II. KAZUHA
Kaedehara Kazuha woke up in the middle of the night after having a nightmare. His breathing was heavy and his eyes shot open. He realized he was just in his room and exhaled deeply, relieved. He slowly sat up and rubbed his head, wincing from the painful headache pounding within his brain.
He got out of bed and went to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He turned on the faucet and splashed his face with water, trying forget the recurring nightmare. He repeated the process a few more times before drying his face and hands with a nearby towel. He took a moment to stare at himself in the mirror and sighed.
He was falling. That was his nightmare. Falling, with no way of stopping and no control. At first, it was peaceful and the blue sky accompanied him, but then he'd see a city below and realize he was going to die. It was the same every time; he'd descend at a rapid pace and the wind would howl in his ears as he plummeted. He'd try searching for anything to escape his situation, but it would never amount to anything. And just before he hit the ground...
He'd wake up.
He wondered what it would feel like if he died, or if it'd feel like anything at all. Maybe there'd be a split second of him feeling all his bones shattering, and then he'd wake up. He was curious, but he was still glad his mind wouldn't allow him to experience it.
He was starting to question whether there was a point to falling asleep anymore, if he'd only wake up gasping for air.
⊱✿⊰
"Tomo, what are you doing...?"
"Putting barrettes in your hair!"
"And uhm... Why, exactly?"
Tomo grinned, "I like playing with your hair. It's really soft!"
"Thank you," Kazuha smiled to himself. "It feels nice."
"Good, I'm glad. Now... I have an important question for you," Tomo stated as he ran his fingers through the other boy's hair.
"What is it?"
"What do you plan on doing with your life? Like, job-wise."
"I'm not sure... Have you been thinking about that?" Kazuha queried, tilting his head slightly to the side.
"Hey, don't move your head too much," Tomo ordered. "And I guess so... In a way."
Kazuha wondered what he meant by that. He wanted to ask, but Tomo quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, how have your other friends been doing?" He questioned, grabbing a pink barrette and clipping some of Kazuha's red hair with it.
"They're alright," he shrugged. "Y/n and Gorou still refuse to get along."
Kazuha talked of you and Gorou a lot to Tomo, since he was the only real outlet available. He was the only person Kazuha felt comfortable enough to share his frustrations with, and a lot of the time, that involved your rivalry.
"Haven't they been fighting for years now?"
"Yeah. I think it's been... four years."
Tomo sighed, "They sound like trouble. But you know you can always vent to me, right?"
"I know, don't worry."
"Good! Okay, I'm done, look in the mirror."
⊱✿⊰
When Kazuha found out Tomo was sick, his friend refused to give any details about his condition. All he said was this:
"I just know I'm too far gone."
The young Kazuha just stared at his best friend with an almost betrayed gaze. It felt unfair. He hadn't even known anything about Tomo's sickness, and now all of a sudden he was going to die? It was like the entire world turned on him at once.
"Why didn't you tell me...?" He whispered, his voice almost sounding like a ghost as it refused to reach all sides of the hospital room.
"I didn't want to concern you when there's nothing you could've done..."
"I...I could've comforted you," Kazuha stammered, clenching his fists and looking to the floor, trying to hide his teary eyes with his bangs. "I could've been here for you... So you wouldn't be alone..."
"I didn't want you wasting your time in a hospital room while I got treated, Kazu," Tomo chuckled dryly. "That wouldn't be fair to you."
"What isn't fair is that you knew you were going to die and you still didn't tell me anything!" He snapped, lifting his head to reveal the tears beginning to roll down his cheeks. "Do you have any idea how that makes me feel, knowing I haven't been here for you when you needed it?"
"But that's not your fault, Kazu-"
"I know!" He cried, wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands. "I know... But I can't stay mad at you when you'll be gone soon."
Tomo reached over the side of the bed and grabbed Kazuha's wrist, taking his hand away from his eye. He held his hand and looked into his eyes. His heart cracked, seeing the tears streaming down his face.
"It'll be okay."
Kazuha could barely believe what Tomo was saying, "No, it won't..."
"It will. Do you know why?"
"...Why?"
"Because I'll always be here with you."
⊱✿⊰
During the funeral, Kazuha was asked to speak, but when he stood in front of everyone, he suddenly lost the ability to talk. Tears were burning his eyes, so everything was a blur. He tried blinking them away, but even as they fell down his cheeks, his vision was still awful. His throat was starting to close up, as if all the oxygen was being sucked out of the room. In response to this, he panicked and ran out of the building, leaving everyone else gasping in shock. You stared at the doors as they slammed closed before quietly standing up.
"I'll go get him," you said, your voice on the edge of breaking. Since Gorou had been sitting by the door, he already slipped out to find Kazuha. Once you got outside, you saw both of them in the parking lot. When you'd left, you looked to Kazuha's parents to see if they were going to comfort him, but they showed no signs of moving.
"Hey," you greeted softly, stepping over to them and stopping in front of your close friend. "Are you doing okay? Can you breathe?"
"I'm not okay," he whimpered, holding his hands over his eyes to hide how red they were. "But my breathing is fine now."
"Is there anything we can do?" Gorou asked.
Kazuha leaned against his parents' car and slid down until he sat on the concrete, "Unless you can bring him back, then no."
You and Gorou sat with him. You didn't have much experience comforting people who were grieving, so you just thought about what you wanted from your parents when Signora died.
"Do you want a hug?" You offered.
"...Yes, please."
You leaned forward and pulled him closer to you, wrapping an arm around him. With the other arm, you gestured for Gorou to join you. He seemed hesitant, but he didn't say anything as he embraced Kazuha as well. Both of you were aware it wasn't a good time to argue.
"I'm sorry I asked you both to come with me," he cried, resting his head on your shoulder.
"Hey, it's okay," you replied.
"We're here for you," Gorou added.
You stayed like that for quite a while. From time to time, you and Gorou would whisper reassuring words to him in hopes of making him feel better. You weren't sure what else to do aside from be there, but having two of his closest friends being there meant everything to him.
It made him think that maybe, just maybe, everything really would be okay.