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Feet moving faster than light, as stomps are heard echoing down the pavement. Tyler ran through the streets… searching.
For what? What is there to look for in such a small town? A change? A difference? Or maybe it was for the man who changed his life.
Who decides to buy a property just to rub it into someone’s face, then turns around and gives it away from a “change of heart”? One day was Daniel wishing for hell on his lineage, the next saving his family from going under.
Replaying those memories like a stuck tape, reliving the moments when he knew how he felt about that sensitive emo. But as he plays over those memories…
The first fight at the market.
The confrontation under the trees.
The caught stares.
He just doesn’t get it. All that time, all the hatred filled arguments; now is when he starts to question what they really were?
But what really were they?
Tyler needs something. Anything, from Daniel. An explanation, or an argument, he doesn’t care. Just something. He can’t live his life without knowing how he truly feels.
It doesn’t help that the night before was a living hell. Flashing lights and tipsy students. Empty bottles and mixed emotions. Tyler trudged his way through the night. Never a silent moment in his head. Maybe that’s why he filled himself with booze. Brain full of alcohol and…him.
He tried to put on a front. Tried to mask the truth that was burrowed deep below about what just happened before the dance. He laughed, he danced, and he partied, but his peers could tell there was something off with him. It just couldn’t be helped, especially after finding the letter addressed to him in his back pocket.
‘I know this doesn’t make up for how I’ve been…but thank you for being the victim of my shallow emotions
- D.V.T. III’
What a stupid guy.
…Is what he wishes he could think about the letter. But all he can think of was their last interaction of shared drinks and emotions. Daniel running in the streets, cursing him out. Tyler should be happy, really, he never has to see the dreadful man ever again; alongside getting full ownership of his and Olivia’s whole livelihoods.
God… all he can think about is that stupid fringe, with that stupid face, adorned with those stupid red eyes and stupid outfit. If Olivia found himself in this state, running through the streets trying to find the man who made them live through hell the past days, he was certain she would kill him and Daniel. But she doesn’t know what Tyler knows, about the man being sent away for being himself. Taking his last chance of seeing the man closest to him to make up for his vain mistakes.
All the money he has can’t cover up the real person behind it all. It is beyond Tyler that he is even thinking about this man in any other way than him being an ass. But how could he not after yesterday?
Tyler weaved through the streets, huffing as he jogged to make it in time. Such a small town seems to become a large city when it’s most important.
Tyler is lost.
Lost in the mind of his thoughts and through the streets of Nippon. He can’t find his way anywhere, to get to his final destination. He always thought he had a clear path for himself, a clear needed life goal.
Take care of and support Olivia, graduate from Bingodemia, and hold down the family business.
What it took for him to question it all was some idiotic transfer student who could not leave his family alone. But even with this outcome, that idiot had opened the mind of Tyler to what he truly wants, and what he needs for his life. There should be something beyond these needs that he…wants, but something that he doesn’t know what that want is.
Tyler takes one last turn before he visualizes the scene in front of him. Large moving trucks, with dozens of movers taking items out of the house, loading them into the back. Luggages lined up against the outside of gates, as they crush the beautiful lavender that lines the outside. No speaking is happening, the only noise filling the air being the rustles of the plants and movements of the furniture. Only at a time such of this does the aesthetic of the dark, haunted house fit the mood of the scene in front of him.
Tyler’s eyes move over the scene, looking at all the details of the situation at hand. Air huffing in and out of his mouth as if he ran a mile to get there. All he has the capacity to do is stand there,watching the scene. But some part in the back of his mind tells him he needs to go find the man of the house.
He begins to take steps forward, walking slowly with a strong stance and calm attitude, even when he feels the complete opposite on the inside. Tyler’s heart pumps out of his chest, racing faster and faster as he draws in closer, just hoping he isn’t too late.
No one seems to question him, almost like he belonged there. Tyler slips past the gates as the movers continue to haul expensive pieces of furniture past him. He stares up at the towering house. In this moment, a chill runs down his spine, as goosebumps run across his arms.
This is idiotic.
Tyler begins to second think himself. He backpedals, pushing his body backwards as he continues to turn around to go back home. What made him even come here in the first place?
Daniel, here. Have a drink with me, just one last drink.
Damn it. Is that really what he wants his inevitable last words to be to Daniel? His pride for righteousness is too strong to leave it at that.
He squeezes himself around the movers, going into the house, looking around the dark rooms. No lights are on, really he doesn’t even think there are any lights at all, rooms relying on the rays of the sun to light them. Tyler doesn’t even know if Daniel is still in Nippon. If anything, he could be on a private jet flight back to England at this current moment… but he still needs to try.
Tyler walks up the stairs, observing the decor around the house. The weird paintings in the stairwell of the ocean, some fiery place, and… a thing. He doesn’t know what it is. As he’s too focused on the paintings while walking up, he turns his head and scares himself with the statues atop of the stairs. Eugh. Weird decor for a weird man.
He doesn’t want to linger in the house for long. The dread over his shoulders continues to grow, developing the want to psyche himself out. It probably has to do with the dark shadows casted all across the house, which explains why Daniel is the way he is.
He circles up the next flight of stairs, quietly, in fear of being caught in a place he should not be in. Wasn’t Daniel filthy rich? Shouldn’t there be maids and butlers running around his house? Maybe he is too late, and they’ve all already gone back to Britain.
Tyler’s eyes gaze up as he sees stair railing with a large opening to the top of the house. With quiet steps, Tyler continued up the stairs. His view of the room above becoming larger. Right at the top of the stairs, with a slight turn left of the head, Tyler’s breath hitches.
“Von…?”
There at his desk sits Daniel, as the chair that he is sitting in swivels around, now facing the man who has entered the room.
“Tyler?!”
Daniel fumbles up from his chair, standing with a wobbly stance. At a standstill, Daniel and Tyler stare at each other with jarring expressions. Emotions too stunned to adjust to the situation at hand. The next ten seconds feels like minutes, even hours. Even after the initial shock, neither of them knew how to move next.
Tyler studies Daniel’s face, well whatever he can see of it. His face is puffy, with tears dried over his cheeks from the night before. Pale face dusted over with rosy color, from his nose to his cheeks, contrasting to those stark red eyes.
And for a man so stuck up and “proper”, his room is a mess. Papers filled with scribbles sprawled all over the desk, some of them on the floor. Boxes fill the room, so many opened and filled with random objects. An unmade bed, with pillows and blankets thrown over the mattress.
Daniel’s breath hitches, snapping Tyler back into the current reality. Tyler watches Daniel’s eyes shake, as his face contorts in confusion.
“What…What are you doing here?” Daniel lets out, with a shaky breath.
“I could ask you the same.” Tyler fires back.
“This is my house! Of course I am going to be in my house?!” A scoff comes out of Daniel’s mouth.
Even when being in such an awkward situation, Tyler is just glad to know Daniel is still his same prissy self. He could feel a faint smile grow onto his face, a smile caused by Daniel.
Tyler catches himself before the smile could grow larger, immediately wiping his face of any enjoyment. He refuses any feeling beyond hatred for him, nothing positive was allowed to be felt for Von.
“I was just passing by, just wanted to…drop in?” Tyler attempts to make an excuse as to why he’s in Daniel’s house, as if he did not run across the city to make it in time.
Daniel looks at the brunette across from him. Sweat rolling down his temple, running over the freckles on his cheeks. Tyler’s chest rapidly rises and falls, as he continues to take deep, shaky breaths.
“Bullshit.” Daniel scoffs, and immediately catches onto that Tyler was not just passing by.
Silence returns, layering over the situation once again. Tyler sneers, giving a sharp exhaling.
“Yeah yeah, you caught me, so what?”
“So tell me why you’re here?” Daniel began to interrogate.
Truthfully, Tyler doesn’t really know why he was here. Yeah, he wanted to see Daniel but he can’t just say that to his face.
How do you ask for an explanation on something you don’t even know what you want to ask?
“I just came to see if you left already.” Tyler looks everywhere but Daniel.
“What?” Daniel scoffs. “Just came here in hopes of celebrating my absence by breaking into my house?” He rolls his eyes.
“When do you leave?” Tyler abruptly speaks. Daniel glares at the man opposite.
“In 12 hours.” Daniel snaps back, an annoyance growing within him.
“Citron said that your flight left during the dance…” Tyler whispers to himself. Daniel tenses up at that small comment, followed up with an awkward, forced laugh.
“W-What? Hah! You’re just so obsessed with me that you asked Citron about my whereabouts? Ridiculous!” He’s still laughing, but it’s strained. It really wasn’t funny. He doesn’t even really know why he’s laughing, but he couldn’t let Tyler sense his weakness at this moment.
It doesn’t work. Tyler can tell that Daniel is stressed. He can tell from movements, his discomfort. Even though Daniel is still saying the same things he’d always say, Tyler can tell he’s…off.
“Do you need to leave?” Tyler bursts out before thinking.
“What…?” Daniel immediately responds. “What type of question is that?! Of course I must leave, why would I stay here when I am needed in the UK?”
“What are you needed for?” Tyler continues.
“What is with these stupid questions?! My father needs me to take over the family company, and I cannot be doing that all the way here in Japan!” Daniel scrunches his face, taken aback by these questions.
“Is that what you really want?”
“I…” Daniel loses his composure. He is put into a stunlock, opening and closing his mouth as he attempts to find the words, “Y-Yes…Of course I want this! This is my family legacy we are talking about here. My whole life that has been planned out for me since I was born, this is my destiny.” Daniel cracks at some of the words.
Tyler sees right through it.
His eyes wander to the desk filled with papers, trying to make out what content is held on those sheets. Tyler begins to walk towards the desk, as Daniel becomes defensive. He doesn’t know the intentions of the freckled-faced man coming into his house, but he can tell he wasn’t enjoying this experience already.
Daniel fully expected for the confrontation at the Sato Market to be the last time he ever saw Tyler. Really, he was looking forward to it being the last time he ever saw Tyler, he did not want to continue the turmoil that was the past week of being around him. What Daniel did not expect was for Tyler to go fully out of his way to go to his house and find him.
Before Daniel could realize, Tyler had picked up one of the papers laying on his desk. Tyler’s eyes scanned over the paper, looking at what seemed to be a letter addressed to…Citron. The words are like scribbles, barely legible, as the paper has blotches of moisture that smudges some of the words. It is very heartfelt for what Daniel can make.
Words of passive aggressive apologies, filled with memories and issues in a life that Citron and Daniel lived. Tyler is honestly surprised at how human Daniel could sound. He looks at the rest of the papers sprawled, addressed names on all of them.
Theodore
Marie
Mouse
Professor Velvet
Juno
Olivia
Tyler immediately picks up the paper with Olivia’s name on it. A paper full of…apologies. For the accusations, the torment, the fights.
He’s surprised. The letter he got from Daniel was barely an apology, but to see how vulnerable he has become makes him change his view of him again. It’s no secret that both the Sato siblings despise the man, but Tyler can’t help think about how Olivia would react to this.
Suddenly, the paper is ripped out of his hands. Daniel clutches onto it tightly.. Tyler honestly forgot he was there, too focused on the image of the man in his head.
“Look, I don’t know why you are here, but you need to leave.” Daniel lets out a heavy sigh. Tyler contorts his face into a grimace.
“Stay.” Tyler grumbles. Daniel doesn’t know if he just made up his mind of what he just heard.
“What?”
“Just stay.”
The air sits still. Nothing is moving. Not them. Not time. Nothing.
“What the hell do you mean ‘Just stay’?!” Daniel outbursts.
“Are you dense? I’m asking you to stay in Nippon!” Tyler bursts back at him.
“I’m not going to leave my life of money and luxury for this measly little city!” Daniel’s voice raises. He continues to get louder as he speaks, as emotions flood the man’s brain.
“You don’t need all the money in the world to be happy, Von.” Tyler snaps back. “And from what I can tell, you’re nowhere near enjoying your life.”
Daniel opens and closes his mouth, at a loss for words. He is unbelievably frustrated that Tyler would make an accusation like that, but even more at the fact that he knew Sato was right.
Daniel never wanted to leave Nippon. If it was up to him, he would live out his days fighting with the Satos and nagging Citron. Even if they were such hard memories to look back on, he knew that he was truly happy. Daniel sniffles his nose.
“Even if I did stay, where would I even go? It is very apparent that everyone here hates me, and would rather die than associate themselves with me.” A scoff comes from his mouth.
“I don’t hate you.”
Again…the room doesn’t move.
What the hell is Tyler even saying anymore? Daniel honestly cannot believe his ears. This past week was all fighting between the two, but suddenly now he doesn’t hate him?
Tyler coming to his house was too much, but this had turned unbearable.
“You cannot be serious.” Daniel stares at Tyler.
“Look, Von,” Tyler shakes as he begins to speak, “You can live with me and Olivia at the market, so you can stay here.” Tyler’s heart is beating in his ears, blocking all the noise around him.
Both of them are wildly confused, neither truly processing the words coming out of Tyler’s mouth.
“Stay in Nippon… stay for us.”
Daniel’s face begins to contort, trying to portray multiple emotions at once.
“Stay for me,” Tyler’s volume lowers as he continues to speak.
Something gets stuck in Daniel’s throat. He turns away from the brunette, and begins to pace his room. He clutches his hair, gripping onto the paper with the other, as he lets out a loud groan.
“This is what I hate about you, Tyler! You never make sense with what you say.” Daniel shouts at the wall, refusing to look at the freckled-faced man.
Tyler steps forward towards Daniel.
“I’ve sent you through a week of hell, tormenting you and your family, even your friends for my personal needs… and you STILL want me to stay, Sato!” The paper in Daniel’s hand crinkles under the stress.
Tyler continues to walk closer.
“It’s not like it is even safe here! They finally found Megumi’s body after months, and it was one of our professors who killed her?! It is just utterly unsafe here.” Daniel begins to make up excuses.
Daniel’s back is turned away from Tyler, as the brunette comes up behind the distressed man. Tyler grabs onto Daniel’s shoulder, forcing him to turn around, finally looking at each other.
Tears form at the corner of Daniel’s eyes. Eyebrows crease on Tyler’s face.
Tyler grips onto the collar on Daniel’s shirt, a grip stronger than any punch he has thrown at him. Words flood Tyler’s mind, of all the memories that made Daniel to him, but all he can think about was that afternoon outside the market. The drink they shared before Daniel ran away like a coward, but here Tyler is trying to convince that coward to stay.
Before Daniel could ask why the man has his hands on him, Tyler drags Daniel down, pressing their lips together. Daniel is taken aback, as his hands come up in surprise. What is he doing?
A week of pent up emotion, exploding into one moment. A bubble that burst, as Tyler pushed his face into other man’s. Daniel’s eyes are blown wide, still not fully processing the moment.
Tyler pulls away from the man, still grasping onto his collar. Both faces flushed red. From embarrassment? Enjoyment? Neither of them really knew.
“Back off.” Daniel commanded.
“Then stop leaning in.” Tyler snided back.
Daniel pushes Tyler off him, making both of them stumble backwards. Daniel clutches onto his own collar, feeling his heart race out of his chest.
Tyler, in a similar fashion, wipes his hand on his shirt, but feels the rate of his heart racing.
Daniel continues to huff air out of his chest, reminding him of all the activities during sports day. His mind gets overwhelmed with thoughts, he thinks of all the life he lived being at Nippon.
Tyler watches the man, as Daniel’s eyes race around the room and slowly land back onto Tyler. The brunette’s breathing stilled, as Daniel analyzes the man.
“Tyler…” Daniel breathes out.
All that can run through Tyler’s mind is the hope that Daniel will…
Stay.
Just stay here.
Stay in Nippon.
Stay with Olivia and I.
Stay with Citron.
Stay with us.
Stay for…
“I can’t stay, Tyler.”
Tyler’s heart stops. Daniel’s eyes gloss over.
“Tyler, I can’t leave my whole life for this. My family legacy, I am tied to this. I’m the third of my kind, my family needs me.”
We could’ve been your family.
“I am the only one to inherit the work my family has built for generations. You cannot comprehend the amount of wealth that is on the line.”
You don’t need all the money to be happy.
“And not to mention the horrid atrocities I’ve acted on towards our classmates. I can never forgive myself for those actions.”
I forgive you.
“Tyler…”
Von.
“I love you… but I can’t look at you for all the reasons you hate me.”
The room is still.
“Whenever I see, or even think of you, I can only ever think of the worst behaviors I’ve exhibited. You’re a living reminder of my worst.”
Tears stream from Daniel’s eye, running down his cheeks like waterfalls.
Tyler’s mouth runs dry. All they can do is stare at each other, as Daniel’s sniffles fill the air. Tyler tries to gulp down the lump in his throat.
“I-” Tyler begins, but is immediately cut off.
“I think you should leave, Tyler.” Daniel snips at him.
Tyler is glued to the floor, not having the strength in him to leave, but he knows that Daniel is suffering far worse than he is at this moment.
He turns his heels around, walking towards the stairwell. Before he walks down, he cranes his head back up to look at Daniel, who is now turned away.
“I’ll…I’ll see you around.” Tyler is a coward.
Tyler walks down the steps. The farther he gets to the bottom floor, the louder he hears Daniel’s cries ring throughout the house.
Outside, the sun sits in the sky and the movers are closing up the trucks full of furniture. He walks past them, not before he takes another look at the lavender growing outside.
His eyes stare at the plant blowing with the gentle breeze in the air. He grabs a stem and rips it from the roots of the plant, continuing the trek home after.
Blank mind, his hands fidget with the flower. The trek back home was silent. All he could listen to were the rustle of the trees, and the sound of his feet meeting the ground.
Faces pass by. Happy faces. Ones that are reminiscent of the dance the night before. A feeling that Tyler cannot imitate. He is simply a body being dragged back to his real life.
Tyler pushes open the door to the market, with no regard to how much force he emits. Hauling himself up the stairs, as the lavender is clutched in his fist.
In the living room, sits Olivia on the couch with her phone in her hand, as she furiously types to another. The noise of Tyler taking his shoes off alerts her, as she whips her head around.
“Tyler? Where have you been…” Olivia stands up, walking towards him as her eyebrows crease.
Tyler stills as Olivia stands before him. She is talking to him, but nothing is processing through his mind.
Finally, the emotions hit Tyler, as his eyes begin to gloss and tears begin to pour. Nothing to hold in anymore, Tyler sobs out his sorrows, dropping the flower onto the floor. Olivia is taken aback, in shock about the sudden burst.
But she is a sister first. She immediately brings Tyler into an embrace, not understanding what was wrong, but understanding that he needs her right now.
Tyler wraps his arms around his sister, resting his eyes into her shoulder, wetting her shirt with the tears from his eyes. All he could do was cry, as he grasped onto his sister’s shirt as the smell of lavender filled the air.