rooftop | kazuhei | short story

yellow as day

...
sitting on the edge of the rooftop of a 5 storey school building was a man, so thin almost skin and bones are all you could notice. he was hugging his knees, staring at the horizon and admiring its beauty, at least that's what most people would think, to him it just sounds kind of ironic.

"be careful on that edge, one wrong move you might fall." a voice said, making the boy turn his head towards where. "that'll be the school's problem for not fixing this part of the place." he replied coldly as he took his attention back at the blows of the wind.

the unknown person chuckled at the response, he went towards the boy and extended his hand out. "you seem cool, i'm kaedehara kazuha." he finally introduced.

"shikanoin." the sitting man replied, eyes focused on the moving cars below the building. "what brings you here at 5pm kaedehara? shouldn't you be home by now? school ended and hour ago."

kaedehara sat beside shikanoin, his gaze fixated at the flowing auburn colored hair. "hmm.. let me think of a good reason.. maybe because it's what i always do! i've picked up this hobby from an old friend when we were in middle school." he shared positively.

"ok, didn't need to give me your life story." shikanoin replied, pissed off at his enthusiasm, how do other high schoolers get to live full of life.

the auburn haired finally took a turn and looked at the other. shikanoin could indeed say that this man was charming, his white hair with a streak of red standing out just matches with those crimson eyes.

"you seem like a new face, are you new around here?" shikanoin asked, but the other couldn't bring himself to speak as he stared in awe at the two deep olive pools.

"hello? are you there?" the auburn haired said, cutting kaedehara off his thoughts. "oh, sorry! could you repeat it please, i didn't quite catch it." kaedehara said with a sweat drop.

shikanoin let out a sigh of annoyance, he was too lazy to speak now as he was still busy breathing. "i said are you new around here? and why were you staring at me?"

kaedehara flushed from embarassment. "yeah i am new at this school and i sincerely apologize for staring at you, i just think your eyes are beautiful." he said.

beautiful? did someone just call shikanoin's eyes beautiful? that's honestly unbelievable coming from a man a million times more than that.

"thanks I guess.." the auburn haired said paying no mind to the compliment, it was probably a lie anyway.

"well topic switch, are you always up here admiring the the sight before you?" kaedehara asked, his eyes moving towards the clouds above.

"yeah.. i guess you could say that." shikanoin replied, his eyes falling down to the rooftop floor out of pity for himself.

the olive eyed male bit his lip, feeling his chest ache. "i have to go, it's getting late." he said standing up, walking away as fast as he could.

"oh, alright. let's meet here again tomorrow!" kaedehara yelled hoping the man heard from far away. what an odd guy shikanoin was.
...
as kaedehara stayed on the roof, listening to the wind's singing, the auburn walked slowly towards the restroom, his bag hanging on his shoulder.

he washed his hands then stared at himself in the mirror. if it were me i'd act like i just met the most handsome person the world, but it was the opposite for shikanoin.

he stared deeply into his own eyes, what's so beautiful about them? not a single spark, it's all dullness in it. words started to fill his head, words he got used to hearing ever since who knows. ugly, pathetic, deceitful, useless, coward-

shikanoin snapped out of his thoughts as he splashed his face with the cold water running down from the tap. he glanced at the mirror again, seeing just those words written. wait no snap out of it!

a fist came in touch with the mirror, but it didn't seem like strong punch. no shattered glass, no crimson blood, just a mirror and weak knuckles in contact with each other.

the auburn's face darkened as he snapped out of his thoughts. he picked up his bag then proceeded to walk outside the school premises, towards a house he doesn't call home.
...
#1 - 4:55 p.m. monday

when we first met I saw him on the rooftop. I didn't know he wanted to attempt, all I thought was that he liked to feel a calming breeze pass by him.