Dark Birthdays
Ranpo had walked to his home right after school and walked inside the building to be surprised by his friends and family saying Happy Birthday. Ranpo smiled brightly and giggled, "Woah!", He looked around to mark every friend that was there. He didn't see Poe there and tilted his head. Yosano sighed, "Poe's upstairs", She said before anyone else. Ranpo nodded and ran upstairs after saying 'Thank you' to everyone.
Ranpo ran into his room and dropped his backpack. He looked around and couldn't find Poe. He pouted then jumped when he heard "Happy Birthday!", from behind him. Ranpo turned around and looked at Poe. Poe laughed nervously, "S...sorry!", he looked down. Ranpo hugged him, "It's fine! I'm just glad you're here!", Ranpo smiled brightly.
Poe smiled calmly and hugged back, "You should go party with everyone..", He looked down and the smaller one. Ranpo huffed, "But I want to hang out with youuu!", He whined as he looked up. Poe chuckled nervously, "We'll hang out after the party... i'll stay the night if you want me to..", Poe ran his hand through the others hair, because he knew he liked when Poe did that. Ranpo leaned into Poe hand and smiled brightly, "Oki!" Ranpo smiled brightly again.
They stayed like that for a couple moments. It was a nice moment for them. They were looking at each other, admiring each other, being close and holding each other.
It kept being like it until Poe pulled away in embarrassment. Ranpo frowned before walking out of the room and going downstairs. Ranpo and the others downstairs had fun and did everything you would do on a birthday. Poe heard it all going on downstairs and smiled every time he heard Ranpo's voice.
At the end of the day, when everyone left, Ranpo ran upstairs. Ranpo went into his room and looked at Poe. Poe was on Ranpo's bed, leaning on the wall, looking out the window. Poe turned a bit to look at Ranpo and smiled calmly. Ranpo went over and looked out the window, "What's so interesting about the outside?", He looked at Poe confused.
Poe sighed deeply and opened his arms out, "Let me show you, ", He said, with a calm smile. Ranpo shrugged and pressed his back against Poe's chest, Poe's arms wrapping around his body. Ranpo liked this comfort and moved his head to look at the outside world. Poe did the same. They stayed like this for a while. Ranpo didn't mind and didn't want this moment to end. Having to be so close to Poe was a nice feeling. Ranpo opened his eyes to get a better view of the outside. He could have sworn he had seen some color, and it made him relaxed.
After about ten minutes during this, Ranpo had looked up at Poe and noticed something. Poe seemed not to want this moment to end just like Ranpo. But it was a different feeling. There was one thing that Ranpo knew though.
Poe was hiding something from him.
A year passed
Ranpo had found out what Poe was hiding, but it was too late when he found out. Poe had moved the exact day he found out. Ranpo hadn't felt the same ever since. He felt extremely sad, upset, angry, he felt all types of feelings. He knew he shouldn't feel all of these on this day. Though, he couldn't help it. Poe wasn't going to be at his party that night.
Ranpo opened the door to get surprised by a lot of people yelling, "Happy Birthday!", all of them, excited and happy. Ranpo didn't feel happy, but he sure did act like it. That day was one of the worse days of his life because Yosano could know how he was feeling. It was pretty obvious due to Ranpo looking around, and not listing the people in his head.
Ranpo acted happily and excited the whole day. He didn't mind faking his emotions if he got to see everyone else happy. It was like his motto said, "As long as I'm fine, everything's fine." and Ranpo was going to stand by it.
Though something happened that only Ranpo saw. When he got his cake, he blew the candles but when he opened his eyes. That's what happened. He opened his eyes and his whole world became darker. He looked at everyone else, and their expressions were the same. Ranpo decided to not worry about it and just go along with everything.
-
Ranpo walks home and is surprised by the same thing each year. He starts giggling again at it this year and is happier than the year before. Ranpo parties with everyone over his birthday again. It was just like each year, but he didn't mind it. He loved this day, the day about him.
They opened presents.
They sang karaoke.
They played games.
Then the cake finally came along.
All the kids sat down at the table, and the adult lit up the candles. Everyone was singing happy birthday with a bright smile on their faces. Ranpo was smiling so happily until he blew out the candles, his world got darker. This was when Ranpo knew this was a problem, but he didn't worry about it much at the time.
At the end of the party, he ran upstairs and looked at the new phone he got. He turned it on and messed with it for a while before looking at the window. The outside didn't have its glow like it did the first time he looked out with Poe.
Ranpo turned on his phone and searched for why his vision got darker. It didn't take long for him to find the answer.
"When there is a one-sided love with two soulmates, causes pain to the one that has feelings for the other. Not physical pain, but the mental pain of their world getting darker. If you're having this problem, you have twelve years until you can no longer see. When you can no longer see, your heart will stop as well. Good Luck!"
Ranpo stared at the fact and sighed deeply. He knew who his soulmate was, but that person was across the world at that time. Ranpo hugged his knees and looked out the window. He leaned against the wall as he looked at the dark sunny day outside. He imagined Poe's arms around him again, falling slowly asleep.
Fukuzawa had walked in to see if his son had fallen asleep already or not. He noticed the phone was still on and checked why Ranpo left it on. He picked it up slowly and looked at it. Fukuzawa sighed deeply when he saw what Ranpo had searched up. He had guessed that's why he made a confused face each time he blew his candles out.
Fukuzawa took a deep breath and put his phone down before walking out the door. He went downstairs and went over to the young ginger-haired who stayed after the party to clean up, "Chuuya-Kun", He looked down at the short kid. The kid turned around and huffed, "If you're giving me some kind of prize for helping, I don't want it!", He turned around and continued to clean.
The older man sighed, "No. I wanted to ask you something, ", He said. Chuuya sighed deeply and turned around again, "What do you want?", Chuuya asked. "May you help Ranpo be more...", "Happy?", Chuuya continued Fukuzawa's sentence while raising an eyebrow, "before you speak, I'll do whatever. The man is clearly lonely", He turned around and continued to clean.
Fukuzawa didn't trust Chuuya at first, knowing that Chuuya was the adoptive son of someone in an alliance that he wouldn't like his own son around. But Chuuya seemed different. Chuuya might've acted rudely, but he certainly would do anything to make anyone happy.
-
Ranpo was walking home, knowing what was going to happen when he got home. It wasn't a surprise anymore. It was two years since the last time, and he has gotten a new friend. Which, speaking of that friend.
Ranpo turned around to see his friend catching up with him and catching his breath, "Hey! You didn't wait for me!", The kid yelled. Ranpo chuckled, "Yeah I know, ", He smiled mischievously. Chuuya looked at Ranpo and tackled him, "Jeez! You're a pain!", They both fell to the ground and started laughing.
Chuuya stood up, "Come on, we should get to your house, " He brought his hand out to help Ranpo up. Ranpo took his hand and got up. The two then walked to Ranpo's home and got 'surprised' by the people yelling "Happy Birthday!!", Ranpo smiled brightly and chuckled. Even though Chuuya expected it, he got startled.
It was like the rest of his birthdays.
All the same.
Everyone sat in a seat as Fukuzawa lit the candles just like he did each year. Ranpo looked at everyone singing Happy birthday. He noticed how everyone didn't seem to get bored on this day, doing the same things, over and over, each year. Ranpo sure got bored, but he didn't mind.
After everyone was done singing, Ranpo blew his candles and his world got darker once again. He didn't know what was different about this year, but when his vision got darker, his happiness faded away. Memories of Poe flooded in. He started crying on the spot, in front of everyone.
Ranpo missed his soulmate with all his soul.
Everyone's eyes were on him. Fukuzawa had asked what was wrong and all Ranpo replied with was he was happy he still got to spend this day with his friends.
After the party, Ranpo went upstairs and looked out the window. He felt embarrassed and didn't want to see one other person on that day, but of course, he couldn't get what he wanted. Chuuya had walked into his room, holding a present. Ranpo looked at Chuuya before looking out the window again. Chuuya huffed and sat next to Ranpo again, "You could at least say hi, jeez, " He handed Ranpo the present.
Ranpo looked down at the wrapped present and picked it up, "It's something I made that I thought you would like, " Chuuya said, looking away. Ranpo chuckled and Chuuya's try on being nice. Ranpo looked at the small gift before opening it.
It was a small journal, or well, a medium-sized one. He opened it and saw photos and quotes on all of the pages. The photos were memories of him and Poe, and the quotes were ones that said cheesy things such as, "We'll be together forever, " and "No matter how far apart we are, we'll be together in spirit", Even on how cheesy it was, it made Ranpo happy.
Ranpo looked at Chuuya and smiled, "Thank you Mr.Fancy Hat!", He said while chuckling, patting Chuuya's hat more down, covering Chuuya's eyes. Chuuya groaned, pulling his hat back up and looking at Ranpo's happy smile. He could tell that it was a genuine smile and Chuuya was glad to be the one that made it happen, smiling a bit himself. Chuuya's smile faded quickly, as he looked away quickly, "it's whatever, "
Ranpo chuckled and looked out the window. Chuuya had his arms crossed as he looked back at Ranpo, "What's so interesting about the outside?", He raised an eyebrow. Ranpo looked at Chuuya, "That's what I said!" He looked outside again, "I'm still figuring it out...",
Chuuya sighed deeply and looked outside, "Did your vision get darker again?", He looked at Ranpo. Ranpo nodded before looking at Chuuya, "What about you?", He tilted his head. Chuuya groaned, "Like I'm going to survive the darkness! My soulmate is obsessing over pretty females", He looked away and crossed his arms, pressing his back on the wall.
Ranpo laughed, "Yeah, but you're a pretty girl, so don't get so whiny", He laughed again. Chuuya groaned, "I do not look like a girl at all!", Chuuya tackled Ranpo and the two laughed.
He may be back, but the darkness never left.