Rumours ~ Ruikasa

Welcome to the band, Rui!☆

Ugh, where is that guy?

Tsukasa had looked EVERYWHERE around school for the purple-haired alchemist.

     What could I have possibly left out?!

Tsukasa groaned loudly, attracting the attention of several people in the courtyard.

Augh, now they're looking at me like I'm a weirdo...

Then, a thought popped into his head.

Weirdos... Of course! The rooftop! Only weirdos and couples go there!

Tsukasa ran into the school and rushed up to the roof. He looked around frantically before he heard someone calling his name.

"Hey, Tenma!" Rui called from behind Tsukasa.

Tsukasa flinched as some of the couples' heads whipped around to look at the two. Some whispers went around the rooftop.

"Hey, hey, SHHH," Tsukasa hissed. "I don't want people seeing me with you! Especially not on the rooftop! I don't want people thinking that I'm a weirdo nor that I'm dating you! Do you have any idea what that could do to my reputation?!"

Rui laughed. "All right," He said with a grin. "I have been waiting for your arrival, though. I've been watching you~"

"What?!" Tsukasa cried, his body temperature rising suddenly.

Was it a mistake to think that Rui could've been normal?!

"Calm down!" Rui said with a small bit of laughter in his voice. "I had a drone tailing you. It was quite amusing watching you search everywhere for me."

Tsukasa relaxed himself and looked around, finally spotting the drone. Rui took the drone out of the air between his hands.

"Woah," Tsukasa marveled over the drone, inspecting it more closely. "This thing's got everything!" Tsukasa looked at Rui, wide-eyed. "Did you build this?!"

"I did," Rui nodded. "I've got some better ones, though."

"Hmmm... These could be useful in our shows..." Tsukasa rubbed his chin, still inspecting the drone. "Well, as long as the rumours aren't true."

Rui frowned. "Of course they aren't," He said, sounding a little injured. "I'd hoped you invited me to the band because you didn't believe them."

Ah. Did I say the wrong thing...?

"Wait, no, it's just, after seeing you performing in front of those children..." Tsukasa's voice softened. "I guess I thought I should reconsider the way I think about you. You looked so happy and so did the children."

Rui smiled. "I like singing to the children. They're not aware of those rumours..." He said. "I guess it's the fact that they treat me like I'm actually human, and not avoiding me about some rumour that appeared out of nowhere. Or, better put, misunderstanding. From many years ago..."

Tsukasa felt a pang of guilt.

It's true that everyone's being really unfair to Kamishiro...

"Well, in our band, you WILL be accepted! Guaranteed!" Tsukasa clapped Rui on the shoulder, startling him. "Let's make the crowd smile together!"

"Sure," Rui said. "As long as I can bring someone else with me."

"Oh, of course!" Tsukasa grinned. "The more, the merrier, right?!"

Tsukasa held out his hand, waiting for Rui to shake it. Instead, Rui just tilted his head.

"...What are you doing?" He asked.

Tsukasa's jaw dropped and he stared at Rui wide-eyed.

HUUUUUH!!?!!? HOW CAN HE NOT KNOW WHAT A HANDSHAKE IS?!!?!!? I MEAN—

"Kidding!" Rui said.

"Seriously?! Agh, forget it," Tsukasa said with a sheepish laugh before rearranging his face into a wide, star-like grin. "I'm sure it'll be great working with you, Rui."

Rui's heart nearly jumped out of his chest as he processed that Tsukasa had called him by his first name.

"Likewise," Rui smiled, taking Tsukasa's hand and shaking it. "Tsukasa-kun."

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Yeah, this chapter is on the shorter side, but I have no ideas for what to do after it since this is around the moment where the original story comes in...

HEY AT LEAST IM TRYING 😔😔😔😔

Word count: 632