Chapter Text
Everyone has a red string tied to their pinkies, you can see it but never touch it. By the time most people reached highschool, they were able to spot their soulmates, and the very visible red string connecting them together.
To Atsushi, it always seemed like love at first sight when he watched two soulmates discover each other.
But when it was his turn, his whole worldview shattered.
Their first encounter was awkward, Atsushi saw a sickly boy in the hallway coughing. He also noticed the red string that connected them, it was faint but the naked eye could spot it easily.
"Hey are you okay?"
He ran off without uttering a word, only for Atsushi to find him again during class. Has he always been here? While most of the class listened attentively, Atsushi's line of focus was not hindered by the young man's coughs but instead the red string which was connected to his own finger.
After class he looked around for his classmate.
"Akutagawa! Come out for lunch already!" a girl whisper-shouted. He dragged his feet to the door and went away with her.
He also ignored Atsushi calling out to him.
The white haired boy sighed in annoyance, why did it have to be this Akutagawa guy? He seemed so hostile during their first encounter and now he was ignoring him?!
His thoughts were interrupted by Kyouka pulling on his sleeve, "You've been staring at Akutagawa for a few minutes. I can deal with him for you if you have an issue."
"No, that's alright you don't have to do that. I just don't understand why he's so mean."
Just then, his other friend walked into the classroom. Dazai was in the grade above him but he would still stop by for lunch with Atsushi and Kyouka.
"Nobody really knows why he's like that, he is quite a promising student though."
If only Akutagawa knew that himself.