The Unknown

Ch. 18 - Alone

You lied awake for what seemed like hours with racing thoughts. You wondered how Choso was taking the news, worried for his well-being. You still wondered if he was being serious about what he said. 
You spent the morning as you readied for the day calling and texting him to no avail. You knew he had his phone. It was more than likely that it was charged. He's purposefully ignoring me... you thought.

The real question was "what do I do the day after my step-brother dies?" You weren't sure if you needed to show up at the hospital. You had no idea of any funeral plans. You were caught in this strange state of limbo and despair. 
You decided then to begin packing as it was the only thing you could do to occupy your time. You had also realized that Akira was an option after originally thinking you'd need to do this on your own. She didn't hesitate to text back when you asked her. Anything to get out of this house...

It didn't take long for a few days to pass by. You had settled into the third bedroom of the apartment you now shared with Akira and her roommate, another girl named Utahime. Your mother was glad you were adjusting okay and often shared the chaos that had started going on back at home since Noritoshi let his estranged son back in the house. There were allegedly a few angry incidents between Choso and his father where the authorities needed to be called. Eventually Choso packed his own things up and left permanently, his whereabouts unknown though you knew it was likely he was just at the Gojo's. 

The next time you were able to see him was for the wake back at the house. He was slunked in the corner in a black suit. He held a glass of whiskey and was very visibly high off his ass. You felt nervous to approach him, but knew it had to be done. 
The rest of the room spoke lowly out of respect, nearly every guest in some shade of black. Your mind still couldn't wrap around the idea that the little, green-haired punk was gone - the boy you thought of as an annoying little brother though only for a short while. 

Choso's head hung low as he leaned against the wall in the corner. He hadn't moved for what seemed like a long time. Now that you were close, you really could see just how clammy his skin looked. The bags under his eyes were a dark shade of purple, almost even darker than when you had first met. His eyes themselves were bloodshot, pupils small as can be, and trying hard to keep focused.

"Choso..." you said lowly, his name melting like butter on your tongue. You had missed saying it, strangely enough.

"Hey, Y/N," he greeted you with a slow, crooked smile. "Long time, no see."

"It's only been a few days," you muttered, and looked away from him for a moment "how are you doing?" 

"Fabulously," he tried to smile but it came out more as a grimace. "I bet I'm next," he pressed his thumb to his chest with a jolly tone. "Whether Daddy dearest does it for me or I do it." He chuckled as you gave him a grotesque expression. 

"Don't speak like that," you scolded. You had to resist the urge to slap him right then and there. "How much have you taken today?"

"What?" He asked stupidly. You didn't dare repeat yourself. You knew that he understood. 

"He hasn't been sober since the day Kechizu died," Satoru walked up to you, Geto and Shoko behind him with somber expressions. "He's only taken one at a time since I've been monitoring him. As soon as it starts to wear off, he takes another."

"Why aren't you stopping him? Aren't you supposed to be his friends?" You looked at each one of them. Geto and Shoko refused eye contact while Satoru just sighed. 

"I'm not going to stop him," Satoru explained with an annoyed tone as if he knew what he was doing was wrong, "he's lost so many brothers at this point. I don't think he can mentally take much more. If this keeps him happy and here, I have to allow it."