Table For Three [Ishileondo]

Chapter Thirteen

Art by me!
If you wanna know why this chapter took me so long to finish, it's cuz I rewrote it like. Five times. 🗿

  Taka was in complete and utter despair. Two friendships, gone just like that, in the span of a couple hours. Maybe friendship just wasn't something Taka was allowed because he was an Ishimaru. Maybe it was something he never should have gotten involved in anyway. It got in the way of his studies, so maybe this was for the best.

  But he couldn't help but wonder. If he didn't just walk out like that, would his friendship with them have grown stronger and possibly into something... More?

  No. No, he couldn't think like that. He couldn't be... You know. It just wasn't allowed.

  He wanted to confide in his father with all these confusing feelings, but what would he think of his only son possibly being...? How would he react? Would he kick him out of the house? Would he force him out into the streets? It was too uncertain. Too many things could go wrong. So he decided he wouldn't risk it, and he stayed silent.

  It took Taka forever to fall asleep last night, so he eventually just gave up and instead did research online. He took quizzes and read articles and watched educational YouTube videos. But he still couldn't come to terms with the fact that he might be...

  He eventually did pass out on his bed and woke up in a pool of his own drool.

  He's never had a friend before, so maybe he's just confusing platonic feelings with romantic ones. After all, he couldn't like guys. It was just something that... Could not happen.

  He had planned on going to school that morning, because a good student would never let anything get in the way of his studies, but his father forced him to stay home. It was the first time he was ever against letting Taka do something, and Taka felt like he finally understood why rebellious teens acted out the way they do. He couldn't ruin his perfect attendance with something as minuscule as a little drama!

  So here he was, laying in bed and staring at the ceiling. He couldn't bring himself to move. Not even to eat breakfast, which he was in dire need of, or to even crack open a book and study like he should. Like a good student should. A good student would never let anything get in the way of his studies.

  Not even the loss of his first two and only best friends. 

  Get up, Kiyotaka! Since you are unable to attend classes today, you can still study! You don't want to fall behind your peers, do you? He told himself, trying to "hype" himself up.

  It didn't work.

  He was starting to get frustrated and antsy. He hated wasting time more than anything, and here he was! Wasting time! He didn't know how his classmates did it! Time passed by useless minute by useless minute. This is torture, just get up already!

  His window opened and voices flowed into his once dead silent room. He wondered who that was, but he didn't have the energy to turn and see or even focus his hearing on the voices. He just continued to stare at the ceiling. Thinking about them...

  Kiyotaka, get up! Someone or multiple someones just entered through your window! That isn't normal! They broke in, fight them off!

  Taka didn't move.

  Two shadows filled his vision, but he didn't bother to focus his sight on the intruders. He just continued staring, even though he might have been in danger.

  It's okay. Whatever happens to me, I deserve it. Because I ruined two perfectly good relationships with two perfectly good people.

  Taka closed his eyes and prepared himself for the worst. But nothing happened. He started opening his eyes when suddenly his head jerked to the side and his cheek started stinging. His eyes widened, and he blinked, confused. His hearing and his vision began to focus, and the sounds of two familiar people filled his ears.