Clandestine

We're different

Yokohama had been draped in a thick blanket of dark clouds, rain had cascaded from them as if a great dragon had been crying, in every direction you looked, even as the sea at the port intertwined with the sky, it appeared as though the rain was never going to cease.

People bustled about with their equally as dark umbrellas, and some ran from store to store in order to make their trips without getting drenched.

Save for idiots.

Two boys? Or men? It was hard to tell. Realistically speaking no one would expect two grown men to be running down the city streets in the rain. But their faces were sharp enough, and laughs deep enough to take the profile of young men.

They were chasing each other, it almost looked like a robbery or an assault was taking place right in front of everyday civilians but their laughs said otherwise. The taller one of the two grabbed hold of a nearby lampost and swung himself in the opposite direction, tripping over his own feet and stumbling messily forward to contue his sprint, water splashing from the dull pavement. He glanced backwards at the shorter boy who was gaining on him.

"If you go into the park! I swear to god Dazai!"

"Whatcha gonna do about it Slug!? Having trouble catching up?!"

So, naturally, they ended up in the park around trees, slipping on the questionably textured pathways and almost kissing the floor until finally they came to a very much unplanned stop. Dazai tripped over a forgotten tennis racket and as expected planted himself straight onto the wet floor.

Chuuya hadn't managed to get himself to come to a stop in time and bumped his knees straight into Dazai's back, sending the taller's upper body forwards and consequently catapulted Chuuya forwards too "wait! Wait! Wai-" he cried before landing on all fours onto the grass.

When he opened his eyes again, he tunred his head to the side and found Dazai staring at him owlishly, Chuuya grinned "hi," he greeted.

"Hello," Dazai replied with a smile.

Chuuya got up first then held out his hand for Dazai to grab. They stood up, drenched and now muddy and neither of them could even bring themselves to complain, their hands didn't disconnect even once they started walking back to Chuuya's dorm to get their luggage.

"I love the rain," Dazai breathed, his hair was drenched and stuck to his face, he carded his free hand through it, Chuuya had to take a moment tk look away.

"I don't," he replied "feels all gross once you're done playing. I feel gross now."

"But it was fun.'

"It was but I wouldn't have done it, if you hadn't started randomly running off."

'Catch me!' He had shouted as he ran out of the store.

Chuuya raised their intertwined hands "seems I've caught you though," Dazai offered him a smile and they walked in silence.

No one looked pleased when they walked through the door, though there was a hint of amusement in the air too. No one really expects two ninteen year olds to splash about in the rain.

Kunikida crossed his arms, looking deeply troubled, "So we're here planning and packing and getting ready and you two ran off in the rain and got all...."

"Dirty?" Dazai asked with a waggle of his eyebrows.

In response Chuuya elbowed him in the ribs and Dazai flashed him a toothy smile "just helping him out," in all honesty Chuuya was going to bite back a retort but stopped when he admired Dazai's smile; he had to clear his throat and look back towards their friends because of how aggressively his heart was beating with affection.