Bittersweet ||Chifuyu x Reader||

Thirteen || Coffee Stains

-Art by tomotiii_to on Twitter-

I knelt down in front of the large door, panting heavily. After catching my breath, I stood up straight. Even after being here once before, I still struggled to find Chifuyu's home.

But I was there now, standing in front of the building. My heart raced as fast as the thoughts which piled on top of one another.

My hands hovered over the apartment's buzzer as I hesitated to press the button to his floor. Why was I so nervous? I swallowed hard and looked around the empty street as if it would help me to find an excuse to not push that button, because in those moments it felt like not ringing his bell was the one thing I wanted to do most in my life. To show up at somebody's house unexpected after refusing to look or speak to them for an entire week, it was a terrible idea. I even punched the guy. Guilt welled up inside me as I rethought every decision which had led me to this point.

But I knew it had to be done. For Takemichi's sake. He was going to extreme lengths just to save Toman so the least I could do was comply to his pleads and see Chifuyu. Or, then again, maybe I was just using Takemichi as an excuse because this might have been what I really wanted to do.

The more I thought about it the more I grew reluctant. And then, in one, quick move, I pushed the buzzer to the boy's floor. It ringed just like it did the first time I was there. Except only this time, a woman's voice came through the intercome, "Hello?"

Oh god. It was Chifuyu's mother. I was so focused on pressing the damn button that I hadn't even considered this outcome. My palms got all sweaty as I awkwardly stared at the metal plate mounted on the wall. "Sorry for disturbing you this late, but I'm a friend of Chifuyu's- I need to see him." The only thing that made me blurt those words out was the agonising emotions clutching my sore chest.

I didn't even notice what I said, and certainly didn't realise I referred to myself as Chifuyu's friend for the first time until the woman over the line told me she was unlocking the door.

The big door clicked immediately and I went in, speed walking down the hallway of the apartment so I could scurry up the stairs. My footsteps echoed through the hall.

I made it up to Chifuyu's floor in no time and saw his mother standing by the open door; she was in an apron and had her blonde hair tied in a loose ponytail. She was as thin as her son and resembled him quite a lot, the only difference being the glint in her eyes was much more fierce and made her seem very strict at first sight. I wouldn't be suprised if she was a delinquent herself which caused Chifuyu to want to follow that lifestyle.

"Chi didn't tell me anybody was coming over," She said as she held the door for me to enter. Despite the strict aura, she was suprisingly welcoming.

I took off my boots while averting her gaze. "He's not expecting me. Again, sorry for intruding, especially this late at night-"

She casually waved me off before walking down the hallway of the warm home. "Don't even worry about it, it's to do with your gang, right? So go on up, Chi will be in his room."

"Yeah, something like that..." I muttered. She must have assumed I was just here to discuss usual delinquent discussions. I was still in the Toman uniform, after all, and she probably recognised it since she most likely sees Chifuyu wearing the same one all the time.

The woman disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me at the foot of the stairs. I sucked in a deep breath before making my way up the steps carefully.

I found myself in front of his bedroom in mere seconds. My eyes lingered on the coffee stains on the closed door which were just as prominant as the first time I was there. I gripped the handle and almost went in before pausing and reconsidering my actions. Instead, I knocked first.