front of me. My twin brother, ‘Samu, sat across from me, chewing slowly as his eyes looked me down and up. Around us, I heard the light hearted chatter of my classmates as they talked about classes, homework and teachers.
Groaning, I clamped my hands over my ears.
What was normally indistinctive chit chat that I could just tune out, had completely mutated into a horrible beast of ear splitting clamour, sending deafening roars echoing across the room. The cool autumn wind that was once soothing after the unbearable heat waves of summer had transformed into arrows of frost and clawed at my arms, my legs, my neck, it sent horrible prickles and shivers across my skin. And the cold burned and froze my throat with every breath I took. Every time I swallowed it felt like I had shovelled a whole bag of pins back my throat, even after I drank water. My head was pounding, like someone decided to put my head right under a railway track and had massive trains run over every single second.
I had woken up that morning with a slight headache and a chilly feeling in my bones. I brushed it off as a slight cold I caught from staying out and playing in the cold the night prior. The headache stayed as a small sensation, gnawing at me, but it was so slight I barely noticed it and I could still focus on class.
So I went on with my day.
It was until my third period that it started to worsen. Like a plant, it slowly grew and grew, wedging it’s roots into the fibres of my muscles and the neurons in my brain. From a tiny little seedling, it grew into a full grown massive ancient tree, the small thumping sensation had sprouted into a full on pounding headache.
My stomach was swimming and lurching, the feeling of hurling out all the contents in my stomach ever present, though my untouched lunch displayed clearly there wasn't anything in my stomach to throw up. I flicked my tongue against my chapped lips as a desperate attempt at keeping them moist, feeling the strips of dried skin peeling off. Tenderly, I rubbed my head to try and soothe the pain.
The chilly weather sent another barrage of frozen daggers at me, ripping a violent shudder from my helpless, frozen body. I curled up and whimpered, desperately trying to hide from the cold.
God I just want to go home.
THUD!
I jumped, the vibration and sound of someone suddenly slamming against the table caused me to jolt up. Immediately, I regretted sitting up so fast when a wave of nausea hit me like an iron hammer slamming itself on my head repeatedly.
I glared at ‘Samu, who had been the one that slammed his lunchbox on the table. Bits of breadcrumbs and egg laid scattered across the table like an intricate art piece from the force of how hard ‘Samu had smashed his lunch on the table.
I was physically in no state to start a fight but I had been in so much pain I just wanted to snap. I wanted to start a fucking riot and ‘Samu was on very, very, thin ice.
An inhuman snarl rumbled from my throat, clenching my fists on my table so hard until my knuckles turned white,“what the hell whazzat for, ‘Samu?”
“We’re going to the infirmary.”
I froze, blinked and frowned in confusion, my fists unclenching, my twin brother’s statement severely catching me off guard.
“What?”
‘Samu clicked his tongue impatiently and rolled his eyes, walking over to my side, “I said,” he yanked me up by my arm, “we are going to the infirmary. Are ya deaf?”
The sudden movement made my world swirl and spin, like thousands of whirlpools flooding my vision, it made me stumble and brace my hands against my table to balance myself. “I’m not deaf that was a rhetorical question, dumbass.” I growled as I shut my eyes and waited for the world to stop twisting, my body trembling a little.
The class went silent as they stared at us, some made bets on who’ll win this round, some gave a sympathetic look at my weakened state, others glared and made disapproving faces for our sudden interruption and commotion.
I cracked my eyelids open and turned my head slowly to snap ‘Samu for being so rough, but my words died in my throat as I studied his expression.
His eyebrows, usually relaxed and rested above his eyes, were furrowed in concern. His usually unbothered and poker face had been contorted into an expression of uneasiness, lips pressed into a thin line, almost as if he was in pain. Dark eyes bore into my own, silently pleading for me to follow him to the infirmary.
That was when I realized that it wasn’t me who was trembling.
It was ‘Samu.
His hand shook very subtly, very slightly, but it was there.
The vice-like grip I had on my table slackened and slipped from the table a little as I stared at my twin, slightly awed to see him being so concerned for me.
‘Samu and I have been hurt or sick countless times before, and of course we’ve shown compassion and concern towards each other. But this was the first time I’ve seen ‘Samu so distressed, about me for that matter.
He raised a hand to clasp at my shoulder, “Please?”
If I’m going to be completely honest, normally ‘Samu saying please to me would have caused my ego to immensely skyrocket, but in that moment, seeing my younger twin brother visibly being so upset sent a pang straight through my heart.
A little part of me broke.
So I agreed.
“Okay.”
The tension in ‘Samu’s shoulders eased and his expression melted into relief, a soft sigh escaping his relaxed lips.
He released the iron grip on my arm but kept the hand on my shoulder as we slowly but steadily navigated the sea of students in our class. My legs felt slightly wobbly and heavy, like I was walking through mud, but with ‘Samu’s gentle yet strong hand on my shoulder guiding me, we managed to reach the door.
‘Samu exhaled in relief as we got past the checkpoint.
“Just hang in there for a while longer, we’re going to be there soon,” he whispered, till this day I’m still not sure if ‘Samu had directed that towards me, or he was assuring himself.
A warm sensation bloomed in my chest knowing my brother truly cared about me. Despite how blunt and cold he may be at times, I knew that deep (super deep, but it’s somewhere in there) down my brother loved me.
Though that moment of joy was short lived.
I had only taken three steps out of the classroom, when in a flash, my world erupted in a great blaze of red.
I crumbled to the floor, screaming.
My eyes burned as scarlet swam around in my vision, painting everything an ominous shade. At first I had thought something had gotten in my eyes, and that blood was just gushing out my eyes. Tears that I mistook for blood streaked down my face in fat globs, blurring my already failing vision.
I slightly remember seeing ‘Samu’s silhouette in front of me, gripping my shoulders, face twisted into despair and horror. His mouth moves, but the echoes of chorusing shrieks that rang in my ears drowned out any other sound.
Claws tore at my throat as I kept screaming, and screaming, and screaming, millions of tiny hands raking and grabbing my delicate skin. Bugs and spiders crawled on my scalp, neck, back, arms, swarming and drowning me with their tiny yet suffocating bodies.
I remember screaming for ‘Samu, who held me tightly as I was rushed to the hospital.
The trip to the hospital was an unclear haze, only snippets of scenes managed to sneak past the barrier of fuzzy memories. I don’t even remember how I got onto the stretcher that carried me into the ambulance. Everything felt so forgein, the fabric of the stretcher, the light of the beacon dancing behind my eyelids, the voices of the paramedics, the smell of the ambulance, and I was so scared.
I remember laying in the emergency room afterwards, my headache dying down but my vision was covered by a bandage around my eyes. Darkness swirled around me, but the cacophony of footsteps and voices as doctors, nurses, patients and families rushed around reminded me that I wasn’t trapped in a prison of shadows. I remember the heavy smell of alcohol and sweat wafting about the room, stinging my already sensitive nose.
A cold breeze whistles past from an unknown source, sending a chill down my spine. As I listen to the world turn around me, a million thoughts race across my mind like a herd of galloping horses. My lips trembled, tears threatening to spill again.
My eyes don’t really hurt anymore but am I ever going to see again? What happened to my eyes? Did I rub them too hard last night? Is it karma for picking out the carrots in my meals? I’m scared. Am I going to live in darkness for the rest of my life? How can I live without my sight? What if I-
A soft hand draped itself over my hand, pulling me from the whirlwind of my thoughts. ‘Samu gently squeezed my hand, silently consoling me. I let out a shaky breath, relieved for the presence of my brother.
“Atsumu!”
I shot up, frantically swerving my head left and right to try and locate where the distressed voices of my parents were coming from. “Ma! Pa!” I almost jumped off the bed but ‘Samu stopped me and gently eased me back on the bed, tightening his clasped hand on mine.
“Take it easy ‘Tsumu, don’t worry, they’re coming.” My twin brother assured me in a soothing voice.
Not a second later I felt two pairs of warm hands wrap around me.
And that was when I started sobbing.
“Waaghhh…!! Ma! Pa!” I choked out, tears leaking out from the bandage and streaming down my face in violent gushes. “What’s happening to me? Am I going to blind forever? Am I never going to see yer faces again?”
“Oh… Atsumu… My boy…” My father whispered. I felt tears drip down from my father’s chin as he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.
My mother stroked my hair sweetly, “It’s okay Atsumu… yer Ma and Pa are here, ya don’t have to worry about a single thing, yer going to be just fine.” Her warm reassurance made me relax a little, my waterworks slowing down a little.
The bed dipped a little as ‘Samu crawled onto the bed, between the arms of our parents and I, and gave me a tight hug. “I’m here too, ‘Tsumu. Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere. Yer not alone.”
And we sat there, all four of us, ‘Samu and I enveloped in the loving arms of our parents, for a long time.
~ ~ ~
My impatient ass practically jumped off the bus the moment it stopped.
The morning sun illuminates the stadium with a golden glow, engulfing the building and its surroundings with precious stones that sparkle luminously. The stadium, tall and majestic, stands before me like a mountain, of which I am at the feet, and winning is the summit.
Banners of various different schools which are propped up all around the area pop out like bright flowers in a large grass field, the petals flowing gently in the wind. Players, the students from their schools, their families, volleyball fans, just random people, all gather here in a large mass like gathering rain clouds. Groups and groups of people arrive from taxis, walking, buses, vans, bicycles, and they all enter the stadium in anticipation for the big event, the All Japan High School Volleyball Championship Tournament, or Spring Nationals for short.
The crisp spring air breezes past, playfully ruffling my hair and clothes, as if wishing me good luck. The entire area was a prismatic and multicoloured artwork of a dedicated artist who did not spare a single blank space on the canvas, the tiniest of details squeezing it’s way into the frame.
I’m here.
At Nationals.
We’ve fought tooth and nail, meticulously climbing our way to the top of the prefectural tournament to get here. We’ve poured our blood, sweat and tears into our teamwork, rhythm, skills, and power.
And finally, all our hard work finally paid off.
But of course, the journey is not over until we win nationals and take the crown.
My arms shake with excitement as we enter the stadium, and before us is an ocean of people, sporting different coloured jerseys. Players of different teams from all over Japan are gathered here to compete for the title of the best in the nation, and we are one of them.
The third years walk in front of the group with our captain and coaches, discussing strategies and schedules. One half of the second years walk quietly and calmly, eyes slowly scanning and assessing the venue and the people. The other half joined us, the first years, and chattering along excitedly, pointing at things and marveling at the fact that they were at nationals.
I can’t blame them for their excitement, nationals is a dream come true for every volleyball or, well, honestly just any sport enthusiast. I’d say I was just as exhilarated as them, if not completely over the moon.
Though I can’t help but scoff at the non-regulars being so proud of getting to nationals. They puff up their chests and brag about being here, blabbering to each other saying their families and neighbours were so proud of them. They talk as if they put in any effort, that they contributed to a single bit to getting us to nationals
I understand their excitement.
The problem is that they talk as if they were the reason we were at nationals.
Disgusting.
“Heh, Osamu look at that .”
A distant snicker pulls me out of my thoughts. I angle my head a little to glance at the back of the group.
Suna lags behind the team with ‘Samu, both in a deep conversation. I catch the occasional snickering on people’s ridiculous hairstyles (like that one guy from Fukurodani with black and white hair, Bokuto Koutarou, how on earth does his hair stay up? How much gel does he use?? His hair practically defies gravity and I fear that) and my brother grumbling about being hungry.
I chuckle at my two best friends being the way they are and turn back to the front, taking in the sights of the stadium.
Eager, I jog ahead of my team, so I can check out the venue and scout out the other teams. Amidst the crowd, I spot many top players, famous players featured in Monthly Volleyball and aspiring stars from all over the nation, Ushijima Wakatoshi, Bokuto Koutarou, Kiryu Wakatsu and more.
My excited self wanders the stadium with a child-like curiosity, peering and peeking at everything. I feel like a little child at the toy store for the very first time, with dazzled eyes and smiling ear to ear, walking with a skip in my step.
That’s when I feel a slight tug on my right arm. I whip my head towards my arm, seeing if I caught it on anything, almost ready to snap at someone. Instead, I am met with a bright, red line that suddenly whips out from my dominant hand and zips through the dense crowd.
Immediately, I freeze.
I stare at the Red String of Fate, which was usually just a knot wrapped around the base of my ring finger, now has an extended line, stretching across the room. I stare at the dense forest of people, all packed against one another, trying to follow where the String led with my eyes.
The bright red line in front of me tugs a memory in the back of my head. I’m brought back to the hospital’s emergency room on a fateful autumn day. Back when I first discovered my powers and what they meant.
“Atsumu has a very rare condition; less than 50 people in the world have this condition.”
I blinked and frowned, my naive 11 year old brain trying to register what the doctor had just said.
Only 50 people in the world? Is 50 a little or a lot? Pa says there’s more than a thousand people in Japan, and the world is like, a hundred times bigger than Japan. How many people are there in the world??
The doctor chuckled lightly at my obvious confusion, “It means that it’s not very easy to find people like you, kid. You have something very special.”
“Is he going to be alright?” Ma lean forward on the chair next to me, the chair creaking, “exactly what happened, doctor?”
The doctor flipped through his papers, tapping his pen on the board, “Don’t worry Mr and Mrs Miya, it isn’t something that will impact his health negatively.”
Ma let out an assured sigh and Pa slumped on a chair with a fwoomp, groaning softly in relief. Beside me, ‘Samu relaxed his stiff posture and leaned on me a little.
“Currently, we call it the Eyes of Cupid. It’s a special condition where the affected person is able to see soulmates.”
“The eyes of what now?? And what the heck are soulmates??” I felt all eyes fall on me as I blurted out my puzzlement.
Pa’s calloused hand fell on my head, ruffling my hair. “Eyes of Cupid, Atsumu. He’s the Roman god of… love. Ya know the chubby baby that flies around everywhere during Valentine's Day? That’s Cupid. And soulmates… it’s a very special person. Everyone has one. It’s someone you’ll have a connection with no matter what. They’re someone who makes ya the happiest and makes ya want to become the best version of yerself. It’s someone who loves ya and you’ll love no matter what.”
I heard swishing (hair?) and the doctor said, “Yes, your father is correct. Though it is highly believed to be a myth, soulmates are in fact, real. And people like you, Atsumu, can see them. Soulmates are tied together by a red String, it burns a bright, beautiful red, symbolizing love. Studies have shown the Strings can be tied anywhere on the body, from ankles, to wrists, to the classic ring fingers.
There is no evidence of genetic inheritance of this condition, for now it appears to be a random and spontaneous condition that can happen to anyone. People of all ages, backgrounds, races can get this. Atsumu here is actually one of the youngest known with this condition. We believe there are probably more unreported cases in less developed areas around the globe, but it is still a very rare condition.
Symptoms before the condition develops include : headaches, nausea, sensitive to external stimuli. Due to the rarity of the condition, not many people know about it and often confuse it with a common cold until the condition fully develops and hits the person with a blurry vision that turns everything red, usually accompanied by a burning sensation in the eyes. And some people, including Atsumu, also experience a crawling sensation on their skin. Though these symptoms are only temporary, they only occur when the condition first appears, and occasionally the first few months after the condition develops. Afterwards, Atsumu will be able to live pretty much a normal life, with the exception he can see soulmates.
The only issue is that he has to learn how to control his powers, or he’ll be overwhelmed by the sheer mass of Strings there are. Before he can master his powers, he’ll have to avoid large crowds with a lot of people. Of course he could stay cooped up at home, but that isn’t the best for his health, both mentally and physically. We advise bringing him out, but strictly avoiding anywhere with a lot of people. School… may have to wait for a while, unfortunately.”
“I see…” I heard Pa reply, but after hearing the doctor just dump so much information I started zoning out. The sound of my parents talking to the doctor, asking questions and taking note of things that should and should not be done fades into the background as thoughts crawl into my mind.
So I can’t go to school anymore? That means ‘Samu has to go to school alone… and I’ll be all alone at home…
“Psst, ‘Tsumu!” ‘Samu nudged me and whispered into my ear, “are ya okay?”
I swallowed, silently scolding myself for being so obviously disturbed. Quickly, I wiped the frown from my face and put on a mask, “Yeah! Thank god, now I don’t have to wake up so early only to sit in boring class for hours. Sucks to be ya! Hah!”
There was a moment of silence after I said that, and a bead of sweat rolled down my neck. Did he see through my act?
“Psshh whatever!” ‘Samu says, playfully pushing me a little, causing the both of us to burst into a fit of giggles.
~~~
A shove on my right shoulder brings me back to the present day, where I’m not in the hospital but in a stadium. I glare at the unsuspecting pair that continue to walk after they bumped into me.
I open my mouth to shout at them but the tug at my right hand comes back.
Colour slowly drains from everything, turning my world black and white, the people, the floor, the walls.
Everything.
The only colour that remained was the scarlet String in front of me.
The ruby coloured String stands out brightly against its monochrome surroundings, a silent yet bewitching beckon for me to follow it. Everything else tunes out as I fall into the String’s mesmerising trance, focusing on it and it only.
A cord tightens itself around my chest and my pulse quickens.
They’re here.
Before I can register what I’m doing, my body starts moving of its own accord. I think I hear someone call my name but it falls on deaf ears as I hurry to follow the red line, scared that if I don’t follow it, it’d disappear right before my eyes.
Pushing my way across the crowd, my stomach flutters as I fantasize how I’d introduce myself and how our conversation would go.
I’d flash em a charming smile, maybe flip my hair a lil, “Hey there cutie.”
“I’m Miya Atsumu but ya can call me,” give em a sexy wink, “yers <3”
I let out a silent chuckle, I am so smooth. Oh, this is going to be the best day of my life.
As I reach the edge of the room, I spot a group of people in neon yellow and green jackets. They carried a sense of authority, but not in a narcissistic way. It was as if they were being modest, but knew that they held power.
Itachiyama.
The reigning champions of the Interhigh.
People around them whisper and gawk as they walk by, pointing and gesturing at the team. The captain of the team walks at the front with the coaches, unbothered by the obvious stares. Some of the first years on the other hand seemed a little agitated by the attention, keeping their heads down and shuffling behind their seniors.
Geez yer in a top class team for god's sake, have a little more confidence.
Wimps.
My eyes trail to the back of the group, noticing a black haired person, trailing behind the group with a brunette, both also sporting the Itachiyama uniform.
The brunette and the raven walk side by side with each other. Two gleaming stormy blue eyes shine playfully as a smile stretched across the brunette's face. His hair sways gently as he walks, and his thick eyebrows in a relaxed position gives off a carefree vibe. His steps are upbeat and bouncy, reminding me of an excited child.
The raven, on the other hand, is the polar opposite of the brunette.
The raven, tall and lanky, walks stiffly as he cautiously navigates the crowd, careful not to so much as brush against someone’s hair strand or breath. Despite his hair, long and straight, covering most of his eyes, his silent glares at people blaze through his bangs and burn holes through their body.
If looks could kill, he would’ve caused a massacre.
And frankly, he would’ve been dead too.
Cause I’ve been staring, unblinking, at the red knot tied around his middle finger. I glance down at the knot at my ring finger, and back up at him, then to the red String connecting our two knots. My mouth hangs open as he trudges past, black locks flowing in the wind as he walks.
Despite the rigid way he was walking, there was a sort of grace in his walk. It was like watching those long pieces of cloth gymnasts use, being whipped and flung in several directions. It twists, it turns, sharp and tight, and yet all the movements elegantly flow into one another.
He’s beautiful , I thought to myself.
As if hearing what I said, the raven’s feet come to a sudden stop, and whips his head back to stare me dead in the eye. I flinch, mouth snapping shut.
We stare at each other for a while before his eyes slowly trace me, traveling down from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. I shiver as if his eyes were actually hands that were tracing my body.
The way his eyes scrutinize my figure, how they stare and dig at every single detail of me, it makes me feel so exposed, like I’ve laid myself out to him. I stare back, eyes hungry for every little detail I can find out just from looking at him.
His hair, despite being combed neatly to the sides of his head, perks up a little in different places. My eyes wander down to his forehead, where I spot a dot just above his eyebrow, but his hair covers it so I can’t be sure. His arms, though in a loose jacket, had hints of muscle stretching against his sleeves. A few of his fingers dangle out from the hole of his pocket, and god are they beautiful. Long and slender, calloused and pale. The traces of cool temperatures winter had left behind caused them to redden a little, and that just made them so much cuter.
I can imagine those fingers, caressing my face, cupping them gently. I can imagine them tracing my spine delicately, I can imagine them running down my torso, down towards my ass aND MY D-
AHEM-
Excuse me-
I mean-
I can imagine his head, resting on my chest, as I gently stroke his head and run my fingers through his hair. Those long fingers lightly rubbing circles on my hips I can imagine leaning down and placing soft kisses on his eyebrows, painting them with my lips.
His deep black eyes make their way back up to my face. Though shadowed by his dark hair, they shine and glimmer, as if they hold galaxies upon galaxies in them. His eyes bore into my soul and they caress it, and the ache in my heart, the ache of finding my soulmate, dissipates.
For a moment, the world seemed to fall away, leaving the two of us, alone, unmoving, basking in each other’s presences. I reach my hand out, opening my mouth to say something.
Then he scrunches up his face, as if he tasted something rotten, and spins away.
Eh?
The raven leaves me frozen in my tracks, gawking and staring at his fading figure as he disappears through a door with the rest of his team.
EH????
And I swear, I hear something in me snap .
“What the FUCK?” I yell, causing the people around me to flinch.
I feel my face heat up, burning furiously as I continue standing there for a good one minute, glaring at the door where the raven disappeared through.
If this were a comic, literal fumes would be rising out my ears and I’d be enveloped in flames.
Clenching my fists and gritting my teeth, the rage in my stomach still twisting and screaming, I force myself to tear my eyes away from the door and go find my team. I start to push my way through the dense crowd, not caring what people thought of me.
My embarrassment, my rage, my shame, just how offended I was feeling, cancels out all the dirty looks people throw at me as I shove my way back to where I left my team.
What the hell was his problem, I think to myself. My hand finds its way to my face, touching it gently. Is there something on my face? Did ‘Samu draw on my face? Is my face the problem??
His face of disgust flashes in my head again, and I aggressively ruffle my hair with frustration.
“Yer shitty hairdo is going to look shitter if ya keep doing that, ‘Tsumu.” An impatient voice behind me deadpans. I whirl around, finding myself facing my twin brother, who gives me a disapproving look. “Where the hell did ya run off too? I’ve been looking for ya everywhere.”
I made a strangled noise in my throat, “okay one,” pointing my finger at ‘Samu’s face, “yer hairstyle is exactly the same as mine. Two, he’s here.”
“Whomst?”
“My soulmate .”
At the sound of the word soulmate, ‘Samu’s bored and lidded eyes widen and his back straightens. He suddenly looked more alert than he has ever been this entire day, well except during breakfast.
“They’re- He’s here?” Vigorously, I nod my head. “Did ya find him? Where is he? Who is he?”
I chew my lips and furrow my brows, “He…” I start. “He’s from Itachiyama.”
‘Samu raises an eyebrow judgingly, “Yer soulmate is from…” he pauses for dramatic effect, “Itachiyama? Like the school that has been dominating nationals for the past few years… That Itachiyama?”
“No,” I stare at ‘Samu dead in the eye, “the Itachiyama that is the number one detergent brand.”
‘Samu raises both his eyebrows and gives me another judging look.
Exasperated, I throw my arms open, “YES THE CHAMPIONS OF NATIONALS ITACHIYAMA! WHAT OTHER ITACHIYAMA IS THERE???”
Even more people throw me weird looks but I was a bit too occupied with the fact that I had just found my soulmate BUT he had just looked at me like I was trash and walked away.
He. Walked. Away.
LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED, LIKE I WAS NOTHING.
He just did the damage.
AND LEFT.
“Gee, I’m sorry, ” ‘‘Samu rolls his eyes, clicking his tongue, “I’m sorry ya can’t tell the difference between an actual question and a rhetorical question, birdbrain.”
I huff and cross my arms, lower lip jutting out in a pout. "Tch."
In the distance, I hear someone call us. ‘Samu glances behind my back and returns his gaze to me. “C’mon, we gotta go, dumbass.” My twin brother walks past me, grabbing my arm and dragging me with him.
“Oi!” I struggle and wiggle my arm out his grip, “I can walk on my own thank ya very much!”
‘Samu clicks his tongue and drops his hand, “Then get yer head out of the clouds and walk .”
“Yes, yes, Osamu- san. ” Rolling my eyes, I start trudging backwards, still glaring daggers at ‘Samu, who glares back. As I mock the usual bored expression my brother usually wears, his mouth suddenly snaps open, his eyes widening for the second time and his eyebrows raising. He shoots his arm up, trying to stop me.
“‘Tsumu watch ou-”
I feel someone shove me hard from behind, and I tumble forward. ‘Samu blurs out as the beautiful, majestic grey floor fills my vision.
This is where I die, I tell myself. Single and flat out rejected by my so-called fated other half before I even had a chance to say anything.
The world dramatically slows down as my life flashed before my eyes.
Memories of my life rolled past like an old film. I see kid me, rolling down flower filled hills with ‘Samu, petals flying in the wind and giggles in the air. I see Ma and Pa lovingly watching us run around with flowers in our hair. I see ‘Samu and I in elementary school, standing in the staff room covered in scratches and bandages, getting lectured by our homeroom teacher for brawling in the classroom. Then afterwards we bought a popsicle from the nearby convenience store and shared it as a silent apology to each other. Finally, I see high school ‘Samu, slamming down a ball I set to him across the net, across the blockers and receivers, and down to the floor with a bang. His bright eyes and sweat glistened under the shining fluorescent lights, like drops of translucent pearls.
Ah, I’ve lived a good life.
There was pain, but there was also a lot of joy and happiness, sunshine and rainbows. At least I had someone right by my side the entire time. At least I wasn’t lonely.
I’m still so young, but that’s just how life is. Death can rip a loved one away without warning at any time.
Life isn’t fair.
So this is where it ends.
Just a small catalyst, just a small push to bring about my tragic, unavoidable death.
‘Samu… Ma… Pa… Everyone…
Thank ya for everything…
I’ll see y’all soon one day...
Goodbye, cruel worl-
“Hey!”
A hand whips out to catch me by the arm before I fall flat, face first to the ground. I turn my head around to look at the guy who caught me as I regain my balance, and a face pops into my vision. I am met with a pair of apologetic azure eyes, with a head of tousled black hair that sways as he looks at me.
“Please forgive me.” He furrows his eyebrows even more, eyes looking me up and down to make sure I hadn't been injured, “I wasn’t paying attention. I hope you’re alrig-”
He suddenly freezes as his eyes venture back up to face me, stopping as if someone just pressed the pause button before he could finish his sentence. His jaw hangs open dramatically for a quick moment before he snaps it shut and swallows hard, eyes wide with shock.
“O-oh uhm…” the raven stammers, his other hand twitches up to the hem of his shirt, fiddling and fidgeting with it. He blinks twice, and stares hard over my shoulder, eyes growing bigger by the second and his grip on my arm slowly slacking.
I blink, confused.
So I hesitantly turn my head to follow his eyes.
I gulp nervously, There isn’t a monster behind me right?
When my eyes find what he was staring at, all the air in my lungs flies out and I feel like my stomach is doing a complex artistic gymnastics dance. What the blue eyed raven was actually staring at was more shocking than if there was an actual monster behind me.
‘Samu.
He’s staring at ‘Samu, my twin baby brother, who stares right back at the raven with his big grey eyes with the same intensity.
And I swear I can see sparkles and pink hearts everywhere.