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It had been a few weeks since Leo had stopped coming to school. The former King had slashed his way through the former comrades he had once loved causing the masses who once loved him to cower from his pride. When the King finally came to his senses and realised the trap he had fallen into, there was no one left alive to lend him their strength. Instead there were murmurs of pity and disdain for the man who had finally driven himself mad. He had successfully worn himself down and thus finding himself surrounded by vitriol, decided enough was enough and fled back to his castle, locking himself deep inside.
Though the King's presence was no longer felt throughout Yumenosaki Academy, no one truly knew the current state of the fallen liege. Was it possible he transferred schools? Was it possible he was composing under a new name? Was there even a King that could be spoken of anymore? These were just some of the rumours that had begun to float between the students at Yumenosaki Academy. Being on the student council, Tenshouin Eichi could at least verify Leo remained alive. However, any further information was unavailable to him. All he understood was that Leo was refusing to attend any classes and the administrative team were beginning to lose their patience.
Eichi could not help but feel somewhat surprised at the current situation. Whilst his intention was always to string Leo along, he couldn't fathom the way he had ended up. Did Leo not enjoy the challenge? Exerting his expertise over those who couldn't match it? Were all geniuses this fragile?
It had made him slightly hesitant towards enacting his plan against his self-proclaimed Eccentrics but well, he wasn't going to back down now.
The reason his thoughts were currently preoccupied with Leo was due to a conversation he had overheard. Earlier that day he had passed by two students who had been discussing the former King's current whereabouts and how pathetic of a reaction it was. This had appeared to become a trend across the school. Leo's sudden disappearance had become a cause of concern for those who supported him and a victory to those who despised him. Many such rumours that had began to circulate were malicious in nature. Even those that began out of worry would quickly become soured in an attempt to mock any of Leo's remaining supporters.
In all honesty, Eichi had no real care to interest himself in these rumours. Now Leo had served his purpose, there was no excuse for him to delay on his plans any longer. If anything, these rumours existed as a benefit and a promise the next stage of his plan should succeed. Leo should have become an afterthought, an adversary cheated and overcome.
So it was a wonder to him why he now found himself standing outside of the door to Leo's house.
After returning to the student council room, he had searched Leo's address - unable to shake off the conversation he had heard. He had written it down, but made no plan to visit that afternoon. It wasn't until he was sat in his ride home that he directed his driver to drop him off at the house he was currently staring at.
Truthfully, it was nothing as extravagant compared to what he was used to. It was a house sort of on the upper middle class side, but still something the average working family might find themselves in. Eichi had only ever driven through these neighbourhoods which he suspected housed most of his peers, but had never seen them up close. It was almost like he was visiting a friend after school to study or play games. Despite knowing this wasn't that kind of situation - he hadn't even been invited after all- Eichi couldn't help but feel a little thrilled.
Raising his hand, he went to knock before noticing the doorbell on the side. He opted to press that instead.
Considering the time of day, he wasn't sure if anyone would even answer. Leo's parents were likely out and Eichi was severely doubting that Leo would bring himself to open the door. The bell had finished it's tune and just as he was about to ring it once more (for good measure) he heard shuffling coming from inside. Suddenly, the door began to open and Eichi sucked in an apprehensive breath-
But, to his surprise, instead of who he was expecting, it was a small girl with the same auburn hair as Leo who had appeared from around the now half opened door. "Oh, hello there." He said numbly still a little in shock. So Leo had a little sister. That was news to him. "H-hello" returned a small voice. Clearing his throat and plastering on what he would deem a charming smile, he introduced himself. "I'm Leo's friend. Tenshouin Eichi." He could only hope Leo hadn't been badmouthing him to his family. "I'm here to see him."
"...Leo-niisan isn't allowing visitors at the moment...sorry." Well that was a problem, wasn't it. Keeping his smile even, he began to do what he did best in situations such as these: lie. "Oh, I'm very aware." Of course he wasn't. "He asked me if I could come over - earlier today that is." The girl's eyes widen and she pushes the door a little bit wider. "He...he did?" No. "Yes."
"Oh...well o-okay then. If Leo-niisan is okay with it." She moved to the side, a sign he could enter. Once inside, she closed the door after him. "Uhm," she started, "His room is upstairs and then the second door on the left...I would take you...but I don't really want to...see..."
"Ah. It's alright, I understand. Thank you...?"
"...Its Ruka."
"Then thank you Ruka-chan. I'm very sorry for what has happened to your brother." Ruka's gaze was stuck firmly to the ground. "...Thank you." She headed further back into the house leaving Eichi alone in the entrance. So it would seem that Leo hadn't mentioned him to his family. He wasn't sure whether to be glad or slighted.
Inside, the house appeared as Eichi could have expected. Neat and tidy with various pictures of the family hung around the walls and propped up on cabinets. Most of the pictures were of the two siblings. Ruka always seemed to be beaming next to her brother, almost a spitting image of the Leo he knew. However Leo's own smile seemed more subdued than what Eichi was used to. But it wasn't that he seemed uncomfortable, no, rather he was playing the part of the reliable older brother. Eichi continued to stare at the Leo in the pictures. He couldn't believe he didn't tell him he had a sister.
He shook his head and started to walk towards the stairs down the corridor and began to make his way upwards. If he remembered correctly, Ruka had said it was the first door to the left. There was no indication of who's room was whose. However, perhaps there once was. On the door pointed out to him was the faint outline of familiar letters with even fainter outlines of what appeared to be stars scattered around them. Hoping the door wasn't locked, Eichi pulled down the handle and pushed forward.
The room was hardly lit even though both curtains were drawn tightly shut. Even so, the miniscule amount of daylight entering the room was enough to ascertain that the room was a slight mess. There was scrunched up paper thrown everywhere but the...already overflowing wastebasket. Sat there on the bed, in the corner of the room, was a human-shaped lump; it's face obscured by the blanket it was huddled in. It seemed to be scribbling away on yet another piece of paper.
Upon noticing someone was waiting in the doorway, the lump turned its head causing the blanket to slip, revealing the disheveled state of itself. Leo was pale, significantly paler than usual. His pallor drew attention to the heavy, dark bags residing underneath his eyes, making him appear perpetually fatigued. His hair was slick and his bangs stuck up in every direction. His face also looked noticeably slimmer. "Ruka, for the last time, I'm not hungry right now..." Realising the person in the doorway wasn't his sister Leo's gaze hardens. "Get out." Eichi chuckles to himself, a little amused by the lack of bite Leo's words actually held. He disregards the other and walks further into his room, not bothering to avoid the various balls of paper scattered beneath him. "I said get out." Eichi huffs in mock annoyance. "Well that's boring. If you want me to leave you should put up more of a fight. I'll be staying right here until then." Leo only groans quietly in response. before motioning to the music sheets Leo was previously hunched over. "What are you writing?"
"Nothing."
"I'm sure that's not the ca-"
"Nothing, nothing, nothing. Its all I can write anymore. I should have so much inspiration...but nothing will come out right." Eichi hums. Leo's eyes snaps up towards him. In his eyes is the beginning of a spark that quickly fades as he looks away. "What? Are mad at me?" Eichi comes to sit on the edge of the bed. "If you're mad at me you should say something."
"I'm not mad at you."
"Really?" Leo nods. Eichi hums again. After a bout of silence, Eichi finally thinks of something to say. "Your house is nice." No response. "I've never actually been around a friends house before." His eyes dart to Leo as he says this. Still no response. "It's homey here. Are you close with your family?" Eichi is reminded of the family photos downstairs. Leo continues to ignore him however, and Eichi's eye twitches. "Tsukinaga-kun, could you at least look at me?"
"Why should I?" Leo murmurs in response. Eichi scoffs. "So you are mad at me."
"Why are you even here, Tenshouin?"
"To check on you." Eichi offers; Leo sighs. "Why? There's no need."
"I wanted to."
"I didn't want you to - I don't want you to. Did you think about that?"
"I did."
"Then you know you don't need to be here."
"Even so."
"Just get out. I don't want you here."
"Has Sena-kun-"
"Don't say that name."
"Why not? Are you two not on good terms?" Eichi questions. Leo snarls. "Stop trying to get a reaction out of me."
"That's not what I'm doing."
"Isn't it?" Leo finally turns to keep his gaze steady on the other. "You've hardly been sympathetic since you've got here." Eichi shifts his gaze. "It's fine, you're the last person I want sympathy from anyway." Neither of them say anything for a while. The sound of pencil scratching against paper starts up again, filling the uncomfortably silent room. Eichi lets his gaze wander around the room until it lands on the currently abandoned keyboard standing next to Leo's desk. It reminds him of a time from not that long ago. "I", Eichi begins, "wanted to come here to-"
"To what? Say sorry? Is that what you came here to say?"
"Tsukinaga-kun, let me finis-"
"Do you want me to make you feel less guilty? Is that what you want, you self-wallowing asshole? That's why you're here, isn't it."
"It isn't. I came to check up on you." Eichi pushes himself off the bed. "But now I see that it was just a waste of my time." He says coldly. Leo can only groan in frustration. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're such an asshole, Tenshouin!" He yells. Eichi jolts but remains standing with his back to the bed. He controls his expression despite Leo being unable to see him. "That's fair." Leo, exasperated, says nothing and stares at Eichi in disbelief. "I'm not exactly proud of how I treated you. But well, I thought you'd support me in this. I misjudged you is all."
"And so because of your stupid assumption I have to suffer."
"I didn't know you would react this way."
"I was never a person to you was I?"
"Excuse me?" Eichi halts and turns around, shock painting his face. He meets Leo's eyes which are boring scathingly into his. "I said, you never respected me as a person, did you?" Eichi remains silent for a moment, processing Leo's words. In truth, Eichi knows what Leo is saying is right. Leo had always been his winning piece on his chessboard, a tool which will ensure him victory. It had been that way since the beginning of his plan. Hearing it said out loud however, Eichi wasn't sure he wanted to confront it. "Of course you were."
"Yeah, right. Even now you're treating me like some kind of means to an end. You wanna know that we're okay, that this wasn't your fault. You sought out my address, presumably got someone to drive you here, you must have tricked Ruka to let you in, or maybe you simply snuck in somehow, all so you could come in here, uninvited and unwanted, to poke and prod at your win over me. You don't actually care about the state you've found me in, you just wanna be absolved of what you don't realise is eating you."
"I told you that isn't why I'm here."
"You can keep denying it but it doesn't change that it's true. You've just come to stroke your ego, like a killer who returns to the place to reminisce about the time he slit his victims throat. You think you're above everyone else, some sort of 'superbeing' who follows his own morals and doesn't have to worry about the consequences because its somehow noble how you refuse to conform, but you feel guilt, just like the rest of us. You just don't wanna admit it.
"If it isn't me that saves the school, then who else is going to do it? I already told you, it isn't like I am proud of what I am doing." He adds quietly, pouting childishly as he says it.
Leo scoffs. "That means nothing if you're still doing it." This time Eichi says nothing in response and instead bends down to pick up one of the many crumpled pages scattered across the floor and opens it, attempting to smooth it out enough to read the notes that had been messily scribbled across the paper. "Can you really not compose anymore?" He does the same to another page; then another. "None of this seems terrible." Leo glances at the sheets in Eichi's hands and then gazes back down at the most recent piece he had been working on. "I don't know." He says dejectedly. "Nothing feels right anymore." Eichi tightens his grip on the music sheets. "Is it my fault?" He turns to look Leo in the eyes, his expression undecipherable. It was uncertain if he was searching for a genuine answer or if this was just another attempt at drawing a reaction out of the other. "Tenshouin..." Leo sighs. "I don't know. Sure what you did was super shitty - and I don't forgive you - but...I don't think I can only blame you for this. Honest." If Eichi wanted to believe it, he may have admitted later to the small smile he thought he saw appear on Leo's lips. "That doesn't make any sense, Tsukinaga-kun." Leo shrugs. "It doesn't need to. You've got what you wanted right? Can't you just leave now?"
A pause, then: "...Sure." He let the sheets he was still holding twist and turn towards the floor and made his way to the door. Upon grabbind the handle, he pauses and looks back, his mouth parted as if he had more to say but when he sees Leo focusing back on his music he gives up and walks out, shutting the door behind him. He glances at the marks he remembers noticing earlier, tracing a hand over one of the stars before he turns away and begins his descent down the stairs. When he finds himself back in the hallway, he ignores the family portraits he was marvelling at before and he doesn't bother calling out for Leo's sister to tell her he was leaving; he wasn't sure he had it in him to put on a pretty face. He lets himself out and takes in the non-suffocating air as he walks towards the limousine still waiting for him. Maybe the house was rather cold after all.