ᴍᴇɴʜᴇʀᴀ // ᴍᴀᴛꜱᴜɴᴏ ᴄʜɪꜰᴜʏᴜ

ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ

CHIFUYU ROPED A TAPE MEASURE around your waist. Mitsuya had requested that him to help measure your body shape to determine what size your Toman uniform should be.

It was after school and Peh-yan had came to find you (on Mitsuya's order) and Chifuyu joined since he was going to walk you home.

"So your waist is measured... Mitsuya-kun, where else should I measure?" Chifuyu turned to the guy. "Chest and hips. Those are important." Mitsuya was working on another thing, so he couldn't measure you himself, and thought Chifuyu should measure you in his place. "Chest and hips, huh..." He mumbled, before realizing that he just heard.

Shit, do I have to? He quietly asked to raised your arms a little, and you did. He stretched an arm under yours and his other arm under the other to take the tape. Quite nervously too ― You could tell that he was being really careful.

He had to get closer to you to reach for the tape and his sleeves brushed against your clothes―

Chifuyu's shoulders flinched lightly and eventually pulled the tape around your chest. He told the measurement for it and pulled the tape down to your hips. He did the same thing, and looked like he had just ran a marathon or something.

He stomped (not really) his way to Mitsuya and put the tape measure on the table. "You know, you could've ask Peh-yan-kun to measure her. Why me?" He slumped and whined. Mitsuya chuckled, stopping whatever he was sewing on. "Hey, be grateful. I'm helping a friend here."

"How is putting me is that position helping me?" His friend sweatdropped.

"Draken told me." Mitsuya grinned. "I told you guys it's not like that! I like her, but not like like her." Chifuyu sighed. Why are they like this, he thought. Did they really saw him as an awkward teen who has zero experience with romance? He bets that Mitsuya doesn't have any as well.

"Heh. That reason aside, [Last Name] trusts you. It's better to have someone she trusts than Peh-yan do it because she feels the most comfortable around you." Hearing that made him looked up at him (he laid his head on his arms and on the table) and took a glimpse at you. "[Last Name] hangs out and talks with you the most―" You found Chifuyu staring at you and waved Mr. Froppé's arm at him. "―Come on, don't tell me you don't see that she likes you more than any of us. Romantically or not."

The blond broke eye contact with you and gazed thoughtfully.

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you this, but when [Last Name]-san died in the first timeline, she was thinking of you in her last moments." Takemichi said. "She was all like, 'Chifuyu-san! Chifuyu-san, where art thou!?' and stuff!" He did an exaggerated impression of you but then stopped himself, like he realized something. "Wait, she didn't even call you with 'san' anymore. Huh, I guess you two got really close during that last 12 years."

Chifuyu hummed at the memory when his partner told him about your death in the first timeline you were in.

"Ah, Chifuyu! You know, when I went back, [Last Name]-san didn't die because of Mikey-kun. Probably because she wasn't a Toman member but anyway! She actually killed herself this time... I think Mikey-kun said it was because you died so that's why she hung herself." Takemichi sighed and leaned back in his seat. "That's really sad. I guess that means you were really important to her."

In the two timelines you were in with everyone else, you died while thinking of him. That thought alone made him feel mildly embarrassed, but also super happy. He enjoyed your company, your silly quirks and stories about your family. If Takemichi ever reach a timeline where everyone survives, he wants to...

Wait, wait, wait! What was I thinking!? He was just about to say―well, think―that he wanted to be by your side as many times as possible. Don't be stupid. He physically shook his head, causing Mitsuya from beside, who was peacefully sewing, to shoot him a questioning look. This isn't some romance manga. I mean, I do really like her presence, but to be with her whenever I can!? He internally argued with his wild thoughts before giving up with a sigh.

But, he really hoped that you felt the same way too. Though, he'll never admit it.

───────────────

You swung your legs back and forth on Chifuyu's bike, although you were careful to try not to kick it (the bike). "Are you... really going to fight him?" Chifuyu asked worriedly. He knew how much violence negatively affects you. He'd seen it himself. "You can still back down from it, you know. You don't have to fight him."

Your legs halt to a stop and continued to face the front. "I'm... tired of it." You spoke. Chifuyu took note of how you squeezed Mr. Froppé in your arms. "They always had an unreasonable reason to upset me. They would take stuff like my pencils or erasers so that I can't use them during an exam. They would pull my hair and my skirt down for everyone to see. They would dump dirty, contaminated water on me. They would write nasty words on my desk. Spread ugly rumours about me, write fake love letters and read them out loud, put ice cubes down my shirt, tear my homework apart― I just-..." Your voice slowed down in an attempt to calm yourself down before getting too emotional. "I just... don't wanna deal with it anymore."

Chifuyu didn't know what to say. Who would, after all that? He remained quiet, listening to you continue. "There were times where... I wanted to die. I wanted to die so badly that I almost jumped in front of train but... couldn't." The pressure you put on Mr. Froppé released and your body relaxed. "I just couldn't bring myself to."

You remembered how you stood with many others for the train to come. You remembered how all you were thinking was death and suicide, how this was it for you, that nothing will matter once you do it. You remembered falling forward... but down to your knees as the train flew by. All your urges of wanting to die was whisked away by the wind, recalling your only reason not to die. Your mom and your aunt.

Home was awful. School was awful. Streets in Shibuya had gangs loitering around and you did your best to avoid them but most of the time ended up home with bruises. Nowhere felt safe. You were in a constant state of alert. Any sudden sounds makes you jump, and you were always wary of everyone and everything. It was as if a time bomb was ticking down, but as soon as it reaches its last second, the timer restarts from the beginning.

Keep a straight face. You told yourself. Only let yourself suffer. You repeated. No one wants to know your problems. You breathed in slowly. No one would listen anyway. And out. Auntie doesn't need more unnecessary stress. You looked into the mirror with a poker face.

All the bad stuff will come to an end―

You left the bathroom, shutting the door behind you.

―if you make it look like it doesn't bother you.