Chapter Text
Saturday, August 15th. The room was filled with a gold tint as the sun came down, illuminating the small frame of a boy. He was seated on a small couch staring off at a random show that came up on tv. Suddenly footsteps came from a hallway, out of the corner of the boy's eye a Black-long-haired man, extremely tall and lanky, came around the corner. It was a man wearing an almost jean-like blue suit and tie with black dress shoes. He was holding a suitcase with his long black jacket wrapped around his arm, his face seemed sunken in from years of stress. Eyes with great bags must tell very dreadful stories. Keys began to jingle, the boy let out a sigh, a sigh that keeps your jaw tense.
Biting his lip, “Leaving again?” The boy asked.
Startled by the sudden voice the man turns his attention to the living room “Oh, you’re awake chuuya?” The sun had set by now.
“It’s 9pm on a summer night?”
“Right, well I know it’s sudden but I have to go to New York for a business trip.”
“For how long?” Chuuya asked, keeping a level face.
“A week or two. I left money in your account for food. Don't forget school starts next week.” The man turns around with not so much as a goodbye before closing the front door.
That man was Rimbaud, Chuuya's father. Rimbaud never lived up to that title, and in Chuuya's eyes that’s all it was, a title. Rimbaud was nothing more than an unfamiliar man that gave him money because he had to, but a true father, no you couldn’t call it that. Leaving for business trips wasn’t anything new. Usually Rimbaud never said goodbye, just a simple text or note on the counter, ‘I’m going away for business.’ That’s all, but, this didn’t bother chuuya. In fact he didn’t care at all. Or so a seventeen year old boy would say when he’s never had a good example of people being present in his life.
Chuuyas has been living with Rimbaud for a year or so now. He moved from Japan to America last year in June. Yokohama Japan to Seattle Washington. As you can see it was a bit of a change.
Chuuya was in his first year of highschool originally living with his sister who was in her first year of college. This is when they had— issues… his sister, Kouyou went and lived in a dorm and Chuuya? He wasn’t able to stay with their mom anymore.
This is how Chuuya ended up with Rimbaud, his father. The father, who left him at 6 for his business in America, people always say there’s more to the story and he’d understand it when he was older, but Chuuya never believed that. They just didn’t know what it was like to lose a father at age 6.
The move was difficult to say the least. Chuuya wasn't fluent in English, though he did know it. School was difficult, and he didn’t make many friends at first. He started getting comfortable after a few weeks, it started to feel almost normal. For 9 months it felt normal, this is when Rimbaud got an offer, such a good offer he couldn’t refuse. It was a raise that made them move to Portland Oregon, which was only a few hours from Seattle, but a few hours at seventeen felt like a lifetime away and suddenly all of Chuuya's normalcy vanished, he had to restart all over again.
The friends that he managed to make, and the small life he created there was gone. Now Chuuya lives in a bigger house than before and sees his ‘father’ even less.
***
Chuuya stretched out on his bed blasting music in his ears, music seemed to drown out the sound of nothing, and the sound of nothing got much louder than his music ever did. School starts next week, it was a private school. Chuuya couldn’t tell if he was dreading it or happy to get out of the house. People always said they wanted to quit school but for Chuuya it was the only thing he had, especially now that he knew no one again. Nothing to do even on summer days.
As of now his days consist of finding ways to escape the void that always follows him around, a new house filled with nothing, boxes he refuses to unpack. Maybe he’s protesting, to whom you may ask? His dad isn’t around to tell him what to do, but maybe he’s just in denial that they’ll stay long enough for his things to collect even a speck of dust on them. Since moving in he’s done nothing notable, just going on walks to clear his head. Maybe he could make friends once school starts, but making friends with a bunch of rich stuck up kids who got everything handed to them isn’t something that sounds appealing to Chuuya. The week passes by in a blink of an eye. Moving so fast he forgot what day it was until he was sitting down in his first period. He was dressed in a blue blazer and pants, with a white button up, and black tie. Something chuuya never thought he’d ever wear at a prestigious school he never thought he’d have the money for.
His first period was chemistry, though on the first day all they do is get to know you. Chuuya didn’t care for it and stopped paying attention halfway through, until the door opened with a loud ruckus.
It was a boy, average height, brown hair and eyes. Chuuya glanced at him for only a second to take in what the boy looked like as he walked through the door, he became captivated for a second then quickly averted his eyes out the window, a strange tense feeling buzzed around in his chest. The boy and the teacher were talking about what made him late. Something about getting lost or so he said. After getting scolded, the boy sat in the very back of the room opposite to Chuuya.
Chuuya glanced back at the boy, out of curiosity, his brown eyes truly did draw people in. To his surprise their eyes locked. He was a pretty boy, the type that irritates you to look at. The boy looked exactly like those stuck up rich kid stereotypes, everything handed to him on a silver spoon you could see it in his stance. Chuuya looked away and that was that. Just a glance at each other, that's all.
By lunch chuuya was already talking to a small group of friends. The girl who introduced him was gin, she had medium black hair, and delicate facial features. Seemingly very shy but Chuuya learned she loved rock music, which went against what he thought at first, it looks more like she’d listen to quiet music. But when she talked her voice was bolder than she looked. Then, Tachihara, short red hair but not like the fiery red of chuuyas, more of a darker auburn that was clearly dyed. He was very bubbly which got Chuuya out of his shell the most.
Chuuya ate with them and talked with them most days after that. In fact he was closer to them than he ever was with his old friends, something just felt different, but he didn’t understand it. Chuuya had always had a problem of letting his walls down too soon though, and in the past it never ended happily but maybe this was different. Deep in the back of his brain he wanted this to be different.
Once Rimbaud came back he mentioned something about an important business party, chuuya paid no attention to him everything he said became background noise, this definitely came back to haunt him this time. Chuuya was found standing in front of his bed with a black very expensive suit lying down with a sticky note saying, ‘party’s at 9pm, get dressed then come down to greet people. -Rimbaud’ rumbauds words never really turned into something chuuya actually needed to participate in before.
Chuuya lifted his arm to look at his watch. ‘8:38’ does he really need to be involved? Chuuya grabbed the suit and went to the bathroom in his room, better not test it now. Fighting the feeling of discomfort in unfamiliar clothes he puts on the suit. He fixes his messy red hair, arms falling to his side. Staring at himself in the mirror his brain fog seems to distort his face, maybe spacing out is what he needs so he doesn’t fight it. His eyes went in and out of focus as he walked out of the bathroom, then down into the hall, he wondered what the night had in store for him.
By the time it’s 9:10 chuuya was downstairs greeting people he’s never met with this sweet smile, something he hadn’t felt on his face for a while, it feels wrong to be such a liar, trying to fabricate a happy family. Greeting all these old men with their wives. Acting sweet and kind, with a bright cheerful smile. This was not chuuya.
After some time, Chuuya greeted everyone and managed to slip away upstairs. Of course he always could slip away from his father, going unnoticed so easily. He would just make an appearance later on and it would be like he was there the whole time. Lost in this thought, the sound of the piano started to play from up the stairs.
At the end of the hallway there was a door cracked open, you could see the lights leaking out into the darkened hallway. Slowly walking over chuuya glanced in through the crack in the door. It was a boy, he looked chuuyas age. Brown hair and a black suit. He was playing the piano, the piano chuuya didn’t even know he had. Chuuya never was very big on classical music but there was just something about the way this boy was playing. It drew him in like bees to pollen, it felt like summer when it’s raining. It was purely beautiful.
Chuuya didn’t even notice himself opening the door to get a better look inside. He found himself standing at the doorway listening.
At least three minutes later the boy stopped playing and looked back at chuuya. Almost surprised by Chuuya's intense stare, he was caught off guard by him. Chuuya thought he looked familiar almost, like he'd seen him before.
The boy had the same look as Chuuya did, like he’d met chuuya before, “We have chemistry together right?” The boy asks, and suddenly it hits Chuuya. This was the boy that sat in the very back of the class. The boy that was so beautiful you wished you could ruin it. “Probably.” Chuuya shrugged, but he knew exactly who he was.
Smirking a little he said, “Do you make it a habit to stalk people?”
“Do you make it a habit to play pianos that don’t belong to you?” Chuuya glared, his voice got under his skin.
They sat in silence for a few seconds before Chuuya walked away, he didn’t make it very far back to his room.
“Hey, hey where are you running off to?” The boy got up to follow Chuuya but stopped at the doorway. “My room.” The room was about three doors down.
Chuuya's eyes flickered over to the boy as he opened his door. The boy was admirably taller than Chuuya, and looking at him better, he had very defined features.
Chuuya closes the door leaving the taller boy outside. Maybe that was cruel but chuuya had no desire to stay with him longer, and hearing the sound of the piano playing a few moments later was enough peace for chuuya.
After at least twenty minutes had gone by, the piano stopped. Maybe ten minutes later, Chuuya left his room. The lights in the music room were off, the door was cracked open. Chuuya went to check on the room, he turned on the lights, and noticed a drink. It was sitting on the floor next to the piano. Chuuya scoffed while walking over to pick it up. Chuuya brings the glass up to his face, perking up his eyebrows. It smelt like— whisky? Throwing his hand in his pockets, he sighed.
“Ahh, so now you’re just a freak.” A familiar voice? Chuuya turns back already agitated. It was that boy, he never did learn his name. “I came back to get my drink, but it looks like you have your hands all over it.” The boy smiles.
“I was just going to take it down stairs because an idiot like you forgot it.” He couldn’t pinpoint it, but there was something about this guy that just— pissed him off.
“Did you just call me an idiot?” The boy squinted “and you looked like you were about to pounce at it?” The boy tilted his head against the door frame.
“‘Cuz I realized it was alcohol and I didn’t look like I was going to ‘pounce at it’. How’d you even get this?” Chuuya held up the glass like it was something foreign to him.
The boy took his head off the frame and grabbed the glass out of Chuuya's hand, “why did you want some?” He sounded almost seductive.
Chuuya rolls his eyes, looking away from the boy. Almost like he was thinking about the question. Then Chuuya glanced at his watch. ‘10:54’ “ fuck, it’s late” Chuuya walk’s a little faster out the door leaving the boy mid conversation. Confused, the other followed after Chuuya. To his surprise he found chuuya hunched over at the bottom of the stairs, looking over at the living room filled with people.
“Umm, whatcha doin?” The boy squats down beside chuuya.
Chuuya jumps a little not expecting anyone to come up beside him. “Why aren’t you walking out” The boy furrows his eyebrows.
Chuuya pauses “I’m out of place here” the brown haired boy stares for a second.
“You live here?” It didn’t exactly sound like a question, more a judging tone.
“I got it.” The boy smiled and stood up. Chuuya looked at him blankly, he honestly didn't know what to expect. “Chuuya! Don’t you know it’s impoli-“ chuuya shoved the boy to the ground and covered his mouth with his hand. “What the fuck are you doing?! How do you even know my name?!” Chuuya uncovered his mouth.
“Dipshit, it's on your desk in chem , and you're the only kid in our class with bright red hair.” The boy wipes his mouth in disgust. “How could I forget you?”
“So you knew my name this whole time?” Chuuya was left dumbfounded.
Before either one of them could say anything they were cut off by a rather unpleasant voice, “Chuuya, what are you doing hunched on the ground?” Rimbaud definitely wasn’t ecstatic to see chuuya. “It’s a bad look.”
Chuuya sat there frozen with an awkward smile on his face while the boy beside him tried to hide a scoff. “Never mind that, come with me.” Rimbaud started walking to the living room expecting chuuya to follow. Before that, Chuuya glared at the boy who simply smiled and waved. Chuuya could hardly hold back the disdain in his chest. Going off with Rimbaud to talk to his boss, he managed to let his feelings go and seem like he was happy to be there.
The man was tall and had mid length black hair. “Hello, I’m mori.” The man smiled, holding out his hand to great chuuya and Rimbaud. Chuuya smiled and greeted him back politely shaking his hand.
Rimbaud and him talk about some sort of business affair, Chuuya smiled and nodded the whole time, pretending to add to the conversation. Then something peeked his interest.
“You know I have a boy running around here somewhere, I think he’s about your age chuuya.” Mori said, glancing down at chuuya. Now there’s no other boy chuuya's age than the one from before.
“Did he have brown hair, kinda lanky looking and brown eyes?” Chuuya describes the boy's shape with his hands.
“Yes, have you met him before?” Mori smiled rather intrigued. “Yeah we were talking earlier. Could I happen to get his name?” Mori perks an eyebrow, it took him a second to reply but he does, “ His names Dazai, Dazai Osamu.”
A few moments later they said their goodbyes and chuuyas seeing people off, thanking them for their time, though chuuya never once talked to any of them. Halfway through Chuuya is greeted with a very familiar ugly smile. It was Dazai.
Chuuya reached up to shake his hand but there was something he hadn’t noticed before. Dazai was wearing bandages on his hand. He’d always been wearing long sleeves and it just slipped his mind when he saw his hands, but bandages?
Just as Dazai is about to open his mouth, Chuuya says something, “goodbye Dazai.” Chuuya smiles slightly. You can vaguely see it but Dazai looks pleased. Only for a second could you see it but his eyes, they lit up for a moment.
Dazai scoffs and pulls his hand away from Chuuya. “See you Monday, chuuya.” A simple goodbye, not even looking chuuya in the eyes before he walks off with Mori.
Just a simple gaze, that’s all it should have been.