Work Text:
It was struck at midnight when a strikingly handsome young man appeared at Hanamizaka Pub & Bar. It was a full moon, a perfect night for any ethereal beauty to roam the streets in their most shining shells and attract each other in perfect masked persona. And Kaedehara Kazuha, was not any exception.
He arrived at the bar in silence, but his incoming was pulling some curious glance towards him. While trying to not getting any unnecessary attention, he walk slowly to the breakfast bar, accompanying the presence of the sole bartender there.
“One cup of Lunar Glory, Aether .”
The bartender looked at Kazuha and only gave him a quick glance before preparing his drink. “I thought you would not come here tonight.”
“Change of plans.”
“Come again?”
Kazuha hissed and by the looks of his face, Aether already assumed the worst.
“Then that would have marked the seventh time this month.” The golden haired bartender told Kazuha. His glowing hair couldn’t even beat the paralyzing light of the lamp arounds them. It looks just slightly paler but even in the dimmest light, Kazuha could spot this blonde’s presence anywhere. “What a waste of a marriage proposal. Is it really that bad?”
Kazuha solemnly nodded.
“Worse than before?”
Kazuha solemnly touched his temples and stroked it, hard enough to make his headache resurface. “Don’t mention it.”
“Uh-uh.” Aether nonchalantly responded. “The worst it is, then.”
The blonde quickly passed Kazuha’s drink right in front of his eyes with swift motion, just like a real talented bartender. Kazuha reached his cup with one thanks and lift the glass.
“I warn you, even though I have adjusted the dose just for you, your tolerance is not your biggest charming point, Romeo.” Ather reminded him, warned him, even.
The glass stopped mid air, right before entering his mouth. Kazuha hesitated for a second, and thinking about everything that had happened tonight, all over again. Starting with his humble diner at home and then quickly made a leave to his fiancee. He already prepared his heart to break someone’s heart that night, but as if the universe even cheered for him, the moment he stepped on that mansion, he heard that his soon-to-be father in law was furious and throwing things at home; a sign he only does when something was getting out of hand.
And by that, he–of course–was talking about his fiancee … who was caught with someone else. Right on the day when they were supposed to be talking about engagement. Kazuha witnessed firsthand how his ex-fiancee was kicked out of the house along with their partner. There’s only one briefcase with them and they look poor. So pathetic it could move his heart to help him.
But a traitor alwasya a traitor, so he refused to lay a hand and just walked straight through them, righ to the master of the house and the family.
He cut ties with them instantly after the father only spoke one sentence: “He had done something irreversible with someone else.”
And that’s how the hammer struck between them.
When he was reminiscing about it, Kazuha couldn’t help but laughed at those memories.
“It was as stupid as it was fruitless try.” He brushed off his hair with his fingers. “Don’t you think so too, Aether?”
“I don’t know what are you talking about.” Aether shrugged. “It’s too early for my wise bartender persona to come, you know?”
“I know, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t help it. I guess, it’s only natural that our mouth start to speak whenever we felt save around people we trust. Suddenly, it grew so comfortable, so … right. Like … yes, we supposed to tell stories to this fellas. Don’t you ever think like that?” Kazuha bitterly looked at his friend’s reflection through the blue liquid inside the glass. Under the dimmed light of the pub and the music that turned slow and mellow, the bluish color of the Lunar Glory looked like a depth of the ocean: beautiful and mysterious. If only his life was as half as mysterious as this drink, then it would less comedic.
“I guess I have.” Aether looked at him for one last time. “Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.”
“Relax, it’s only one gulp.” Kazuha rolled the ice cube inside his glass. “Besides, both you and I know, this is basically the kid’s play. The alcohol was so low it can’t take anyone’s off seriously, right?”
“Last time you called that, you stepped on the table over there.” Aether pointed a table across the room. “And start reciting ancient haiku that scares people. They think you’re possessed by some kind of Love Deity.”
“That would be good.” Kazuha said. “At least, I don’t look blue, am I right/ My cheeks would be so, so red after I drink this.”
And without any further thought, he gulped those drinks. All in one gulp. And almost instantly, his head went dizzy.
Funny. he recalled blue was the color of depression but looking through at it, he felt strangely calm. All the redness and sore in his sight slowly faded away withthe glimmering blue inside the glass. He might me delirious to think aboutit. Maybe there was something in the air and light and ceiling, but nonetheles, Kazuha enjoying his solitude in this pub.
Kazuha slowly loses his steadiness. His vision shaking and everyone just spinning around uncontrollably. Then he felt so sleepy all of a sudden.
“Kazuha? Hey, Kazuha? Are you still with me?” Somewhere, far, far away, he could hear Aether mustered his name. He didn’t know whether he has answered the call or not, it didnt matter. Suddenly, it didn’t matter anymore. He was too sleepy.
And then he closed his eyes.
***
In the darkness, Kazuha felt someone approaching. Someone is walking closer and closer to him until he turned around and facing the moset beautiful person he ever met.
“Here you are, Kaedehara! your father is looking out everywhere for you, you know?”
“Scara-mouche…” His head suddenly getting poked. “Ouchie!”
“That’s Big Brother Kuni for you. You’re still two years younger than me, when will you start calling me properly?”
“When you stop treating me like a child.” Kazuha pouted and looked away. “I can return home by myself, you know. No need to pick me up like a child again.”
“Then you’ll never make it in time for dinner, right? You always came back after sunset if someone doesn’t pick you up.” Big Brother Kuni reached out to him. “Let’s go, I walk you back home.”
Seeing the sun almost set and it was getting dark, Kazuha was left with no choice but to listen to Scaramouche. So he grabbed Kuni’s hand, the warmth of their intertwined hands seeping through his finger like a gentle thread. And Kazuha, instinctively fell in love with the gentle brush, holding Kuni’s hands completely without even notice it.
“You know … you truly are a troublesome brat for your age.” Big Brother Kuni admitted blatantly.
“Y-you think so?’ Kazuha looked in awe.
“Yeah, why else do you think you have no friends?
Kazuha sulked quickly. Then Big Brother Kuni burst out laughing.
“Look at you now.” Big Brother Kuni gently patted his head. “Who’s acting like a big guy just a minute before?”
“Owh, you!” Kazuha quickly shoved Kuni's hand from his head. “Don’t tease me!”
“I”m not teasing you, I just tell the truth.” Kuni shrugged as they walk side by side, together.
Kazuha went silent. Deep in his heart, he was considering. He was thinking carefully, but he felt that if it wasn’t now, then there will be no more chance like this in the future. So with one deep breath, he turned his head and looked at Kuni’s big beautiful eyes; eyes that always mesmerize him everytime they looked at each other. He always felt Scara’s eyes looked like a pair of gem, it amazed him, and now he realized those two did more than just charmed him.
“Then tell me, Big Brother Kuni.” Kazuha grabbed his hand tightly. “Do you want to—
Kazuha?
Hearing his name called, Kazuha abruptly awake. His eyes wide opened and for a second, he thought he was still dreaming, for there was no way that the beautiful person he met in his dream, was actually here, stood with him, in this very pub. With angry looking frown plastered on his beautiful feature and he looked like an angry grandma, ready to explode anytime his tongue slipped a wrong word.
“Scara?”
“Oh, what a surprise. Your mind is still intact in there.” Scara, without any doubt, tapped on his head. “It seems Aether was not lying and you only sipping some of it.”
“I told you I’m not lying.” Aether’s voice was heard, but none of them both—him or Scara—that paid attention to that bartender more than each other.
“Still, what the heck are you doing drinking at this hour in this day? After you broke up another one of your marriage proposal? Do you know how mad your father was? Do you know how many times he called me to pick you up and panicked when you are nowhere to be found?”
“I am indeed don’t want to be found…” Kazuha felt his tongue weird. Words not rolling right on his tongue, but he rolled with it, nonetheless. “I’m just … I want to be alone for a while … to clear my mind.”
‘Are you minds clear now?”
Kazuha couldn’t believe it himself, but now he can finallye be smile again. “Yes … I think. I feel a lil’ better.”
“Alright, your speech is almost incomprehensible to common ears, Young Man.” Scara reached out to him, just like when they were little and Kazuha was more than welcome to embrace him. But when his other hand almost hugged the beautiful man, Scara completely rejected him. “No hugging, you reeks of wine, Kaedehara!”
“Then I don’t want to come home!” Kazuha pulled his arms away.
“Kaedehara!”
“At least call my name correctly if you want me to listen to you, Kuni !”
Kazuha maybe a bit overwhelmed, but he was sure he saw Scara frowned. “Now you’re relly drunk.”
“Why? I can’t call you Kuni anymore? Just because you’re no longer part of Aunt Raiden’s family and suddenly I can’t come close to you?”
“Kazuha, we had a deal.”
“Forget about your past if I want to see you again, I know that. I know that … almost too well, Scara. I … I know, I—I just…” Desperate, Kazuha looked up to Kuni. His current image and of the past were overlapped. At one moment, he saw young Kuni, still as his big brother, his bestest friend, his childhood friend, who always come to pick him up, hold his hand whenever he needed him and always by his side. The friend that he grew to love years after years together, until they reached high school age and suddenly, Kuni went missing.
He only returned a decade after. Just when Kazuha decide to return to this city once more, to relive his live. To star new, start evrything fresh from zero, he met Kuni again. This time, by the name of Scaramouche. A strange, unfamiliar name, but as soon as he saw that beauty walked near him again, seeing him close and be able to talk to him again, the foreign name of “Scaramouche” was getting more and more familiar.
Closer and getting closer to his heart where Kuni was once belong.
One marriage proposal after another and Kazuha still hoped. He was still hoping that someday his feelings would be reciprocated. That he will be mutually loved by the man he longed for years.
Only to see in in vain, again and again.
But he never gave up. Never.
Tonight might be the answer tor his waiting, all this time.So just like all those years ago, eve though his mind is just hald awake because of the liquor, he grabbed Scaramouche’s arm and then, just like what he always dreamed of (albeit not too romantic) he kneel in front of Scaramouche.
“Wh-what are you doing, Idiot?!”
“You never gave me your answer, Scara. Not all those years ago, but tonight … tonight, I will ask you once again.” Kazuha reached Scara’s hand and kissed the back of his hand. “Do you willingly accept me if I propose to you?”
“Ka-Kazuha, It is not the right time and place to—
Kazuha shook his head. It is now or never.
“You called me by that name. Finally, once again, Kuni.” Kazuha smiled happily. For the first time in years, he could finally be smile again. “Kuni, can I … Can I maary y—
“Kazuha?!”
Before he could even finished his word, Kazuha lost what’s left of his consciousness and fainted.
***
Scaramouche sighed when Kazuha finally seated on his back. Whether he wanted it or not, tonight he will be carried on his back, piggy ride, like a child once more. What a childish man. He was over twenties by now and not even a single hair of him changing over the years. Not even this side of him/
Somehow, Scara found that pretty cute, but he refused to admit it to anyone.
“Thanks for helping again. I didn’t expect it would turn out like this.” Scara said to Aether. “He had bothered you very much tonight, I presumed.”
“Nothing irreversible, don’t worry. Just bring him home. He need to rest after a long night.”
“No need to tell me.” Scara turned his back to that young man. The alleyway when the backdoor of the pub are headed was dark and empty, but this place is better than that noisy place. “Well then, good night.”
“Good night “ Aether replied. “But please, this time, please answer his proposal before dumping him to his house again. He would never stop haunt me if you left him unanswered like that again.”
“Oh, so you’re finally hitting your limit, eh?’
“You were saying you testing me?”
Scara just left with a simple sigh and Aether grumpily muttered “Asshole!” behind him. Scara didn’t think much about it. Aether off first and closed the door behind him, leaving Scara with only his childhood friend under his care. He turned sideways and the tuck of Kazuha’s white hair sticking out to him. Scara smiled and blow that hair away.
“You always had your ways to me. I always reject you for it, Kazuha. At one time, maybe I despise you, but now…” Scara secretly smiled. “You really reject seven marriage proposal for a promise that never been fulfilled.”
It was a futile act, no matter how you think about it. But for Scara, it had another meaning.
“Unfulfilled, yet unbroken.” Scara leaned his face closer to that man’s face and gently whispered to his sleeping face. “As a reward, then shall I answer your proposal too, Mr. Kaedehara?”
Without anyone witnessing, Scara said clearly to Kazuha, right in front of his face.
“I think, you steal my family name and turned me into Kaedehara … isn’t a bad thing afterall.” Scara kissed Kazuha’s head. “You silly, little fox. Can you make me at least a bit hate your persistent approaching?”
No answer spoken.
“Ah, well, why should I talk to you like this?” Scara straigthened his back. “you’ll not remember any of this too, by the morning, so let’s head back instead, and—
“Who said I will forget it?”
Scara was surpsed and he couldn’t escape when from behind his back, Kazuha grabbed his chin and kissed his lips, all the while whispering to his mouth with wide eyes opened.
“Said it again, Scara,” He ordered. “Say what you said just now. If you really mean it.”
Scara couldn’t say anything.
“Say it again.” Kazuha kissed him once more. “If you truly mean it. If you really want to be my husband.”
Now, Scara could never escape. He would never leave this man’s clutch nor run from him, ever again. He didn’t need to. He didn’t want to.
Forever, Scara belongs to Kazuha, as Kazuha belongs to him.
“I want to marry you now, Mr. Kaedehara.” he told. “The soon, the better.”
That night, the bell somewhere inside that city, was ringing joyfully
***