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«Umemiya Hajime! What is that??»
As Hajime steps into the school ground, he’s met with a pair of icy blue eyes that freeze him in place.
He knew they’d be there. Hiragi told him earlier he’d give them a call and see if they were still at school. Hajime tried insisting that there was no need, that he’d only be there for a short time – quickly grabbing the bag he’d forgotten and heading home right after – but Hiragi wanted none of that. Even though the fight with Shishitoren ended with the best outcome, Hiragi told Hajime loud and clear that he didn’t trust some of Shishitoren’s most unruly members not to hold a grudge, especially against Bofurin’s leader. So he’d rung Tsubaki up, asking them to stay by Hajime’s side as a measure of precaution.
And here Tsubaki is, in front of the school entrance, arms crossed against their chest. Hajime scratches the back of his head and gives them an apologetic smile.
«Tsubaki, hi! Sorry for all the trouble!»
They look livid, and Hajime doesn’t know if he should be scared at this point. Tsubaki sighs.
«It’s no trouble but.. Not only did I have to learn about it all through Hiragi, but you come back looking like this! What even is that??»
As Tsubaki speaks, they gesture towards the makeshift bandages around Hajime’s neck.
«Oh! The bandages? It’s nothing, don’t worry! It doesn’t even hurt anymore.»
Tsubaki tilts their head and raises an eyebrow. «Yeah, because getting your neck bitten so hard it bleeds surely is ‘nothing’.»
Hiragi really did tell them everything, Hajime thinks to himself. He tries to reassure them. «It’s not as bad as it sounds, I promise!»
«Still, that is not how you treat a wound!»
«Well.. They didn’t really have proper first-aid back at Shishitoren’s hideout..»
Hajime tries to justify himself but Tsubaki is hearing none of it. They grab his wrist without a second thought and start walking at a steady pace, dragging him along the school corridors. They make a quick stop at the infirmary, in which Tsubaki enters alone, and comes back from it carrying a first-aid kit with them. Their hand goes back to Hajime’s wrist again, and they lead him through the endless flights of stairs until they reach the school rooftop. Hajime looks at the way their hair move down their shoulders, long and soft against their back, sliding across it as they walk in front of him, following their movements. He remembers when it used to be shorter, barely grazing their shoulders. Longer hair definitely suits them, he thinks, smiling to himself.
The air outside hits them, colder than they both expected. It’s incredible how fast it gets chilly as soon as the sun starts setting. Hajime shivers lightly when Tsubaki’s warm hand leaves his wrist to put the kit down on the table and pick up two of the chairs that are scattered around it, shifting them to make them face each other.
«Now, sit down here.»
They point at one of the chairs. Hajime sits down obediently, and can’t help the warm, spontaneous smile that blooms on his face as he watches Tsubaki open the kit and get the necessary items ready.
«I’m not really that hurt, you kn-»
«Silence» they command, still fiddling around with the content of the first-aid kit.
«Okay, okay, my bad!» Hajime giggles as he admits defeat and raises his hands.
Tsubaki scoffs, but Hajime thinks he can see the hint of a smile they’re trying to conceive.
«Now, let me undo that.»
Tsubaki steps closer but they don’t sit down. They bend slightly over him, and Hajime raises his face to meet theirs, and to provide them easier access to his neck. They start undoing his bandages slowly, but soon Tsubaki’s hair slips away from behind their shoulders and it reaches Hajime’s face. He giggles.
«It tickles!»
«Ah, sorry, my bad!»
Tsubaki pulls their hair back and ties it in a messy low bun. Then, they lean closer again – somewhat closer than before, and Hajime closes his eyes, lost in the delicate, soft touch of Tsubaki’s nimble fingers. They unwrap the bandages in slow movements, as if Hajime was made of porcelain and must be handled with utmost care. He hides a chuckle at the thought.
«I have no idea what you’re laughing about,» Tsubaki scolds him as they put the finally undone bandages on the table «but this looks bad.»
Hajime frowns and opens his eyes. «‘Bad’ as in?»
«‘Bad’ as in, ‘you won’t die from it but you should’ve taken better care of it in the first place’.» Tsubaki sighs. «Seriously, who would even think of biting their opponent’s neck during a fight? That’s such a foul play.»
There’s anger in their voice. Hajime searches for their eyes and finds concern hidden in them.
«It’s not his fault. And I’m not mad at him. If anything, I’m glad I was there to help him sort it all out. That kind of feelings.. they never lead to anything good. He was self-destructing without knowing, and he was dragging everyone else down with him. I’m glad he realized that in time, before it was too late.»
«Still, Ume.. You can’t keep shouldering other people’s burdens at the cost of your own well-being.»
Tsubaki is mad, and Hajime understands that. He gets that. It’s the worry of someone who’s been left out of the whole situation, of a spectator – no, a listener, who only heard one side of the story and thinks they have it all figured out. He doesn’t blame Tsubaki for their concern. It’s understandable, and it’s pretty much common sense, even. But they haven’t seen how Tomiyama’s eyes turned void in front of him. They haven’t felt the emptiness in his punches like he did. They haven’t felt the weight of his body on his, heavy with despair, on the brink of perdition.
«Tsubaki, thank you for your concern. But I’m fine, really. It wasn’t as bad as you might think. I don’t know how Hiragi described it all, but I have a feeling he might’ve exaggerated it a bit!»
He smiles apologetically, but Tsubaki isn’t smiling back at him. They’re biting their lower lip, as if they were pondering on what to say.
«Tsubaki.» Hajime stands up and takes a step towards them. «It’s all good, nothing serious hap-»
«I’m not talking about the whole thing with Tomiyama» they cut him off. «Or, well, it’s not just about today. It’s something that keeps happening. You’ve been doing that ever since I met you, and maybe even before. I’ve noticed. You have a tendency to.. put others first to a concerning degree, as if they were worth more than you. But they’re not.»
Hajime is taken aback. He doesn’t know how to reply to that, and he has a feeling anything he might say would be useless anyway. So he lets them speak their mind, listening in silence.
«It’s just.. I’ve known you for a long time, and watching you from so up close has given me a deeper understanding of you, in some way. And with understanding comes worry, inevitably. You’re selfless, and that’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing how selfless you can be. You’re an inspiration for everyone in Bofurin, myself first. I’m just worried, sometimes. You care about all of us so much, and we see that in your actions. You always put other people first, and that’s admirable. Just.. don’t let your selflessness turn into an excuse for self-destruction. There’s a fine line between them, and it’s easier to cross than one might think.»
Tsubaki lowers their gaze as soon as they finish speaking, and start fidgeting with the hem of their skirt. Hajime thinks it’s adorable, but he’ll find another time and place to tell them that. He smiles at them fondly.
«Tsubaki» he claims their attention, and Tsubaki’s gaze is back on him. «Thank you.»
Then he smiles, and scratches the back of his head. «I never realized I was so easy to read» he says, then weighs his words before speaking again. «Your insight is precious. Trust me, I’m well aware of how fine that line is. But I have to admit, I never thought of how my actions might look from the outside. I’ll be more careful. I promise.»
«You better» Tsubaki says, and the depth of their voice gives Hajime goosebumps. Then, they sigh. «Now sit back down. I’m not finished.»
Hajime chuckles and sits down comfortably, tilting his head to the left to make Tsubaki’s work easier. He watches them as they let a few drops of sanitizer onto the cotton swab. Then, they sit in front of him and they lean closer – their eyes focused on the bite marks on his neck.
«Stay still» they whisper, as they bring their fingers under his chin and tilt it up slightly. «It might sting a little.»
Hajime twists his face at the contact with the sanitizing liquid, cold against his skin. It burns, so he decides to focus on Tsubaki instead – on the warmth of their fingertips on his neck, and the expression of pure concentration on their face. On the way they breathe slowly and quietly, as if not to disturb him in their closeness. He smiles. He could get used to being cared for like this sometimes.
«Alright, I’m almost done» Tsubaki announces as they put down the cotton swab and grab a huge patch from the table nearby. Their fingers are back on Hajime’s chin, making him tilt his head a little to allow the patch to stick onto his neck the right way.
«Okay, you’re good to go!»
Tsubaki stands up and starts collecting the items on the table and putting them back into the box, while gathering all waste to one side and then throwing it into the closest bin. Hajime remains seated for a few more seconds, dwelling on the warmth he feels in his chest as he watches them with a fond smile on his face. Then, he stands up as well and puts the chairs back in their rightful place.
When they’ve finished tidying up, Tsubaki undoes their bun, and shakes their hair free. Hajime is mesmerized by how beautiful it looks as it reflects the last rays of setting sunshine – the red tips glowing as if they were fire.
As Tsubaki starts heading towards the roof door, Hajime calls them. «Tsubaki.»
They turn back, a puzzled look on their face. «Yes?»
Hajime gives them his brightest smile. «Thank you. For both caring for me, and speaking your mind. I really do value that a lot. Keep doing that.»
Tsubaki smiles back at him. «No need to thank me! It’s my duty as one of the Four Kings, after all.»
Their answer leaves Hajime a bit perplexed, as there’s a hue to Tsubaki’s voice that he hasn’t heard before. It sounds somewhat melancholic, but he’s frustrated to realize that he’s clearly missing pieces to figure it out completely. The strange feeling follows him around for a while, even after Tsubaki turns around and starts walking again.
Tsubaki opens the door, holding it in place for Hajime to pass through. He follows them into the empty school corridors, and finds himself relieved that the silence between them is already being filled by the sound of their echoing footsteps. He grabs his bag quickly, and they both finally head out. They walk together for a bit more, until they reach a crossroads.
Tsubaki turns around and waves their hand. «See you tomorrow, Ume!»
«Yeah.. Be careful on the way home.»
«You too!»
Hajime watches them walk away – the weird sensation from before still lingering. He’ll have to look into it, sooner or later. He turns around, and heads for the opposite direction.