no mader how strong the wind blows

chapter 31

Chapter 31: Heavy Heart

Summary:

As Shorter formally asks permission from Shunichi and Eika to court Eiji, Ash realizes something.

Notes:

For everyone's guidance, Ash is 13 and Eiji is 15.
Anyways, enjoy the update!

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

Chapter Text

After his classes ended, Ash decided to head over to Eiji's school, as he thought of waiting for the raven-haired boy to finish his training before walking home together like they always did. Originally, he was supposed to walk home with Trixie, but she went ahead, saying that she had to attend a friend's birthday party, so he decided to walk home with his best friend instead.
When he arrived at the gym, he was surprised to see all the club members gathered around what seemed to be two figures standing in the middle. Everyone seemed to have big smiles plastered on their faces, and some of them even looked giddy, as if something romantic was happening. What was going on? Was this also part of their training? And where was Eiji?
Hold on, I think I see him already. I'd recognize that mop of black hair anytime.
Stepping forward to get a closer look, the blonde-haired boy's eyes widened in shock when he realized that Eiji was one of the two people standing in the middle of the excited crowd.
And he was in the arms of no other than Shorter Wong.
What the fuck? What the hell is going on in here? Why is that Shorter hugging my best friend?
With those questions racing in his mind, Ash unconsciously placed a hand on his chest as for some reason he felt his chest becoming heavy at the sight. The feeling was as if something sharp painfully pierced him in the chest, straight through his heart, and he didn't like the feeling at all.
But why was he feeling this way in the first place? What was happening to him?
"Oh Ash, you're here," he heard a familiar voice say, but the blonde-haired boy paid no attention to whoever called his name.
A cold, emotionless expression was the only thing present on Ash's face as he mindlessly walked next to Alex, who ushered him further inside the gym. He saw that the rest of the Sports Club members, Eiji and Shorter included, were looking at him, but the unpleasant sensation was so gut-wrenching, he felt like his entire body would become numb any second.
"Yo dude," Kong said when the two boys arrived. "Did you see what that Shorter did just now?"
And with that, Ash blinked, suddenly snapping out of his thoughts, and looked over at Alex and Kong.
"Yeah," was the only thing he answered, though he didn't really see what actually transpired before his arrival. For some reason he suddenly felt too weak to give a proper answer.
And for some reason, he was afraid to know what happened.
"But Eiji boy still hasn't given his answer yet," said Bones, who was standing nearby. "Until now we're still waiting for what he's gonna say."
Answer? What answer?
His jaw dropping open, Ash let out a soft gasp as it began to dawn on him that Shorter was in the process of asking his best friend out. No wonder everybody looked all giddy and excited, no wonder Eiji and Shorter were the ones standing in the middle.
And speaking of Eiji, there he was, his dark-brown eyes looking straight into his own. He immediately recognized that look, it was the kind of look he would give him whenever he asked for his permission.
A bitter smile was all he could muster up, of course Eiji had to ask for his blessing. They were best friends, after all.
And who was he to say no to his best friend?
He saw Eiji's eyes widen for a split-second, then the raven-haired boy let out a sigh before turning around to face Shorter, who was anxiously waiting for his answer.
"Yes, S. I'm giving you and I a chance."
And with that, everyone erupted into cheers. Everyone except him.
He let out a deep sigh. In all honesty, he appreciated the fact that Eiji didn't give his answer right away because he waited for his go signal. He wasn't really against Shorter now that he thought of it, he knew very well how sincere he was towards his best friend. He'd better make sure to take good care of Eiji, or else he would really hunt him down.
But he just couldn't understand, why did his heart feel so...heavy?
"Alright you guys, show's over," Alex suddenly called out. "Let's go home now, everybody."
"Waaah! My Eiji boy's got a suitor now!" Bones cried.
"I know, right!" Kong seconded. "We're officially stumped, yo!"
Just then, Nadia walked over to the two boys and slapped the back of their heads.
"Oh, quit being dramatic, you two," she said, rolling her eyes. "It doesn't suit you at all."
"Shut up, Nadia," Kong retorted. "You know nothin', man. You don't know how it feels like."
"Yeah, what he said!" Bones agreed.
"Tch. Shut it, you two," Shorter scoffed, rolling his eyes at the two.
"Yeah, you guys are so weird," added Ash, folding his arms.
Amused by what he was witnessing, a chuckling Eiji stepped forward, standing between Bones and Kong, and draped his arms around their shoulders.
"C'mon, you two," he said. "Don't feel so down. I like you too, you know."
And with that, the two 9th Graders' faces instantly lit up with joy. Eyes twinkling in delight, they both wrapped their arms around the raven-haired boy and pulled him closer in a group hug. Eiji noticed a change in Shorter's and Ash's expressions, but he winked at them, mentally telling them that he could handle this by himself.
"Really, Eiji boy?" he heard Bones ask.
"Did you hear that, guys?" said a proud Kong. "Eiji boy likes us! Hahaha! Take that, y'all!"
Eiji chuckled again. "Of course I do."
"Awww, Eiji boy," Bones and Kong cooed, obviously touched by the Japanese boy's statement.
"You're like my younger brothers, you know."
And with that said, everyone began to laugh, much to Bones' and Kong's embarrassment. Eiji seemed to enjoy their reactions as well, basing from the wide, mischievous grin that formed on his lips as he pulled away from the group hug.
"C'mon Eiji boy, seriously?" Bones whined, his shoulders slumping.
"I can't believe you, man. How could you do this to us?" added Kong, a crestfallen look on his face.
"Tch. That's enough, you two. Knock it off," Shorter suddenly said, pulling Eiji away from the two.
"Hey Shorter, you're not his boyfriend yet so quit acting like you are!" the braided boy retorted.
The purple-haired boy just rolled his eyes again, ignoring Bones' and Kong's annoyed glares, then turned to Eiji with a sweet smile.
"C'mon E, let's go. I'll take you home."
"Oh, sure---" Eiji was about to answer when he suddenly felt a hand grab his other arm.
"Let me take you home, Ei-chan," Ash said. "We're neighbors, after all."
"Dude, let me do it," Shorter answered with a frown, pulling Eiji closer to him.
"Don't even bother, Shorter," replied the blonde-haired boy. "Ei-chan literally lives next to my apartment, so I should be the one to take him home."
"Actually Ash, I plan to go to E's apartment myself. So I insist," There was an irritated tone in Shorter's voice as he narrowed his eyes at Ash, tightening his grip on Eiji's arm. "Let me take him home."
"And why would you do that?" Ash raised an eyebrow at him.
"I'm gonna ask permission from Mr. Ibe and Eika. And if possible, I'm gonna ask for his parents' blessings, too." Shorter smirked.
There was a heavy, awkward silence in the air as the two males exchanged serious glances with each other, Ash's jade-green orbs against Shorter's small brown ones. Their stares were so intense, Eiji could almost see a crackling streamer of lightning arcing back and forth between their eyes.
"Alright you two, that's enough," Alex said, suddenly breaking the tension between the two.
"I know," Nadia seconded. "You two are acting so weird."
"C'mon E, let's go," Shorter said as he began to walk away, pulling Eiji along with him.
"Wait, S," Eiji answered, stopping in his tracks before turning around to face his best friend. "Are you going home too, Ashu?"
"Go on, Ei-chan," Ash responded. "Shorter's right, he needs to ask for your family's blessing."
"But what about you?"
"Don't worry about me, I'll go on ahead. See you around."
With that said, Ash turned his back and started his way towards the exit, the cold expression never leaving his face.
And was it just him, or did Eiji just see a pained expression in his eyes?
What was happening to his best friend?
***
"S, are you sure about this?" Eiji nervously asked as he and Shorter walked down the street towards his apartment building.
"Yes E, I'm definitely sure about this," the purple-haired boy answered with a smile. "It's really important for me to ask for your family's blessing first before I officially start courting you, you know."
And with that, Eiji looked away as a bright red blush began to form on his cheeks. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't touched by Shorter's words, he could really feel his sincerity towards him. He never knew that having someone who genuinely cared for you could actually feel so good.
"S...why me?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.
The sweet smile never leaving his face, Shorter took Eiji's hand and laced their fingers together.
"Because I love you, E. I loved you from the very beginning."
"What? From the very beginning?" asked the raven-haired boy, his eyes widening in surprise.
Still not letting go of Eiji's hand, Shorter sat down on the front porch of the apartment building, the Japanese boy following suit.
"I've known you since 6th Grade, I already had a crush on you back then. The very first things I noticed about you were your cute looks and warm aura. I really wanted to talk to you, to be your friend and all, but I was too shy to do it."
The purple-haired boy let out a soft chuckle, suddenly remembering the feeling he felt when he first laid his eyes on Eiji back in Middle School. The first time he saw those large, innocent, dark-brown eyes and that sweet smile, he could've sworn he felt Cupid's arrow pierce straight through his heart that very moment.
Eiji, on the other hand, remained silent as he continued to listen to the purple-haired boy. His eyes darted between Shorter's face and their intertwined fingers, and he couldn't help but smile a bit whenever the Chinese boy gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
"For almost three years, I was hesitant to approach you. But when 9th Grade came, I was so happy that you finally noticed me and became friends with me. And now," Shorter looked straight into his eyes. "I could finally say that I really love you, E."
Eiji continued to stare at Shorter, his face flushed bright red. He really didn't know what Shorter saw in him, or what he did to make the purple-haired boy like him, but one thing he knew right now was that he really didn't deserve his love, his attention, his sympathy. He loved him at his worst, he loved him during the times he was so heartbroken, and even though he knew he loved someone else, here he was, still loving him.
Rising from his seat, the raven-haired boy held out his hand with a sweet smile.
"C'mon S, let's go inside."
***
"I'm home," Eiji announced as he and Shorter entered the apartment unit, where he saw his guardian and sister seated on the couch watching television.
"Oh Eiji, you're here," said a surprised Shunichi. "And just in time for dinner, too."
"And it looks like you brought Shorter with you as well, huh?" Eika added.
"Hehe. Good evening, guys," Shorter sheepishly greeted, scratching the back of his head.
"What brings you here, Shorter?" Shunichi asked. "Are you and Eiji working on a school project together?"
"Actually Mr. Ibe, I---" The purple-haired boy's statement was cut off when Eika suddenly spoke.
"Before anything else, why don't we eat dinner first? I'm starving here." She stood up and walked over to Shorter, giving him a gentle pat on the back. "You're having dinner with us, alright?"
"Ah, yeah." The purple-haired boy offered a small smile. "Thanks for the invitation, by the way."
And with that, the four took their seats on the dining table. Shunichi and Eika sat together, while Eiji and Shorter sat on the other side. They exchanged conversations with each other as they ate their dinner, the topics ranging from school life to other random stuff.
"By the way Shorter, what brings you here?" Eika asked.
"Actually," Eiji was the one who answered. "S came here because he wanted to tell you guys something."
"Really?" Shunichi glanced over at the Chinese boy. "What is it, Shorter?"
Taking a deep breath, Shorter stood up from his seat, much to the surprise of Eika and Shunichi.
"Eika, Mr. Ibe, the thing is, I came here tonight to ask permission from you." He paused for a while. "If it's alright with you, may I court Eiji?"
And their reactions? Shunichi almost choked on his food while Eika paused from taking a bite of her meal, both of them staring wide-eyed at the purple-haired boy. On the other hand, Eiji remained silent while Shorter clenched his jaw, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Ahem," Shunichi broke the silence. "Is that so? Did Eiji allow you to do so?" He looked at Eiji. "Ei-chan?"
"Yeah, Ibe-san," Eiji replied, slightly bowing his head in embarrassment. "I did give him my consent."
"Alright then. Shorter, sit down."
Shorter immediately obeyed, and all of a sudden the atmosphere became tense as the middle-aged man looked intently at the Chinese boy.
"Do you love Ei-chan?"
"Yes, Mr. Ibe. I love him," Shorter answered in a heartbeat.
At that moment, Eika let out a soft "Oooh" while Eiji stared at him in wonder. How could this guy manage to stay cool while saying that? How could he manage to say that so casually?
"Well then, that's all I need to know," Shunichi said, leaning back. "It's all up to Ei-chan now."
"Wait, that's it?" Eika asked. "You're letting Shorter court Eiji just like that?"
Shunichi chuckled as he ruffled the eleven-year-old girl's hair. "There's nothing we could do, Eika-chan. If Shorter really loves your brother, who are we to stop him?"
"If that's the case, then I give you my permission as well, Shorter," Eika beamed.
And right then and there, the purple-haired boy's lips grew into a wide smile of relief.
"Gee, thanks a lot, you guys! I promise you, I'll love Eiji with all of my heart, and I'm gonna show you just how much he means to me."
Eiji couldn't help but smile and heave a sigh of relief upon seeing the smiles on his guardian and younger sister.
There was no doubt, Shorter really deserved a chance.
***
Ash strode quietly down the sidewalk towards his apartment building, feeling a variety of unnamed emotions. It seemed like his heart became heavier with each step he took, and he just couldn't understand why he was feeling that way.
He didn't know why, but he really felt something different about Shorter ever since he found out about his feelings for Eiji. Though he technically said that he wasn't against the purple-haired boy or anything, he couldn't help but feel uneasy whenever he saw him with his best friend.
Trying to brush off those thoughts, he was about to walk up the front porch when he noticed two people seated on the steps. Letting out a sharp gasp, he ran and hid behind a nearby tree when he realized that it was Eiji and Shorter. He let a few seconds pass before gingerly poking his head out, trying his best not to get caught, and listened to what the Chinese boy was saying.
"I've known you since 6th Grade, I already had a crush on you back then. The very first things I noticed about you were your cute looks and warm aura. I really wanted to talk to you, to be your friend and all, but I was too shy to do it." Shorter let out a soft chuckle. "For almost three years, I was hesitant to approach you. But when 9th Grade came, I was so happy that you finally noticed me and became friends with me. And now, I could finally say that I really love you, E."
Just like that, the blonde-haired boy's eyes widened at the revelation, unsure of what to react. He let out a deep sigh as he sat down, leaning his back against the tree. Shorter really does love his best friend, huh?
And he had to admit, maybe he did feel a teeny-tiny bit of jealousy.
No, wait.
Maybe he WAS jealous of Shorter.
Letting out a sharp gasp, his eyes widened at the sudden realization. Yes, he was jealous alright. He was jealous because he would no longer be the only one who would take care of Eiji. He was jealous because he would no longer be the one closest to Eiji, because Eiji's attention would no longer be focused on him but rather on him AND Shorter as well.
And above all, Eiji has found someone to love. While he had Trixie, his best friend would have Shorter.
But on the other hand, at least he would be able to focus his attention more on Trixie if that was the case. At least Shorter would be there if ever he wouldn't be around to take care of his best friend.
Yeah, maybe things would be better this way.
Right?