Secret Message - SemiShira

40

The mixture of frustration, anger, and helplessness built up within him.

Third Person Pov

Shirabu approached the band room, one earbud plugged in as he listened to music. As he reached the door, he noticed Navi closing it and turned his attention towards her.

Navi's gaze met Shirabu's and she greeted him, "Oh, Shirabu?"

Shirabu nodded in acknowledgement as he removed the headphones from his ear.

"Are you here to see Semi?" Navi inquired.

"Yeah, you too?" Shirabu replied, his curiosity piqued.

"Semi's not here today. He went to a family event outside Miyagi," Navi explained, offering a friendly smile. "He asked me to grab something from the music room."

Shirabu felt a twinge of surprise at the news. Semi hadn't mentioned anything about the event being outside Miyagi. He wondered why Semi had told Navi but not him.

"Oh, he didn't mention that part to me," Shirabu commented, shrugging slightly.

"Yeah, he doesn't really like talking about his family I guess" she replied, her smile dropping

"May I ask why?" Shirabu asked

Navi's expression turned slightly serious. "I can't say much, but his parents are quite strict. He comes from a very prominent family that owns multiple businesses. There are a lot of expectations placed on him, especially as he's the only son of the eldest male in the family."

Shirabu absorbed the information, gaining a deeper understanding of Semi's background. The realization struck him that he knew very little about Semi beyond superficial details like his favourite song, cafe, or colour.

"I suppose that's why I've never met his parents," Shirabu mused.

Navi nodded, her expression sympathetic. "Listen, Shirabu, Semi wants to tell his parents about you, but they have strong opinions when it comes to relationships like yours."

Shirabu understood the implications. He and Semi were both male, and such relationships could be challenging for many parents to accept. The situation was undoubtedly more complex for Semi, given the weight of expectations on him.

"Thanks, Navi," Shirabu said with a small smile, appreciating her honesty.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. Of course, only if you're comfortable with it," Navi offered with a chuckle

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," Shirabu replied, a hint of gratitude in his voice

"I've got class soon, so I should be heading out," Navi mentioned, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Same here, see you around?" Shirabu asked.

"Definitely, see you around," Navi said before walking away.

As Navi's figure disappeared, Shirabu mulled over their conversation. Semi's strict parents and the challenges they posed. He couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy for Semi, realizing how difficult his situation must be

He wished he could do something to alleviate the stress for Semi, but he knew that their relationship would make things more complicated

Shirabu decided to head to his class because Semi wasn't present for him to waste time with. He was early, which was not that rare for him, but he figured he couldn't do anything else

As he entered the classroom, his gaze landed on Akaashi, who was already seated. Shirabu felt relieved that he wouldn't be the only one in class early. Although, even if he were alone, he'd probably spend his time reading or dozing off.

"Hey," Shirabu greeted as he took the seat beside Akaashi.

Akaashi glanced up from his iPad, offering a nod. "Hey, what's up?"

Leaning his arms on the desk, Shirabu rested his head on them. "I was looking for Semi. Found out he's not in today," he sighed in disappointment.

Akaashi raised an eyebrow. "Why do you seem so disappointed? Wasn't he at your place yesterday?"

Shirabu shifted his gaze to Akaashi. "Yeah, I mean, it's not that I'm upset he's not here. It's just that he didn't tell me, but he told Navi."

"He didn't mention anything about it to you?" Akaashi inquired, placing his digital pen down.

"He did mention he had something to do yesterday, but he didn't tell me it was out of town," Shirabu explained.

"Is he hiding something from you?" Akaashi questioned.

Shirabu sighed. "I'm not sure. He's been acting a bit strange lately. Like, he stayed over at my place, which is fine, and he mentioned he was having problems at home. I can understand that too. But he's been ignoring his parents' calls and hasn't given me a proper explanation for all of this." He ran a hand over his face. "Am I being too nosy?"

Akaashi shook his head. "I don't know much about Semi, but he strikes me as the type to try to handle things on his own without involving others. I don't think it's wrong for you to be concerned. Honestly, if my boyfriend were acting oddly, I'd probably assume something was off as well," he offered.

Shirabu averted his gaze, contemplating Akaashi's words. "So, should I talk to him about it? Or wait for him to bring it up?"

"Maybe give him some time to bring it up himself. If he's bottling things up, he might have a lot going on," Akaashi suggested. "But if he doesn't bring it up and continues to act strange, then maybe you could gently question it."

"Mmm," Shirabu replied, mulling over the advice.

Akaashi placed his hand on Shirabu's shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze. "Don't overthink it."

"Yeah, thanks, Keiji," Shirabu mumbled, trying not to think about the issue any longer

905 Words