Soulmates | Itafushi ✓

23 - divine

* * *

Yuuji and Megumi were dating. For real.

But nothing much had really changed between them. For the most part, they acted the same as they were when they were fake dating. Except that they were a lot more open with their affection now than before. 

Yuuji was walking down the hall, when he saw Megumi exit a classroom. His back was turned away from Yuuji.

Maybe I should surprise him? Yuuji thought. "Hehehe," he laughed mischievously. 

While Megumi was still unsuspecting, Yuuji ran up to Megumi and hugged him from behind. Megumi flinched for a second in surprise, but then he realized.

"Guess who?" Yuuji asked. 

"A ghost." Megumi replied sarcastically. But then he smiled. "Of course it's you Yuuji. It wouldn't be anyone else." He said.

"Correct!" Yuuji exclaimed. "And as a reward you get a kiss!" 

He gave Megumi a peck on the cheek. 

"Ugh," someone snickered from across the hall, looking at Megumi and Yuuji. When Yuuji turned to look in their direction, they just looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"That was rude," Yuuji commented. "It was just a kiss on the cheek, it's not like we started making out in the hallway." 

But Megumi looked down. "I think no matter what we do, people will be disgusted that we're together. As long as I'm with you, everyone is going to think that we're cursed." 

Yuuji saw that Megumi had a pained expression on his face. He got worried.

And then Megumi shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I don't care. As long as we have each other, everything will be okay." He smiled at Yuuji.

But Yuuji could still see the pain behind his eyes.

"Let's go." Megumi held Yuuji's hand and they walked down the hallway together.  

Yuuji could tell; that as much as Megumi tried to hide it and say that it was okay, as much as Megumi insisted that this situation was what he asked for, to no longer be treated as special or have to be forced to date his soulmate, Megumi was hurting inside. He knew that Megumi was in pain, being hated by his family and being scorned at by the people around him. 

Megumi was hurting. And it made Yuuji hurt too. 

⤜-------⤛

It was a normal Saturday. Yuuji was in the park, going on a jog to get some exercise. 

Megumi's probably still taking a nap, Yuuji thought. Let's see if I can make it home before he wakes up. 

He continued running, until he noticed a guy giving a speech at a gazebo. He had a microphone and speakers, and was standing on top of a wooden platform. On top of that, he was surrounded by people listening to his every word.

It looked a bit interesting, so Yuuji decided to check out what was going on. He joined in with the crowd and tapped one of them on the shoulder. "Is there some kind of event happening right now?" He asked someone.

They responded. "Here, have a pamphlet. Mariko Fuse is a famous speaker and he's giving a free sample speech in the park as a treat." They handed Yuuji the brochure. 

The brochure read: 

Mariko Fuse

psychic, divinations, and messenger of the goddess