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“Can you exorcise me?”
Was all Mitsuba had to say, just for Kou to be badly triggered for the rest of the night. He somehow said he will after taking Mitsuba to the school festival with him, but deep down, it’s a sickening hammer crushing his heart into a million pieces. As Kou went home that night after an eventful nightlife in the aquarium, Kou didn’t talk to anyone or even told how the evening went. Not even to Teru. He just immediately went to his room and dumped himself off to his bed.
Just thinking about the conversation he had, made him sick to his stomach. He held onto his pillow tight, as if he’s trying to choke someone, trying to stop the tears but failing very badly.
“Dammit..so stupid..”
He cursed with a shaky breath. Could barely sleep. Couldn’t stop thinking about Mitsuba. The phrase “Can you exorcise me?” keeps ringing in his head like a bell. Recalling Mitsuba biting his fingers by accident and other events felt terrifying.
As everyone else left home and Tiara went to sleep, Teru went to check on Kou. As he knocked on the door a couple of times, there was no answer, just small, muffled sniffles.
“Kou..? You alright in there?”
Kou couldn’t bring himself to tell to his brother what happened, he just couldn’t.
“I- need some time alone..”
Was all he said.
Kou somehow fell asleep soon after despite all the tossing and turning. As the next day dawned, it was the day of the school festival. Kou doesn’t seem all too excited. He just wants to meet Mitsuba. Nene noticed his saddened face as he walked to the school entrance.
“Hey Kou, what’s wrong?”
Kou was wearing an outfit of a scary doctor as he is working on the haunted house for the festival. However, he is more emotionally drained than excited. As he heard Nene, he softened his gaze. Making her worried was one of the things he never wanted to do. He sighed as he tried to give off a smile.
“I-Im fine! Don’t worry about me! GoodLuck at the play by the way! Also, tell Hanako I said Hi! We all will meet up soon once I find Mitsuba!”
Nene wasn’t much convinced when he said that and Kou noticed when her face kept showing a face of worry. He glanced to the side as he still tried his best to reassure her despite the trembling.
“I-I’ll be fine..”
Nene held onto his shoulder gently as she smiled.
“You know, I’m here if you ever want to talk. The play doesn’t start until the afternoon anyways!”
Kou looked at Nene soon after.
“But what about Hanako?”
Nene chuckled.
“I’ll meet him but right now, I want to make my friend feel better! Also- I need you to spill how that date went!”
Kou blushed, flabbergasted at Nene’s comment.
“I-It’s not a date-! Ugh- fine, I’ll tell..it went well and it didn’t anyway..”
They went to a quiet place, under a tree soon after and sat on the grass as the peaceful wind blew. It was quite at first. Kou removed his doctor head gear as he let the wind blow through his hair. Nene glanced at him as she broke the silence.
“So- who was the person you went out with and where did you go?”
Kou lets out a shaky breath.
“It was Mitsuba..and we went to an aquarium..”
He clenched his fists and he gritted his teeth. Just thinking about it, made him want to run away. His heart was racing just thinking about him and it also ached.
“Everything went well until- we found out the aquarium is full of supernaturals and- when something went wrong with Mitsuba.. and when he said that damn phrase!”
Nene couldn’t help but show a face of pure worry.
“It’s great you finally get to meet Mitsuba after so long.. but what did he say..?”
Kou froze as Nene asked that. He couldn’t help but hug his knees.
“He asked- if I could exorcise him..”
Nene widened her eyes at the piece of information she just heard. She honestly didn’t expect that.
“I- promised I will..after the school festival, but- I can’t bring myself to-!”
Kou slightly snapped as he looked at his trembling hands. Nene just gave him a reassuring hand onto his shoulder.
“You really do care about him huh?”
Kou couldn’t help but weakly chuckle as he slightly relaxed.
“Understatement of the year..I failed to protect him so many times.. but I finally got to see him again, only for him to tell me to exorcise him later on..it’s stupid but- Mitsuba’s right.. maybe I do feel lonely and empty without him..it’s just- it felt stupid saying it out loud while crying infront of him that night..”
Nene just gave a reassuring smile just listening to him. She then looked at the sky, thoughtful.
“Why don’t you try and talk to him again? But this time, spill out all your feelings.”
Kou glanced at Nene soon after as she said that. He somehow gave a bittersweet smile.
“I would but, I highly doubt Mitsuba would get it. It’s like how I sometimes don’t get him either.. I don’t dislike him tho..I never did. He can be irritating at times but, that’s just who he is!”
Nene just chuckled as she listened to his rambles.
“Tell him all that! He deserves to know how you feel..”
They both looked at eachother soon after as Kou lets out a shaky breath.
“Hmm..I guess you’re right..thanks Nene..”
The wholesome conversation got cut short when a familiar friendly school wonder, Hanako suddenly popped in.
“Having a conversation without me huh~?”
Kou and Nene jolted as they looked behind to see him.
“HANAKO-!!”
Kou slightly snapped in embarrassment.
“Hanako, this is not what it look like, I SWEAR-!!”
Nene was slightly panicking. However, Hanako couldn’t help but laugh at their reactions. HE hugged behind Nene.
“Chilax! I was just wondering what’s taking you two so long! Especially you Nene. Isn’t your play gonna be starting in a few minutes by now?”
Nene’s eyes widened in comedic panic.
“AAA!! I completely forgot the time! We need to go! See you later Kou!”
Nene ran for her life while Hanako followed. Kou just chuckled as he see the two run off. As they left, it became quiet as the breeze slowly blew. Kou’s face dropped as he wondered where Mitsuba could be. A familiar voice can be heard as Kou slowly turned.
“Well if it isn’t Kou! The guy with the lame ass earring!”
Kou slightly frowned.
“Mitsuba..”
The tension started to rise as the both of them stared at eachother. Mitsuba is fully away that Kou’s silence means something is up.
“Hey lame traffic earring! Last one to the haunted house has to wear a girls maid outfit for 24 hours! R-race ya!”
Mitsuba turned as he was about to run away, until he felt a warm hand holding onto his, stopping him. It was Kou.
“N-no.. stop right there. We need to talk.”
Kou looked down as he held onto his hand. Mitsuba sighed as he turned back to him. It was only just the two of them now in the quiet school gardens. Mitsuba broke the silence as he slowly let go of Kou’s hand.
“If it’s about what happened in the aquarium, I clearly made up my point that I want you to-“
“That’s exactly the problem Mitsuba! I don’t want to do it-!”
Kou snapped and interrupted Mitsuba as he held onto both his shoulders.
“I care about you way too much than even do such a thing-!”
A beat after, Mitsuba gave off a shaky breath.
“You really shouldn’t-“
“Tell me why? Tell me why I shouldn’t care about you, you idiot!”
Kou’s shoulders trembled, trying his best to stop the tears. Mitsuba raised an eyebrow as he saw tears prickling at the edge of his eyes. He sighed as he hesitated to wipe Kou’s tears, but he did so anyways.
“You and Nene really don’t get it..you shouldn’t be close to a supernatural..! You can’t be together with them for long, Kou.. Nene is falling in love with Hanako while you? You are so desperate to be closer to me..not that I dislike it but, what’s with you man? When I asked if you can exorcise me, I literally asked you to do your job as an exorcist, you know..”
Kou stopped Mitsuba from wiping his tears by holding his wrist.
“You are such an idiot..”
He hugged Mitsuba which made Mitsuba surprised.
“Sure I’m an exorcist and it’s my job to exorcise supernaturals, but- I don’t have the heart to do that to you..”
. . .
Silence started rising until Mitsuba cut the silence.
“Aren’t you gonna get to the haunted house right now-?”
Kou just hugged him tighter like he’s a precious gem not worth losing. Some small sniffles can be heard.
“I don’t care about that..I care about you right now..”
Mitsuba just did a shaky sigh as he finally hugged him back.
“Kou..how’s your fingers?”
Kou’s eyes widened at the question, remembering how Mitsuba ate his fingers by accident. He softened his gaze as he pulled away.
“They are ok..I kinda treated them somehow on the way. I know you didn’t mean it Mitsuba. You just had no control over your hunger at the ti-“
“I DON’T WANT TO HURT YOU AGAIN KOU!!”
Mitsuba snapped as he interrupted him.
“You can never be happy when you are close to a supernatural! You’ll just keep getting yourself hu-“
“I’d rather die and become a supernatural than actually loose you again-!”
Mitsuba shrugged as he averted his gaze after hearing Kou’s words.
“Sheesh..why do you even care about me this much..?”
“Because I love you?!”
As he heard Kou’s response, he couldn’t help but blush.
“W-what..?”
Kou’s eyes widened as he blushed, realizing what he just said. He averted his gaze.
“You heard me, it’s cause I love you, Mitsuba..I have been for a while, it’s just, I didn’t know how to tell my own feelings without making it seem so embarrassing. I’m strongly attached to you that, breathing without you just feels like a goddamn nightmare..!”
Mitsuba teared up as he heard his words.
“K-Kou..you idiot-!”
“Supernatural or not..”
Kou stepped closer as he cupped his cheek with one hand, brushing away Mitsuba’s tears.
“It’s always been you..I’d rather die than loose you again..Mitsuba..”
Mitsuba leaned into him, trying his best not to break down.
“Damn you idiot..you really don’t know what you’re gonna get yourself into..I really don’t want to hurt you.”
Kou softened his eyes as he tilted his chin to make Mitsuba look at him.
“Don’t you think, that you want this, the same as I do..? You say you don’t want to hurt me, but that’s surely cause you feel the same way, is that it?”
Mitsuba widened his eyes in surprise, it’s as if Kou read his mind.
“I-..so what if I am?! We can’t be together! No matter whatever you try Kou, I can never be human! We won’t last long together!”
“Then just eat me alive..that way, if I die, and incase become a supernatural..we can be together forever..”
Kou leaned closer, touching their foreheads and closing his eyes as he clutched Mitsuba’s hair behind in his arms.
“I love you so much..that it hurts..”
A small sob can be heard from Mitsuba.
“It hurts for me to..I wish I wasn’t like this..especially to you, you’re like the only person who wants to try and be by my side..but I- don’t want you to die Kou..”
Kou cupped his face as he lets go of their foreheads.
“Then I won’t die..and neither should you..I won’t exorcise you if it’s the last thing I do!”
“BUT YOU SHOULD-!”
Mitsuba snapped. The moment he noticed Kou slightly flinch, he shrugged as he looked down.
“I get how you feel, I really do, but you saw everything that happened that night, if you don’t do it, who knows what I’ll do to you-! You’ll probably die by my own hands!”
He was on a verge of panicking. All Kou did was slightly frown but deep down, he couldn’t help but feel worried for him.
“I- I don’t want you to die for me Kou! I want you to live your life and experience what I never got the chance to or, what that Mitsuba you lost never got the chance to! You have one life Kou..and you are willing to wither that all away just to be with me?”
. . .
Kou gave off a shaky breath as he noticed Mitsuba’s trembling shoulders. He embraced him in his arms. The wind silently blew through them, their hair blowing with the wind gently as Kou snuggled his face through Mitsuba’s soft pink hair. It was, pleasant and sweet and calm and comforting. Mitsuba’s eyes widened but then, he embraced him back tightly as he softened his gaze.
“Y-you’re such an idiot..”
Kou slightly chuckled at the comment.
“I’d rather be an idiotic suicidal maniac than actually be ok with exorcising someone I love, you know that?”
They both pulled away as they looked eachother in the eyes. Mitsuba breaking the silence.
“I know that very well..I’m fully aware, lame ass earring..”
Kou softened his gaze as he leaned closer, seeing his reflection in Mitsuba’s eyes made me slightly tear up. Mitsuba teared up as he sees his in Kou’s.
“You want this to, don’t you? Mitsuba..”
Mitsuba just leaned closer till their foreheads touched.
“I don’t think there’s anything which can change your mind of not exorcising me, but at the same time..I want to cherish this and I don’t dislike it one bit..”
Kou just chuckled as he held his shoulders. A tear rolling down his face.
“That’s fine by me..”
They both leaned closer till their lips touched, both closed their eyes as they kissed. It felt so right, after days of suffering. It’s clear, Mitsuba wanted this, just as much as Kou does..
“I will stay alive breathing..as long as I’m still with you..”
Kou said as he pulled away cupping Mitsuba’s cheek, sensing his soft skin.
“Yeah..sure, can I say, for the first time ever, I think boys with lame ass traffic earrings are good kissers!”
Mitsuba slightly smirked. Kou got flabbergasted as his face turned red.
“CALL ME LAME ASS EARRING AGAIN I DARE YOU-!!”
Mitsuba giggled but genuinely, his moments with Kou is a breath of fresh air for him aswell, as for Kou.
“Guess I’m your ghost boyfriend now hehe!”
“Well, I don’t mind it, as long as it’s you..”