Chapter Text
The singing was filled with burning passion, rising without hesitation. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, glistening like turquoise.
On his lips was a radiant smile, as if all the worries and sorrows of the world had been left behind on that old, worn-out staircase. His eyes seemed to hold an entire galaxy, illuminating his path along his small journey.
On this tiny, cramped stage, he sang—he sang with all his soul. Like a brilliant star, shining golden amidst the night sky.
And just like that, he effortlessly captured the heart of the young man with mahogany-colored hair.
Leaving him lost in a hopeless love until the very last moment.
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"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Ah… N-no, thank you…"
Suou looked at the wide-eyed, messy brunette boy sitting on the ground in front of him and couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out to help the boy up and dusted off his dirt-covered clothes.
"Hey, you really should start standing up to those bullies. I know it's hard, but if you just let it keep happening, it won’t get any better."
Suou spoke in a scolding tone, unintentionally sounding like an adult reprimanding a child, making the boy lower his head, cheeks turning red with embarrassment. From this angle, Suou noticed the faint freckles dusting the boy’s nose.
Normally, Suou would never set foot in these narrow, damp alleyways, but today, he had an appointment with someone, which led him here. By chance, he stumbled upon the scene of a small, frail-looking boy, probably around his age, being bullied, his money taken, and treated like a punching bag. Without thinking, Suou had jumped in to help.
During the whole time Suou was dealing with the bullies, he couldn’t ignore the look in the boy’s eyes, both surprised and full of admiration.
After checking if the boy had any more bruises, Suou patted his shoulder.
"If there's nothing else, then be careful—"
"Ah, um, Suou-san!"
Suou was surprised when the boy suddenly called his name. He had been about to walk away but turned back to face the boy with brown hair.
"How do you know my name?"
"Ah, well— Suou-san is super popular at school, so I know a little bit…"
"Ah…"
“Super popular” might be a bit of an exaggeration, but Suou didn’t deny that he had a bit of a reputation. After all, he was the heir of a large corporation, and with his looks and personality, it was hard not to attract attention.
"We go to the same school? What's your name, and which class are you in?"
"Ah, I-I'm Nirei Akihiko, class 1-3…"
"Right next to my class, huh? If you ever have any trouble or those bullies bother you again, don’t hesitate to come find me, Nire-kun."
Hearing Suou’s offer, Nirei’s face turned red, and he stammered, "H-how…c-could I bother you like that…" making Suou find him even more adorable.
"Aha ha, I won’t be bothered, so don’t worry about it."
After chatting for a bit longer, they eventually parted ways. Suou pulled out his phone to check the address of his destination. After a few turns, he finally found a small café tucked away at the end of a dead-end alley.
Pushing the door open, the chime of a wind bell rang softly. The café was decorated with vinyl records and musical instruments, with a small stage in the middle. Spotting a hand waving in his direction, Suou walked over and sat across from a young man with pink hair.
"Wow, you’re a little late, not like you at all, Suo-chan."
"A ha ha, I ran into something on the way. But honestly, picking a place like this for our meetup isn’t like you either, so I’d say we’re even, Kiryuu-kun."
Kiryuu chuckled at Suou’s comeback and waved toward the counter.
"Boss, one frappuccino and a chamomile tea."
A place like this serves tea too? Well, that’s nice. Suou glanced around the café once more, a hint of interest flashing in his crimson eyes.
"Suo-chan, you seem to like this place, huh?"
"I don’t usually come to places like this so it can’t be help. So, why did you pick this café for our meeting?"
"Sakura-chan recommended it, said it was a pretty interesting spot, and it’s usually quiet."
"Ah, that explains it. He really has a talent for finding unique places, huh?"
After their drinks arrived, Kiryuu suddenly pulled out a thick stack of documents from who-knows-where, waving them teasingly in front of Suou with a sly grin.
"The documents you asked me to gather are all here. Not cheap, you know~"
"A ha ha, can’t you give me a little discount since we’re friends?"
"Pfft, please, Suo-chan. I know you’re short on anything but money. I’d be a fool not to milk you for all you’re worth!"
Suou pretended to be deeply wounded but still handed over a thick paper bag, making the fox-like pink-haired boy grin in excitement. Flipping through the documents, Suou let out a weary sigh.
"Hah… What a hassle…"
As Suou skimmed through the papers, discussing details with Kiryuu, the wind chime at the entrance kept ringing every so often. About thirty minutes after Suou had arrived, the once quiet café had unknowingly become bustling and lively.
Kiryuu looked at Suou’s single eye, which, despite seeming to smile, held no amusement that’s silently saying "I thought you said this place was quiet?" which made he waving his hand.
"Hey, don't blame me! It really is usually quiet. But apparently, every Wednesday evening, they have a live music exchange."
"A live music exchange?"
"Yeah, like, unknown musicians, amateur bands, or just people who love music take turns performing~"
For some reason, Suou wasn’t too surprised. Given the café’s ambiance and the small stage, he had already have some ideas how this place operated.
Since it didn’t affect him much, he let it be. Once he finished his cup of tea, he no longer lifted his head, focusing solely on the words in front of him. Seeing this, Kiryuu stopped disturbing Suou and instead listened attentively to the musicians performing. Occasionally, he would get up to offer flowers from the small vases on the tables as tips for the performers.
Suddenly, the previously quiet audience erupted into cheers and applause. The abrupt shift in atmosphere piqued Suou’s curiosity, making him look up. On the stage stood a teenage boy, seemingly the same age as him, nervously adjusting the height of the microphone stand. His golden-blond hair was clearly a wig, and his freckled nose looked strangely familiar.
"Aki-kun, you’ve been gone for nearly a month! We old folks have missed you to death!"
"A-ah, s-sorry, everyone! There were a lot of exams last month, so I had to take a break..."
Listening to "Aki-kun" converse so warmly and politely with the other patrons, Suou became more certain of his guess. After answering a few more friendly questions, "Aki-kun" let out a small cough, and the atmosphere around him suddenly shifted.
It was as if he had transformed into someone else, someone who now completely owned the stage.
His amber eyes closed, then opened with newfound determination, accompanied by a confident smile. The timid, stuttering voice from before now rang out with an undeniable intensity.
"Tonight, I will sing with all my heart, so listen carefully, everyone!"
And then, he began to sing. His clear voice turned the cramped little stage into a vast autumn night sky, and he himself became a dazzling star illuminating the endless expanse, shining brilliantly upon the world below.
Suou was utterly frozen. He couldn’t speak, nor could he take his eyes off the boy pouring his soul into every burning note.
In that moment, for the first time ever, Suou’s heart skipped a beat for someone.
When the seemingly endless song finally came to a close, "Aki-kun" bowed deeply, sweat dripping from his forehead onto the stage with soft, rhythmic splashes, like tiny echoes of applause. The café erupted, with everyone clapping and praising him, making his cheeks flush with embarrassment. High on excitement, the audience began chanting for an encore, leaving "Aki-kun" flustered as he refused profusely, citing that the next performers were waiting for their turn—only to be shut down when even the next bands joined in on the request.
Kiryuu, still dazed from the performance, couldn’t help but exclaim.
"Wow, with skills like that, he could totally go pro—Suou-chan?"
Suou abruptly stood up and walked straight toward the stage under Kiryuu’s bewildered gaze. If he were just giving a flower, it would make sense, but his hands were empty. Suou stopped right in front of "Aki-kun," who gasped in shock, stammering, "S-S-Suou-san?!", as Suou firmly grasped his hand.
"Nire— No, here, it's Aki-kun, right? Do you want to go pro? I’ll be your sponsor."
Suou’s straightforward offer left the entire café in stunned silence—including Kiryuu, who sat there with his mouth agape in disbelief. Only after speaking did Suou realized. Ah, he had acted purely on emotion, something he had never done before.
But the one most affected was Nirei himself. At first, his brain struggled to process the words, then his face turned ghostly pale. His entire body, especially the hand gripped by Suou, trembled violently as if an earthquake was raging inside him. The only sound he could manage to produce was an earth-shattering "HUHHHH?!?!"
And from that moment on, the two became an unerasable part of each other’s lives.