no mader how strong the wind blows

chapter 27

Chapter 27: Broken Heart

Summary:

On the night of Valentine's Day, Eiji faces one of the most painful moments of his teenage life.

Notes:

For everyone's guidance, Ash is 13 and Eiji is 15.
Also, this chapter contains a few songs, so listening while reading is most recommended for more feels.
Anyways, enjoy the update!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The River Café was considered as one of the most famous restaurants in New York City, if not the world. Couples dressed in handsome tuxedos and fancy dresses filled the area, enjoying the amorous atmosphere with a candlelit dinner as well as a stunning view of the Brooklyn Bridge, the bright lights dancing along the East River and the towering skyscrapers of the city in the distance.
Yes, this was definitely a perfect spot for dates, one of the best places for memorable nights.
But unfortunately for Eiji, it appeared that the restaurant would hold one of his most painful memories instead, and that he would forever remember Valentine's Day as one of the worst days of his fifteen-year-old life.
"Is everything ready?" the raven-haired boy asked one of the waiters as they stood near the entrance to the restaurant's terrace, anxiously waiting for Ash to arrive with Trixie.
"Yes, Mr. Okumura," the waiter, whose name happened to be Danny according to the nameplate pinned on his shirt, answered. "But they're not here yet."
"Don't worry, they'll be here soon," Eiji coldly answered, not taking his eyes off the main entrance. The main event hasn't even started yet but he could already feel the heartache that awaited him.
"They're here, guys!" a waitress suddenly announced, making both Eiji and Danny look towards the entrance.
And as if on cue, the Japanese boy saw Ash enter the restaurant, carefully leading a blindfolded Trixie by the hand. As much as he hated to admit it, Trixie looked stunning herself in an elegant red mini-dress to match Ash's outfit. Her long black hair that was usually worn down with a purple headband was tied into a side bun, adorned with a single red flower.
Tasting tears at the back of his throat, Eiji waved his hand up in the air, signalling Ash to head over to where he was standing. The blonde-haired boy looked over at him in response, then proceeded to walk over to the terrace, pulling Trixie along with him. When the two arrived, the raven-haired boy led them to a table near the railings of the terrace, where he gave Ash a curt nod, telling him to take off Trixie's blindfold.
Without any hesitation, Ash gingerly removed the red handkerchief wrapped around Trixie's eyes, prompting the Chinese-American girl to open them. It served as a cue for the plants surrounding them to be lit by glowing fairy lights, as well as a signal for the restaurant's band to perform a soft, romantic melody.
Trixie's eyes widened in wonder as she looked at their surroundings, obviously impressed by the effort the blonde-haired boy did for her. She uttered a soft "Wow" before pulling Ash into a tight hug, making Eiji wince. Biting his lower lip, the raven-haired boy clamped his eyes shut in an attempt to suppress the growing pain inside.
"Mr. Okumura, are you alright?" he heard Danny ask from behind him. Before the waiter could sense that something was wrong, he quickly opened his eyes and saw that Ash and Trixie were already seated in front of each other.
"Y-Yeah," he answered, offering a fake smile. "I just...felt a little dizzy, that's all."
But deep inside, no, he wasn't okay. Almost a few moments from now, the boy he loved for so long would be asking someone else to be his girlfriend and he couldn't do even a single thing about it.
As Eiji silently stood at the doorway, he had no other choice but to watch as the waiters brought their food, which consisted of a variety of dishes such as steak, pasta and salad, over to them. A few moments later, another waiter brought in their dessert, which was a heart-shaped cake covered in red frosting. On top of the cake were the words "A + T" written in pink icing.
The raven-haired boy felt tears stinging his eyes as he saw how they smiled at each other, how Ash's eyes twinkled as he looked at Trixie. They obviously enjoyed each other's company, and Ash was obviously happy to be with the girl he loved.
A small, pained smile was all he could muster up. At least, his best friend was happy.
Then just as things couldn't get any better (or worse), the band began to play a song. The soft harmony of the piano and violin filled the air, then it was followed by the voice of a man singing.
"Be my lady
Come to me and take my hand, and be my lady
Truly I must let you know that I'm in love with you
All I want is you, how I need you, so please"
Upon hearing the song, Ash stood up from his seat, holding out his hand to Trixie.
"May I have this dance, my lady?" he asked, smiling sweetly at the girl.
And without any hesitations, Trixie took Ash's hand as she rose from her own seat. The blonde-haired boy brought her to an open space near their table, where they began to dance. Ash's arms were wrapped around Trixie's waist while Trixie held Ash's shoulders. The space they danced in was a bit small, so their bodies were pressed close to each other.
"Be my lady
Maybe you could lose the pain if you just tell me
Say the words you long to whisper that I want to hear
Something's on your mind, is it hidden in your smile?"
A crushed look on his face, Eiji bit his lower lip, blinking back the tears that began to well up in his eyes. He wanted to scream, to run away and never return, but he couldn't get himself to budge. He just stood there frozen in his spot as he watched the boy he loved dance with the girl he loved, his hands clenching into fists so tight that his knuckles turned white.
Oh, what a time to be alive, he thought with an emotionless grimace.
"Be my lady
Just forget the past, it's time to mend your broken heart
No walls divide us now, so dry the tears in your eyes
Nothing can stop us now, I'll give you all I have"
Just then, while Ash closed his eyes in contentment as he blissfully enjoying their dance, Eiji noticed Trixie glance over to where he was standing. An incensed glare formed on his face when he saw the girl pull Ash closer to her and smirk devilishly at him, as if she was telling him that Ash was her man and there was nothing he could do about it.
That bitch, did she really have to rub it in?
"Be my lady
You're the one that I adore, so please believe me
I could never find the courage to resist your charm
Nothing's more divine than each moment you are mine"
"You really surprised me, Ashy," he heard Trixie say, slightly pulling away from the hug to look at the blonde-haired boy. "I'm impressed."
"Eh? Really?" Ash's eyes widened in surprise, his lips forming into a smile. "You liked it?"
Smiling back, Trixie tenderly tucked a wayward strand behind Ash's ear. "Why, of course. Who wouldn't?"
"Be my lady
Just forget the past, it's time to mend your broken heart
No walls divide us now, so dry the tears in your eyes
Nothing can stop us now, I'll give you all I have"
Sensing that the song was nearly ending, Eiji's eyes widened and he felt his heart sink, swallowing down the tears that loomed when Ash and Trixie stopped dancing. The blonde-haired boy pulled away from the girl, but he still held her hands tightly.
This is it, it's almost time.
"Be my lady
Let the sun shine through heart and make a brand new start
Stay with me each night and day through the rest of my life
Just like a work of art, my love will last until forever"
Fondly gazing into Trixie's blue eyes with a sweet smile on his lips, Ash got down on one knee.
"Trixie, you're really a very special girl for me...and I love you. Will you be my girlfriend?"
Right then and there, Eiji's heart began to pound hard in his chest, his stomach painfully knotting so tight that he thought he might vomit any second. He crossed his fingers as he stared wide-eyed at the two, anxiously waiting for Trixie's answer. Deep inside, he silently wished for Trixie to say no, for Trixie to reject Ash right on the spot just like what she did all those years ago and ruin the entire surprise.
Please say no. Please say no. Please sa---
"Yes."
"Just like a work of art, my love will last until forever"
And as the song ended, the raven-haired boy felt like his heart was crushed into bits. Unable to hold it in any longer, hot tears began to stream down his cheeks as Ash happily twirled Trixie around, making the girl let out a delighted squeal.
"Yes! Trixie's my girlfriend now!" the blonde-haired boy exclaimed with a big smile on his face, and there was only one thought that formed in Eiji's mind that very moment.
It's over. He lost. Ash and Trixie are now officially dating.
His lower lip quivering, he clamped a hand over his mouth in order to keep himself from sobbing out loud, pressing both his necklace and bracelet against his chest as his tears continued to fall. Unable to handle the heart-wrenching scene any longer, he lowered his head and closed his eyes as he began to sob uncontrollably. The pain was so overpowering that he almost couldn't breathe.
"I'm so happy, Trixie. You made me so happy tonight. I love---" Ash's sentence was suddenly cut off when Eiji suddenly felt a pair of hands cover his ears from behind. Instinctively, the raven-haired boy threw his eyes open and turned around to see Shorter standing next to him.
"You can close your eyes to the things you don't wanna see, and you can also close your ears to the things you don't wanna hear," he said, leaning closer so Eiji could hear him.
"S..." Anything else Eiji could've said was lost as he immediately pulled Shorter into a tight embrace, his tears wetting the purple-haired boy's chest.
"I-It hurts, S," he tried to speak in between sobs. "I-It really hurts."
"Please E, please...s-stop hurting yourself."
Eiji slightly pulled back upon hearing Shorter's uneven voice, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw tears rolling down the purple-haired boy's cheeks. Knowing that he was usually seen with a smile on his face, it pained him to see him cry like this.
"S, no." There was a guilty tone in Eiji's voice as his hand reached up to wipe the Chinese boy's tear-stained face. "Please don't cry because of me, I don't deserve it."
"Don't worry about me, E." Shorter smiled weakly, leaning into Eiji's soft palm. "I cry because I love you. While you, you don't deserve to cry because of him."
Then it was his turn to wipe the raven-haired boy's tears. He tenderly cupped his cheeks with his hands and gently brushed off the tear stains with his thumbs, then leaned forward to kiss him on the forehead.
"C'mon, let's go home. You must be tired."
Eiji couldn't agree more.
***
"Thanks, S," Eiji told Shorter when they arrived at the park a few minutes later. He suddenly remembered that he would be meeting Shunichi and Eika the park after the surprise, so he told the purple-haired boy to take him there instead.
"Heh. No problem, E." Shorter grinned, scratching the back of his head.
"No. I mean, thank you...for everything."
Smiling sheepishly, Eiji tiptoed to plant a small kiss on Shorter's cheek, much to the Chinese boy's surprise. Bringing his hand up to gently touch it, as if to convince himself that he wasn't dreaming, the purple-haired boy's eyes widened for a split-second, then his expression quickly softened.
The two parted ways after that, but before he left, Shorter said something that made Eiji's heart skip a beat.
"E, you deserve to be happy. I promise, you'll be happier with me. I love you."
A small smile was all the raven-haired boy could give as his answer.
***
"Sorry I'm late Eika-chan, where's Ibe-san?" Eiji asked upon seeing his younger sister seated on one of the park's benches. It was almost 9 PM, and he couldn't help but wonder what they would be doing around this time of night.
"Oh Eiji, you're finally here here," Eika answered, rising from her seat. "Ibe-san's over there." She pointed her arm towards a certain direction.
"Huh?" With furrowed eyebrows, Eiji looked towards the direction where Eika was pointing at. "Where---HEY!"
He was caught off guard when his sister suddenly wrapped a blindfold tightly around his eyes.
"Eika-chan, what's going on?" he asked, frustratingly fumbling with the knot behind his head in an attempt to remove it, to no avail. "Take this off!"
"Don't worry Eiji, you'll find out soon," he heard Eika giggle from behind him. "Just follow my lead."
Despite his protests, the girl held Eiji's hand and pulled him along with her as they walked. Because his vision was obscured by the blindfold, and having no idea on what the kid was up to or where they were going, the only thing he could do was to keep walking.
"Alright, Eiji's here!" Eika suddenly announced after a few moments, noticing that they have stopped walking. He may not be able to see right now, but Eiji could sense that a mischievous grin was on his sister's lips as she said that.
"Ah, Ei-chan! You made it!" he heard Shunichi exclaim. Judging from the distance of his voice, he figured that he was standing somewhere nearby.
"Ibe-san?" Eiji asked, trying to reach out for the middle-aged man with his free hand. "Ibe-san, where are you? What's going on in here?"
"I'm right here, Ei-chan," Shunichi answered, and he sensed that he was walking towards him. "Come, sit here." Then he ushered him towards a chair, careful not to make him trip or bump into anything.
"Eika-chan, Ibe-san, what's going on? Why am I wearing a blindfold? And where am I?" Eiji asked once he sat down. With his hands and feet, he perceived that there was a table in front of him and another chair on the opposite side.
"Don't worry Eiji, it's nothing bad or anything," his sister answered. "We're just gonna set you up on a blind date here at the park!"
"What? A blind date? With who?"
"C'mon you guys, what are you up to? Take this stupid blindfold off, will you?"
Eiji let out a soft gasp and felt his heart racing when he heard another familiar, irritated voice from the other side of the table.
Ashu? What's he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be spending time with Trixie right now?
"Oh will you relax, Ash?" That voice sounded like Griffin's. "It's just for a few moments."
"Yeah, just sit here, relax, and enjoy your blind date." And that voice sounded like Max's. What was going on?
Wait. Blind date? Didn't Eika tell him earlier that he was on a blind date, too? So if Ash happened to be on the same blind date as him, then that would mean---
"Are you ready, Shunichi?" Max suddenly asked from across the table, abruptly ending his thoughts.
"Ready when you are, Max," Shunichi answered, then he felt a hand holding the tightly-knotted cloth behind his head.
"Oh my gosh, this is gonna be exciting!" Eika squealed.
"Heh, I can't wait to see the looks on their faces once they see who their date is," Griffin excitedly added.
"On three. One, two, three!"
And on Max's cue, Eiji felt Shunichi's hands untie the blindfold wrapped around his head. He winced as his vision adjusted from darkness to light, then let out a soft gasp when he realized that he was seated under one of the park's trees, the leaves beautifully illuminated by bright fairy lights. He looked in front of him and saw that there was a plate and some utensils lying on top of a round, white-clothed table. There was also an elegant candle standing in the middle, giving him the notion that he was about to go on a romantic, candlelit dinner date.
Then his eyes widened in shock, his jaw dropping open when they landed on the boy, having the same wide-eyed, horrified expression as he did, sitting across the table.
"ASHU?!/EI-CHAN?!"
At that very moment, Eiji felt his head spinning as he stared dumbly at the blonde-haired boy. He couldn't believe his eyes. Ash was his blind date? He just witnessed him and Trixie officially becoming a couple merely a few hours ago, and now this happens? Was this the real reason why Shunichi told him to come to the park? Did Max, Shunichi, Griffin and Eika decide to team up on them and set them up on a date without them knowing?
Everything was too overwhelming for him to take all at once, he was worried he might faint.
"This can't be!" Ash suddenly yelled in protest. Eiji cringed inwardly and slightly backed away as he watched his jade-green eyes beginning to burn with anger, a betrayed expression forming on his face.
"Ash, calm down," Max told him, trying to place a hand on the blonde-haired boy's shoulder but Ash, almost violently, just brushed it off.
"No! I don't want this! This can't be!" He slammed his hands on the table, glaring at the everyone as he rose from his seat in a fit of anger.
"C'mon now, don't take this seriously," Max gently chided the boy. "This was all just for fun. No need to get so worked up about it."
"Fun? Seriously Max, you call this fun? This is just plain bullshit! This isn't funny at all!"
"But, why not, Ash?" Griffin asked, a concerned look on his face as he tried to calm his younger brother down.
"I have a girlfriend already!"
"WHAT?!" everyone but Eiji chorused. This time, it was their turn to be shocked.
"But---" Max was about to reason out but Ash quickly cut him off.
"No, Max! Eiji and I are just best friends! I DON'T WANT HIM! I already told you that, no more, no less!"
Right then and there, Eiji felt like his heart stopped beating. His mouth hanging agape, his entire body went limp, his eyes wide and his face pale as he stared at Ash completely shocked. Tears began to blur his vision as he felt like a sharp knife stabbed him straight in the chest, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe.
This is a bad dream, isn't it? I'm having a nightmare, right?
"Ei-chan?" asked a worried Shunichi, gently holding the raven-haired boy's shoulders.
He didn't answer, he just sat frozen in his spot, silence pounding hard in his ears. Honestly, he didn't know what to react. Part of him somehow wanted this blind date because of his feelings, but the other part of him disagreed with it because he knew Ash wouldn't be happy with this. Eiji loved him, but he wanted him to be happy as well.
"Eiji?" Eika asked, worry etched on her face as well.
"EIJI! Don't just sit there, SAY SOMETHING!" Ash roared at him.
"ASLAN JADE CALLENREESE! Don't shout at him like that, young man!" Griffin angrily yelled at the blonde-haired boy.
Eiji continued to stare into the distance for a few seconds before he blinked, once or maybe twice, snapping back into reality.
"Mr. Glenreed...Ibe-san...Griffin...Eika-chan...Ash," he finally managed to utter, his lower lip quivering. "I'm sorry, but...I don't agree with this blind date either."
And without a word, the raven-haired boy quickly stood up and ran off, heading to the nearest restroom. He locked himself inside one of the stalls, and feeling as if great dam had burst inside of him, tears streamed continuously down his cheeks as he slumped down, his face buried in his hands as he cried and cried.
That's it, this was officially the worst day of his life. First the boy he loved just got a girlfriend, and now he just outright rejected him in front of their guardians and siblings.
And above all, he said it himself. They were just best friends and he didn't want him.
It was too much. It was all too much for his poor heart to handle.
"Ei-chan." Eiji looked up when he suddenly heard someone knocking on the stall's door. "Ei-chan, please open the door."
"P-Please, Ash," he whimpered. "P-Please leave me alone first."
"Please, Ei-chan." Ash continued to knock on the door. "Open the door, let's talk."
"LEAVE ME ALONE, ASLAN!" the raven-haired boy screamed, shutting his eyes and covering his ears. "PLEASE leave me alone, even just for once! I WANNA BE ALONE!"
"But Ei-chan...I'm sorry."
After a moment of heavy silence, Eiji heard Ash's footsteps walking away from the bathroom stall. Realizing that he needed someone to talk to, he pulled out his phone and dialled Shorter's number. During times like these, he was the only one he could count on.
(Hello, E?) the purple-haired boy responded after a few rings.
"Hey, S," Eiji tried his best to sound normal. "Y-You're not sleeping yet?" He quickly covered his mouth when a sob suddenly escaped.
(Hey. Are you crying, E?)
"N-No." He shook his head, his voice becoming uneven. "No, I'm not."
(You're not good at lying, E. Please tell me, what's wrong?)
The raven-haired boy let out a deep sigh. "It's just that...Mr. Glenreed and Ibe-san..."
(Yeah?)
"They...they just set Ashu and I up on a blind date."
(WHAT?!)
Eiji, unable to answer, slumped down as few more sobs escaped from his mouth, fresh tears running down its previous tracks.
(E, please don't cry.) There was a pained tone in Shorter's voice.
"I-I just heard it straight from him, S." Eiji continued to sob. "H-He completely rejected me. H-He said that...h-he said that...h-he doesn't want me."
(That fucking asshole!)
His eyes widened at the sudden stream of curses. "P-Please S, don't say that."
(Those words aren't even enough to describe him, E. Shit. How could be be so fucking heartless? Damn him!)
"S, p-please..." he tried to calm the Chinese boy down.
(E, please don't cry. I'm gonna come to you if you don't stop.)
"H-Huh? What? No, that's not necessary!"
(Then please, stop crying.)
And for some reason, Eiji's lips curled into a small smile.
(I know you're smiling, E.)
"Huh? How'd you know?"
(I can feel it, E. I just do.)
Eiji let out a soft chuckle. "Thanks, S."
(No problem, E. Do you want me to sing for you?)
"Well, I don't see why not, S. Sure, go ahead."
The Japanese boy heard Shorter clear his throat on the other line, then after a moment of silence, he began to sing.
"The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful, stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky, never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together, dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above"
A soft gasp escaped from Eiji's lips, he never knew that the purple-haired boy could sing well.
"I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be love's suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the greatest fan of your life"
A small smile formed on the raven-haired boy's lips as he felt his chest constrict, and this time in a good kind of way. It was true after all, Shorter was always his crying shoulder.
"And rain falls angry on the tin roof as we lie awake in my bed
You're my survival, you're my living proof, my love is alive and not dead
Tell me that we belong together, dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above"
For some reason, Eiji found himself calming down as he listened to Shorter's singing voice. With a soft sigh, he leaned against the wall with his phone still placed against his ear, feeling the pain slowly disappear by each passing second.
"I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be love suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the greatest fan of your life"
He realized, the Chinese boy has always been a shoulder for him to lean on. Whenever Ash broke his heart, he was always there to catch him. Whenever he cried, he was there to wipe his tears. Whenever he was upset, he was there to cheer him up.
Really, he was thankful to have someone like Shorter.
"And I've dropped out, I've burned up, I've fought my way back from the dead
I've tuned in, turned on, remembered the thing you said
I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be love suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the greatest fan of your life
The greatest fan of your life, the greatest fan of your life"
(You don't have to hurt, you know? You can always have me,) he heard him say after singing.
Eiji didn't answer, he just waited for the purple-haired boy to speak.
(E? Are you still there?)
"Yeah," answered the raven-haired boy, smiling weakly. "I'm still here, S."
(Just remember that I'm always here for you, E,) Shorter continued. (If only there was a way I could make you mine, I would've done that a long time ago. But I promise, I'll do my best to win your heart. Just you wait.)
Eiji let out a deep sigh. For so long, he was hoping and longing for Ash to tell him those words. But apparently, it seemed like he has been looking at the wrong guy all this time. Maybe if it happened that he met Shorter earlier, then he would've had a bigger chance to fall in love with him instead of his best friend.
(I love you, E.)
Maybe Ash wasn't the one who's supposed to tell him that. Maybe it was Shorter after all.
"I wish I could love you too, S," Eiji whispered, closing his eyes.
Maybe it has always been Shorter.