𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 | 𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙖

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟱: 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲

[白布 賢二郎] Kenjirō Shirabu

It was nighttime.

I love the feeling of looking up at stars, but only with someone. It's hard to deal with it by myself: I'm scared of the dark.

When I was eight, I got lost while we were camping in the forest. I was far away, and I could only yell and sob. Then I realized that the stars were producing light, saying, "We're helping you." And it gave me the motivation to find my way back. They provided light that allowed me to look at stumps, which I recognized from sitting earlier that day.

No one knew the reason why I started liking stars when I was nine.

But no one asked.

I snuck out of the building. Rebellious, I know, but why not? It was hard to find a place to look from, but I found a small hill not too far from the university.

Just as I was settling down, I turned my head left.

Shit.

There was a figure opening the door.

Hopefully, they couldn't see me...?

They were about to walk but then stopped.

Um, yeah, they saw me.

The figure didn't make any move to come to me. I guess looking at stars seemed innocent enough? And that maybe this person was a student?

Suddenly, another figure emerged. Crap. This one looked at me and then looked at the other one. The two talked a little, then went back inside.

Oops.

I quickly grabbed my blanket and just ran. I picked the left side since running right meant I had to go through the front door, and I had snuck out the back.

They didn't come out for a long time, and since I needed the stars, I just settled back down in a new place. I was just beside the back door, and I was leaning against the brick walls of the building.

SHLICK. CREAK. MOMPH. Pat pat pat.

The first sound was a lock. The second was a door opening. The third was the door closing and the last few pats...

Footsteps.

I began to take off. The person there was scary. The person only looked at me. I didn't see them, but the fact they just stood there meant they were staring at my back and maybe preparing to take a picture.

Suddenly, something grabbed my shirt. It wasn't aggressive, but it still frightened me. Obviously, wouldn't you be?

I was about to shout but then realized that I was sneaking out so I'd get a punishment.

Tears started to spill out my eyes, and I heard a gasp. I slowly turned my head around.

What the fuck.

My eyes widened real damn large.

He smiled. It looked weak to me. I mean, when was he not? But this smile was a little different. He looked like he just got out of an argument.

"Hey," he managed to croak. I guess he was surprised to see me here, but he must've been too tired to bother showing it.

"Why are you here, Eita," I said in a low voice through gritted teeth. He let go of my shirt.

"This is where I attend university..." he mumbled.

I might've felt sorry if I thought about it. Imagine having someone that is a year younger than you ask why you're somewhere when you got there first.

I wanted to punch him. "Leave."

I had turned away from him, but I didn't hear anything.

What was he doing back there?

Turning around, I let out a small yelp. He was...

Crying.

Still, I was angry.

It might be bitchy, I thought, but I didn't care. I punched Semi's stomach. He didn't wince or anything—just fell. Nothing on his face changed. Honestly, I highly doubted he even knew he was crying. His face was the same as before, except tears just streaming down.

Semi and I didn't like each other at all. Fuck him, fuck me. Whatever.

Right at that moment, I was freaking surprised. Why? His tears just stopped. Right there, and his face was stained, the same expression from earlier.

He looked pretty frustrated and was practically fuming. I was about to make a run for it, but then I realized that he was one of the people who saw me. Semi could tattle.

He just walked away. Not to the direction of any of the doors. Maybe he wanted his own time? He was weak for letting him be beaten up. Yeah. We didn't like each other, so why would he let me have the upper hand?