Chapter Text
What has come to this?
It was all so normal, wasn’t it?
The banging on the window was nonstop. Tsukasa held his head tightly as if it was going to explode from his thinning patience. Like a ticking time bomb, or the string slowly burning until it fatefully hits the explosive. Like being in a dark cave, surrounded by nothing but the unknown, absolutely covered head to toe in darkness and the only thing you hear is your quiet breath and the water droplet that continuously drips and drips onto an area. That being the only thing keeping you grounded into reality until its repeated beat makes the back of your hair stand straight up and the realization of your surroundings keep you on edge, soon leading to a constant confusion if anything is real and all you see is black, you don’t know where you’re going.. Or if you’re even going.
Maybe it was a dream… yeah just a bad dream- or at least that’s what Tsukasa tried reassuring himself. But the noises near the window in the classroom were indeed very real. The redhead was shaking and beyond pale. His cheekbones were clearly showing and a shadow loomed over his eyes. Eyes that were once full of sparkle. If it was a dream then Tsukasa would do anything to wake up from it.
Maybe…this all wouldn’t have happened if… Tsukasa shook his head. Those kinds of thoughts will put you at a clear disadvantage!... But in this situation..?
The red-headed knight has been trapped inside of Yumenosaki for a week now, and the food has long run out. What has happened however? What made it so that Tsukasa cannot step one foot outside, and the moment that Tsukasa does… they’ll get him.
The banging on the window became louder, “Tsukasa… open the window already!”, the voice outside demanded. The redhead flinched at the voice. “Aren’t you hungry?” It taunted, “If you don’t come out to eat, you’ll die !” Tsukasa backed closer to the corner that we were huddled in as an attempt to get away from the window in the classroom that cannot seem to get away everytime he closed his eyes.
He’d just wish that once he opened his eyes, he’d wake up in his room, and with his unit mates and friends by his side like always.
No matter how many times the voices taunted him, there was no way that he could fall for its traps. If Tsukasa dares to leave, he’s as good as dead .
“Tsukasa, are you listening?” A few more knocks on the window proceeded after.
How repulsive , Tsukasa thought. He scorned as his back hugged against the corner. That was his voice, pitch for pitch, 100% identical. The voice that he uses to sing the melodies of Knights. His unit. The boy scowled, his own voice calling him from outside the second floor window. Tsukasa wishes that he was hallucinating, but this is a very real situation. Whatever was outside of the window… that thing is using his voice to lure him outside to a certain death. Like the devil disguising as a snake to tempt even to eat the apple with his words. It may sound like it was Tsukasa, but there was a definite feeling around it that showed that it definitely was not in fact Tsukasa. It felt fake, empty of a soul, it did not feel like the second-year.
Despite how similar it’s voice is, Tsukasa truly doesn’t know what /it/ really is. The redhead leaned his head back to the wall and let out a loud sigh, How could something like this happen? He asked himself. Trying to walk back to the steps he took to the very beginning, the source of how this situation happened. From the choices that he made that lead to this moment to exactly what is going on that started everything.
It all started about a month ago… when Arashi Narukami…
Died a horrible death.
He didn’t even want to remember the image that was ingrained in his head of her death. The scene that he terribly saw on the television once he was told the news.
They found her hanging outside of the school, like she wanted to broadcast her death to the world. The noose was made of metal and was wrapped haphazardly around electrical wires. The reporters said that the weight of her body nearly tore her head off . The image of Arashi hanging lifelessly with a metal wire hanging around her neck as her legs dangled. All in front of the school outside of the 3rd floor window where the electrical wires connected to the building.
“Reporting live, outside of Yumenosaki Private Academy, the school of the singer from famous idol group Knights and model Arashi Narukami who passed away last night.” The reporter announced on live television, in front of the crowd surrounding the gates of the school. “One can’t help but think by looking at the crowd of mournful fans gathered together after hearing the tragic news, that something here isn’t just right.” The mourning cries of the crowd almost drowned out the voice of the reporter who was even a good distance away. She pointed to the area where Arashi’s hanging body was found, “Authorities believe that she leaned out of her window and tied the noose around the electrical wire.” The sight felt eerie. Such an empty spot near the window that once held the lifeless hanging body of a girl. People swore they felt a dark shadow that outlined her body on the wall even though her body was removed from the metal noose.
“Although there was no suicide note– According to her friends, she was having second thoughts regarding her life as a idol.” People could not believe what they were hearing on live television and felt like a bit of Japan was taken away from them. Narukami Arashi was such a pretty woman who wanted to make people happy. Sure, she was a narcissist at most but she had confidence in herself and set the idea that the best compliments to you are compliments from yourself. Arashi modeled for a lot of media and you could find her pictures everywhere. Everyone was captivated by her beauty, her alluring eyes captured the nation as well as her fair skin and blonde hair that could belong to a princess of a nation- or perhaps even a queen.
Albeit she was not perfect, and had some bad habits towards people but everyone isn’t perfect aren’t they? Her upbringing was rough, and the modeling industry wasn’t the best for her and it really affected how she treated others because of it.
Before the reporter could talk even further, Tsukasa turned off the TV in his dorm room. With tears dwelling in his eyes, closing his eyes and turning his head down, “ Narukami-senpai killed herself? ” He thought, “ I can’t believe it… ”
Arashi was an idol, but she was also an equally valued member of Knights. And Tsukasa’s senior in Yumenosaki.
Tsukasa took his information deeply to heart, it might as well have pierced through it. Sure, Arashi wasn’t the total best to the boy as their upperclassman and the other was quite annoyed from their actions towards them, but Tsukasa still cherished her as one of the few people he looked up to and depended on as an idol. She was just a person, about to graduate Yumenosaki with overflowing dreams and passions to pursue. Just to realize that she’s gone was devastating, not just to him but to perhaps the entirety of Japan. A beautiful rose was now wilted, and people mourned.
Tsukasa stood outside of the building where the mourning was held. Staring at the lone portrait of Arashi, he couldn’t bear to walk inside. He didn’t want to cry in front of her, he wanted to show to her that he was a strong knight who would lead their group to the stars and to make sure that the other members can rely on him. Although the funeral was silent, fans couldn’t help but cry out her name loudly outside of the closed gate, nearly trampling the guards over who desperately attempted to keep the large crowds of fans in check so they wouldn't interrupt the sacred ceremony between Arashi’s family and closest friends.
The fans cried out her name, yelling it loudly as they mourned outside. Surrounding the gates outside in tears.
“Those fans were really loud, de gozaru…” Shinobu muttered, following behind Tsukasa as they went on their way back to the dorms. “What did you expect, she really captured the hearts of every boy in Japan! Hmph, every boy they said but I captured everyone’s heart~” Tori flicked his hair. “E-eh!? That isn’t something to say, Himemiya-kun..” He scolded the little prince. “But why would Narukami-senpai kill herself?” Yuta followed behind, “She never let on that there was anything wrong at school… What do you think, Tsukasa-kun? You guys are in the same unit?” he asked. The rest turned their attention to the redhead, he was quite close to her? Wasn’t he? Tsukasa looked ahead of himself, “Hm.. I don’t know either…”, he stared at the figure in front of him.
The group stared at the familiar boy silently walking ahead of them, “Look!” Shinobu went closer to Tsukasa, “It’s Kagehira-dono.”
He seemed to be correct, he had a recognizable silhouette and a noticeable mess of dark hair on the back of his head. It was a distinct energy that he gave off that was identifiable, from his uniform and to his mannerisms. “He looks so sad… he’s probably taking this badly..” Yuta noted, noticing his slumped posture. The group stopped in their tracks when they saw that Mika was surrounded by a mysterious group of men who are definitely much older than him. Mika looked up from the ground and up to the faces where they loomed over him with a furious expression.
“Ngah… whaddya guys want from me…?” His voice was shaking, it was like he was stepping on burning rocks at this point, his shoulders looked weak from slumping over for the day and looked like they were about to give out at any moment.
The supposed leader of the mysterious group of men stepped forward, “We’re from the Arashi Narukami Fan Club. Are you Mika Kagehira?” He said sternly, his voice certainly commanded order and respect. Mika nodded, “Erm.. ya? I done did somethin’ wrong did I?” The novice artist muttered, nervously answering the intimidating question. “We’ve got a few things we wanna ask you.” The man kept the same expression. Despite the strangeness of this encounter, Mika is confused as to why Arashi’s fanclub is specifically confronting him, albeit their intentions are yet to be made clear to him.
The other men that surrounded the young man held a similar displeased expression, their eyebrows were furrowed and the tips of their lips were strongly held down. The wrinkles between their eyes and brows were visibly creased and their hands were either crossed or in their pockets. “We’ve heard that you were Arashi's boyfriend!” Mika promptly looked back up when the proclamation was made, “Eh!? Boyfriend? That’s a nada, that ain’t right!” He waved his hands in denial. He insisted that the group has the wrong guy or perhaps that she never had a boyfriend in the first place, but these guys could be comparable to boulders since they won’t budge from their original judgment.
“ Quit acting stupid! ” His voice was raised significantly higher, it startled the group from afar, his hands were now formed in a fist and his eyebrows were more creased. Mika flinched from his yell and rose his arms up to his chest to defend himself. “ We’ve looked into you! ” The same man still continued to yell at the boy, “ We know you were dating while she was still alive! ” His words became increasingly loud, but the fanclub did not have a care in the world if other people nearby heard his words. “ And that you were opposed to her career and never gave her any support! ” Tsukasa blinked. No that cannot be right.. The redhead rubbed his chin, to his knowledge, Mika had no opposition to Arashi’s career since they were both idols so that doesn’t add up and they were always talking and enjoyed each other's company all the time so the two definitely had each other’s back. Always the one to catch the other if they fell. Unless there was something going on behind the scenes, after all, Arashi did not let anything on… No– Tsukasa shook his head. She was always honest and truthful to her heart, so if something was wrong between them then people would’ve known… right?
The man’s scowling face went near Mika to tower over him, “ You were the cause of all of her problems! ” He accused Mika, “ I’m right, aren’t I !?” His loud voice was still kept at the same volume even if his face was close to the boy. Mika began to sweat from the other guys that were surrounding him coming in closer, basically towering over him, “W-whaddya mean..?” His voice trembled. It sounded fragile as if it was glass on the verge of shattering.
The main interrogator suddenly grabbed Mika’s collar and pulled him up higher, “ DO I HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU!? YOU MADE HER KILL HERSELF! ” The other men that surrounded him went in closer, ganging up on him. “Get offa me!” Mika detested, trying to flail himself while the others hyped the main man attempting to harm the idol.
“What do you guys think you’re doing!?” The man stopped just before he pulled a punch on Mika, which made the boy flinch. “What do you hope to prove, just hurting him like that!?” Tsukasa yelled, “Kagehira-senpai is our schoolmate!” he raised his voice. Although both are from different agencies and units, he was important to Arashi and knew he was a good man. He couldn’t stand around seeing Mika being harassed like this over baseless assumptions. The older men scoffed, “You little brats!” The presumable leader shot a glare at the group, “You want some of this too?” He threatened them. The threat, however, was not a bluff. Even though the group of second years were idols, high-class famous idols of Japan even, that could not stop the men from hurting them. Not even the terror that may come upon them if there were to be a single scratch laid on any of them.
Tsukasa stepped up and puffed up his chest, “Don’t make me call the cops!”, he pointed back to the direction of the funeral. “There were a bunch of people at the funeral–” His voice roared at the fanclub, “--So if I scream, they’ll be here before you know it!” Admittedly, Tsukasa was thinking on his feet for this one. He was scared. Yet his heart seeked the rage that the stars had felt the night prior. The man scoffed, loosening his grip on Mika’s collar, eventually dropping him to the ground. “Goddammit!” He scowled at the young knight. Mika coughed, his head to the ground, “Better watch your back! All of you!” He threatened them one last time as the fanclub left the area. There was a heavy silence in the air before the second years approached Mika who was still on the ground.
“Are you okay?”
Were the words asked by Tsukasa. Mika still faced away from the fellow idols. “...” The boy kept his mouth shut until he responded, “...Yeah…” He finally answered. Tori scoffed, “Hmph!” holding his head high, “Don’t listen to those weirdos! They’re just a bunch of dummies!” He attempted to comfort Mika with his words. Shinobu leaned forward, “He’s right, Kagehira-dono! They’re taking out their anger on you but you did nothing wrong, de gozaru!” he added.
Mika’s back still faced the group of friends, “No…” he calmly retorted. His voice is weak and clearly cracking. “I… They were right. All my naggin’ drove Naruchan t’what she did.” Mika muttered. This made Tsukasa furious, “ That’s wrong! Narukami-senpai wouldn’t kill herself over some small thing like that! ” Tsukasa roared. Nobody was, and shouldn’t have been at fault for Arashi’s suicide. Nobody should blame themselves for it, or at least that’s what Tsukasa believed. “Don’t you think so!” he didn’t want Mika to feel this way. Nothing should be blamed on the tragic event, Tsukasa knew better than that. Tears welled in Mika’s eyes and he started to sniffle, and the knight’s voice softened down, “Kagehira-senpai…”. His tone felt pitiful. He wasn’t too close to Mika perse; but it was still wrong of him for Mika, who was close to Arashi since the two were seeing each other, to feel this way. To feel that he was the one who drove the model to her death. Albeit, Tsukasa doesn’t know the full story. The air in the scene was tense. With the group trying to console a weeping Mika on the ground muttering her name in between a few whimpers as Tsukasa stood behind with gloom in his eyes.
Tsukasa arrived back to the dorms alone, presumably having a break to think in a quiet spot alone somewhere, with the only thing that can be heard are the cries of Japan in the air. The wind was silent, and the accompanying swaying tree branches never cracked a sound. Death stained the air all around.
“I’m back…” announced as he took off his shoes by the door of his dorm. He was initially greeted by Souma, who was doing his workout routine on the floor, and then proceeded by Shinobu who was practicing some sort of Ninja-like movements by his bed. The knight looked around the room, with a plastic bag on Souma’s bed but overall neat. Tsukasa wondered if he had gone shopping recently. For the other, Shinobu's bed had sharp ninja stars on it. Although Tsukasa hopes he’ll put them away or else they’ll be caught by Keito once again. He shudders at the thought of another hour long lecture. “Welcome back, Suou. I presume you gave your condolences?” Souma got up, seemingly just remembered something. He walked to his bed and grabbed the contents of what was inside the bag. The prince moved out of the doorway as the samurai moved there with a bag of salt. Tsukasa had a look of confusion and wonder, “Why do you have salt, Kanzaki-senpai?” his eyes widened.
Souma had an excited smile, the kind that reminded Tsukasa of the ocean, “Mhm, I’m going to spread some salt by the door.” Souma opened the door, taking a handful of salt and laid them on the ground, spreading the material evenly and calmly. “We wouldn’t want unwanted visitors, now wouldn’t we?” He muttered, looking proud of his actions. Tsukasa didn’t further question his act and his main concern lies on the question if Hasumi-senpai would be furious at this matter and what kind of trouble the three would be in. He scratched his chin, however.. He did remember seeing the leader do the same thing when he passed by. The young knight settled his things down.
Tsukasa felt… lost. He wasn’t too sure on how to feel. It felt surreal to him to know that his senior is now gone. The knight laid down on his bed unsure of what to do or what to think at all. From watching the news report on Arashi’s suicide on the TV to encountering the fanclub harassing Mika and now safely back at his dorm. It was oddly silent, with Shinobu quietly practicing moves of a trained Ninja and the sprinkling of salt by the door, of which Tsukasa thought it was a strange practice but he could always trust his senior’s judgements if he feels it’s necessary for the dorm and its safety. His eyes were heavy yet he didn’t feel like sleeping or resting, he was surely sad but couldn’t bring himself to weep. The redhead took a deep breath and exhaled, catching the attention of Shinobu. The ninja knew to give him some space, but still asked if he was alright.
“I’m sorry, but.. I’m alright Shinobu-kun. I’m just worried about Kagehira-senpai.” His voice tinged with worriedness. He let out another sigh once more. Shinobu softened his expression, unsure of his next move. He fidgeted with his bangs, pausing to take a moment to think about his next words. He held a comforting grin. “I’m sure he’ll be alright, we can check up on him soon de gozaru~” He tried to keep his spirits high, trying to replicate what his fellow members in Ryuseitai stand for. Though all Tsukasa could really do was give him a reassuring smile. Tsukasa continued to lay in bed, feeling sick with apprehension for whatever the future offers.