Chapter Text
A usual day.
The room basked in a twilight color, speckles of dust dwindled in the air and gave the soft, fairytale-like illusion of sparkles. Aside from the occasional group of students passing in the hall, behind the door resided no sound. The student council office was at its quietest.
Manual pen strokes and bored steps.
Stroke, stroke, stroke.
Step, step, step.
Stroke.
Step.
Stroke.
Step.
Sigh.
Sigh ?
" What's it with you today ? Why are you so fidgety? " Said Akane, his usually furrowed expression plastered on his face. Akane was a slow, but diligent and careful worker. He always revised the work of the council, and none were the days he had never completed his tasks. He was also the one who stroked the paper.
A day that went on as usual. Almost.
The council members who occupied the presidency post had less work that day, and it meant that a certain someone was nearing extreme boredom. That someone liked busy, cumbersome days filled with duties : he wanted being kept occupied — so occupied in fact he would miss the sunset and the dinner that followed absentmindedly, his after-school duties as an excuse to leave the estate; and being so exhausted he didn't remember the sunrise, or what he had for lunch. So that his day would go on faster and he wouldn't have time to think about what trailed in the back of his mind.
He just finished his third round of the place, with a loud and dramatic sigh.
" Aoi, did it ever occur to you that we might not have enough things to do as the student council? How can I be as free as I am right now ?"
That was an easy question to answer.
It was because Akane would not let him drown in work — the former stated that the latter was a workaholic (which, in itself, Teru thought was ironic) — and divided the daily share for everyone ; with so much detail you'd have to be a supernatural to go against the guy's wishes. The festival was a big task, and he was somehow able to reduce the amount into a non-overwhelming one. It took serious skill, one Teru secretly coveted.
In retrospect, these two were like night and day.
Teru, Minamoto Teru, was the star of Kamome Academy. If one were to give a better word to describe him, it would be "idol", but some go as far as calling him, "a living deity." (Which was — in utter truth — utter crap, but that was just Akane's opinion and Akane was just salty like always). No one could walk in a hallway and not hear of him. Whispers of boys and girls alike, gawking at his "bewitching beauty" (which, again, was truly an exaggeration). He was the most popular boy at the school.
Akane, Aoi Akane, on the other hand, was just viewed as that guy's shadow. He was not known for anything else but his top grades, his hardworking behavior and his obsession with the girl he liked (that info, however, remained more of an open class secret). He was not popular, and he was satisfied with that.
" Uh-huh," Akane acquiesced, not bothering to look up. Teru glanced his way, and thought that something was missing in his subordinate's overall look. He stared and stared, until it finally hit him; he noticed that the boy stopped wearing his glasses. It was a shame, those things gave him a certain, authoritarian look. But then, he felt like a different person. He wasn't keen to say he liked the change. It yet suited him, in a way.
" Aoi," Teru called again, as he looked out the window. Students from both the middle school and high school pooled out in groups of three or so.
" No," The other one refused. He passed a paper from one pile to another. He knew a scheme was about to take place, even if he wasn't aware of the kind. It was a usual practice within the office: obliged to comply because he fell short to his own carelessness, Akane was reluctant to answer Teru, no matter the type of sentence.
" Aoi, I have a question, " He insisted, not paying attention to the refusal.
" Whatever it is, I'm sure it's nothing good, " still absorbed in work, he retorted.
" Are we friends ?" Teru muttered after keeping quiet long enough for Akane to forget what he said before.
" Huh ?"
Just then, a breeze passed through, and made some papers flutter to the ground.
Akane dropped his pencil, not believing his ears. A big part of him already processed the question as a tease. And a small part truly wondered if it was serious.
As if snapped out of a dream and brought to the sudden realization of the words he uttered, Teru also expressed a certain surprise in his voice. Was he under the effect of a supernatural power?
In an attempt to recuperate his dignity he felt slip away, he jokingly said in a manner only he could pull off,
" You don't have to answer me, Aoi. I know the answer anyway~"
" So I take it you're bored ?" Akane stood up, stretched, and checked his watch. He picked up the papers tgat fell earlier on the floor.
" Precisely. And I might need to shake off some of my boredom right now…"
At these words, Akane shivered, dropping the papers again. That usually meant he was to be roped and electrocuted like a mere dog. He shook off the jolt as a pain, and reached out for his school bag before bringing out something of a cubic form. He came prepared today, just in case this nutcase had an urge to get suddenly violent with him.
He handed the newfound object to the taller boy.
" Here you go. This ought to help you, at least. "
In Teru's hands laid a colorful cube with nine squares on each face of it. He looked at it strangely, and remarking this, Akane annoyingly sighed.
" It's called a Rubik's cube. You have to match one color on each face. "
" Oh… and how does it work ? "
The shorter one rolled his eyes. Was there anything he knew how to do, outside of exorcizing and presidency ? He held his hands, and moved them in opposite directions: one forward, one backward.
He noticed Teru's eyes lit up for a faint moment.
So, he is able to be childish too, huh ?
"Keep yourself busy, at least long enough for me to finish my tasks," He warned, stretching some more and sitting down at his desk again. Teru silently nodded and finally took a seat.
When Teru next opened his eyes, sunset had already started its rise. He found himself staring at a pile of books in confusion, and he then moved his head to face the bookshelf. He raised his head, and the cube from earlier fell from the top of it. He must have fallen asleep.
" Oh hey, you're awake now. Perfect timing, " a voice from next to him called, with a hint of slight annoyance in it. Although, it always sounded that way when addressed to him.
Akane must've been the one to have placed the toy on his head. Which was rather strange, because it served no purpose. He was tidying the table, it seemed like.
" You shouldn't sleep on your desk, it's not good for you, " Akane remarked as he shoved the last record in his bag. Teru yawned and rubbed his eyes. His voice came out softer than usual.
" Aoooi~ When did I fall asleep ? What time is it ?"
His bag braced around his shoulder, he peaked at his watch : it showed five thirty in the afternoon.
" Oh. I have to get ready…" Teru groaned and stretched, akin to a cat out of a nap.
Akane didn't say anything, but he understood what Teru insinuated. He had to prepare for his nightly hunt for the beings that should never be. From what he knew, Teru usually got some sleep in the late afternoon before he headed out for the whole night and came back home as the sun rose. But because of the school festival, he had to stay later at school. This surely affected his schedule, shown by how soundlessly he fell asleep earlier.
He waited until the other was completely awake to then lock up the door behind him, leaving behind the room of his suffering and marching behind the echo of his steps in the twilit corridor.
He didn't want to face anyone.
He felt suffocated in the midst of all the other exorcists. Praised for a talent he measly inherited and had not worked towards, Teru felt like he had been mocked all along. While his recent friction with his brother revealed the gap between them, it also revealed how his little brother viewed him : as a hero, a person to imitate, the strongest he knew. He wasn't all of that. He wasn't the person he was praised to constantly be. He wasn't any of that. He was just lucky. Kou would never understand the weight crushing him down, the responsibility that belonged to him and him only : the exorcism business was a failed story dressed up as glory. It was an ugly place to live in, where no one could truly reach happiness. Teru's job was to take it all on himself so that his siblings would never have to face the injustices and expectations of their father and family.
A long huff came out of him, a huff that represented the hollowness from deep within him. A huff that could be interpreted as, "I want this to be over."
The night sky harbored clouds and stars.
But everything was quiet, not even a stray cat in the horizon.
He was on a swing. He stared not at anything, he thought not of anything. Only, he had not wanted to go home. Didn't wish to eat Kou's food, or even kiss Tiara goodbye.
How long will this go on ?
He felt his vitality wither with every step he made outside of his estate. The suffocating gaze of the idiotic, fanatic crowd that surrounded him every evening, taking him away from the sound enjoyment of a fleeting, unique youth — it longed on him. On his mind, body, and soul, like a real fléau . He hated it all with a deep passion, yet that hatred never made it past his throat. Nothing would come out. He had told Kou, "it is because you are weak," all the while he could not even state what was on his mind. If his brother had not brought the matter on the table, he would have continued to ignore it, he would have looked at it from the corner of his eye. He lacked courage. He was the true weakling.
He put one hand in his right pocket, and from it took out the strange cube from earlier. A thought came into his mind then. Was it really a thought? No, it was more of a wish. A wishful thought.
Save me.
It didn't truly come from him. He was strong enough to save himself. And yet, he kept thinking about it. Longing for it. In reality, it was from someplace else.
A passage of a book.
Save me from this oxidizing world so that I may plaintifully live my dream .
From his left pocket fell out his smartphone. He picked it up, and checked the time.
A hope flickered from the depths of him. Depths he didn't want ignated. Maybe, just maybe, at this hour…
He stared at the screen. He stared at the void, sat there, waited for a savior.
He swayed above the ground.
Creak.
Creak.
Creak.
Then, from the void, he saw a familiar face. An illusion of solitude, he thought. But it wasn't.
A series of huffs.
Pant.
Pant.
Pant.
Sigh.
Sigh ?
Then followed that harsh, reality grounded voice.
" What are you doing here ? "
He looked up behind him, his face ever so widened, stupefied.
When did he…?
" Aoi…" He managed to mutter. His mouth never felt so dry before. His voice never felt so weak. His throat blocked up from the many unspoken words, almost choking him. He couldn't believe his eyes.
"How did you…"
" Did you not see the damned time ? What's gotten into you ?! " the newly spawned Akane sermoned. Still, the other boy did not say anything, his mouth still wide open from utter shock. It was the first time Akane had ever seen the student council president that way. He shook his head, before sitting next to him on the second swing. A total of fifteen minutes, completely silenced, had gone by.
And just as Teru was done recollecting his thoughts, and just as he was about to blurt out an excuse, Akane stood up suddenly, with an annoyed look only he mastered. It looked as if he pondered about something, and he finally finished his thought process.
" President. Stand up. "
Teru, still not comprehending the situation, stood up nonetheless, albeit slowly.
" Now, come with me. "
The ginger stepped ahead, while the blond did not lift a foot. Exasperated, Akane pulled Teru by the wrist.
" C'mon. Don't act like a prince at this time, " he mumbled, leading the way.
Although throttling, Teru silently let himself get lead, before stopping abruptly. The other boy turned around at the sudden weight behind him. It seemed he had just come to his senses.
" Aoi. Where are we going ? "
" To the convenience store, " He answered, without missing a beat.
He followed Akane around — this time without getting dragged like a lost kid. During the trip, neither of them had addressed how awkward the whole situation was, and let the silence make a visible distance between them. Teru was told to wait outside while Akane went in to get what he needed. Once he came back, he started to pick up the pace again.
" Alright, let's go. "
It was already late, and Teru assumed that from there, they would head out their separate ways. So he couldn't help but ask,
" Where to ?"
Uncomfortably, and with a defeated groan, Akane looked away before sighing. With a serious look only him wore so well, he declared :
" To my place. "