Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
❀⋆˚｡ ╰┈➤ "So, this is where you've been hiding."
Chuuya's voice drifted through the air as he leaned against the tree trunk, flicking his lighter open with a small click. The faint scent of cigarettes clung to the breeze, just like it always did when he was around. "It's been too quiet lately—I thought you might've died or something."
You didn't look up from where you sat, your arms wrapped loosely around your knees, eyes focused on the falling blossoms. Chuuya took a drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling lazily into the air.
"Would you quit that?" you muttered, not in the mood for his usual antics.
He let out a chuckle, holding the box out towards you in mock generosity. "Want one?"
You swatted it away, annoyed. "You know I don't smoke, Cuckya."
"Worth a shot." He shrugged, flicking the ash from his cigarette with casual indifference. His eyes lingered on you for a moment longer than usual. "What's up with you lately? No schoolyard fights? No teachers to cuss out? Hell, you haven't even stolen anything from the store lately. Planning to become some model student or something?"
You frowned but said nothing, hoping the silence would make him lose interest and go away. Instead, he slid down the trunk beside you, the bark scraping softly against his uniform as he settled in.
"C'mon, I'm bored. What's gotten into you? Don't tell me this is about that scrawny student council guy," he teased, his tone carrying a hint of disbelief. "What's his name again? Rambo?"
"Ranpo," you corrected automatically, even though it annoyed you to admit he was right.
Chuuya's eyes widened in mock surprise. "So it is about him!" He laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You? The biggest badass in this whole school, going soft because of some student council nerd? What's next, you gonna join the chess club? Wear glasses?" He snickered, his tone half mocking, half incredulous. "I never thought I'd see the day. You hanging out with him must be freaking people out."
You clenched your jaw, resisting the urge to punch him in the arm—anything to ignore the way your stomach twisted at his words, "Shut up. It's not like that."
People were already scared of you, long before Ranpo entered the picture. Your reputation had been set in stone: the girl who got into fights, mouthed off to teachers, and never gave a damn about the rules. No one approached you unless they had something to prove, and even then, they kept their distance.
You weren't exactly close to the other delinquents either. Sure, they gave you nods of acknowledgment in the halls or showed up when fists needed to fly, but they weren't friends. There was no bond beyond the mutual understanding that came from living on the outskirts of normal life, where everyone else avoided you like the plague. They got it—what it was like to be feared, to be seen as trouble. But at the end of the day, you were just as alone as any other loner. And even loners get lonely.
"Not like I care," you muttered. "I avoid annoying people anyway. More trouble than it's worth."
"Uh-huh." Chuuya took another drag, exhaling with a smirk. "Sure, keep telling yourself that—but man! I gotta say, I'm surprised. Never thought I'd see the day when you'd let someone else keep you in line."
"I said shut up," you growled. "At least he cares if I get expelled. You just want something to laugh about."
Chuuya's smirk faltered, his face growing more serious. He flicked his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his heel. "For being as tough as you act, you're pretty naive."
You shot him a glare. "What the hell does that mean?"
He turned to you, the usual teasing glint in his eyes replaced by something harder. "Look, I don't know this guy, but don't fool yourself into thinking he's gonna stick around when things get real. People like him... they don't get it. They don't get us."
You stared at him, unsure of where this was coming from. Chuuya wasn't usually this serious. He usually laughed off everything. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying, don't expect him to be there when shit hits the fan," Chuuya muttered, his eyes darkening. "Guys like him... they're all about their image, their reputation. When things get messy, they won't dive in to pull you out. They'll just stand back and watch. That's just how it is."
His words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, the two of you just sat there, watching the cherry blossoms drift to the ground. A part of you wanted to argue, to tell the asshole he was wrong—but something in his expression told you that he believed what he was saying.
As much as you hated to admit it, Chuuya's words hit too close to home.
Ranpo didn't know what it was like to be constantly on guard, always ready to defend yourself from the world. He didn't understand the kind of desperation that made you throw fists just to survive another day, or the emptiness that settled in when everyone kept their distance because of your reputation. How could someone like him ever understand?
But still... Ranpo treated you like a person. He didn't flinch or avoid your gaze the way everyone else did. He didn't look at you with fear or judgment. He just... treated you normally. And that was something you hadn't realized you'd missed until then.
Chuuya stood up, brushing the dirt from his pants. "Look, I'm not trying to ruin your fun. Just... don't let your guard down, okay? Not with people like him—you can't expect too much from people who don't live in the same world as you."
He turned to leave, and you watched as his figure disappeared through the cherry blossoms, his words lingering long after he was gone. The red-head didn't give you much opportunity to say goodbye, but it wasn't like you really wanted to. He had, instead, given you a lot to think about.
You sighed, leaning your head back against the tree, and strangely, Ranpo's easy smile flashed through your mind. Had you truly considered, even for just a moment, that he was a friend?
The thought was so ridiculous; it was impossible for someone like you to ever achieve such a thing.
'When did I become so selfish?'
ORIGINAL PUBLICATION 11.10.2023 ❀
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
(a/n: ciao! for the longest time, this chapter has bothered me. at the time, i really hated how i wrote it. i have re-written most of this chapter now, and added more depth to y/n that flows much better with my original intended story. thank you all! grazie a tutti!)
