Shades Of Pearl (GenMui) - Book 2

16

Tanjiro stood in front of the mirror, his phone in his palms as he conversed with a friend. While Muichiro might've had Shinobu to vent to, Tanjiro happened to have Inosuke. Even if Inosuke wasn't always the promising option.

Inosuke: So you haven't told him yet?

Tanjiro: No.
Tanjiro: The funeral is today. I don't want him to be even more sad.

Inosuke: BROOO
Inosuke: Yer getting cucked, dawg 😂.

Tanjiro: Mm.

Inosuke: Personally, I could never let shit like that happen to me.

Tanjiro: Yeah, you have a lot of self-respect, Inosuke.
Tanjiro: I really do aspire to be you.

Inosuke: Aww, thanks 🥲.
Inosuke: Still a cuck, tho 😂🤣🫵.

Tanjiro: I know.

Inosuke: You have to beat Genya up.
Inosuke: Show him who's boss.

Alright, that's it. Enough violent advice from Inosuke.

Tanjiro rolled his eyes, shutting off his phone the second Inosuke's last text came through. He wasn't laying hands on anybody. That wasn't justice.

Perhaps it was all fate; getting cheated on right after buying the ring, that is. Tanjiro stood on those morals after all. It's best to endure pain and tragedy so that you can learn to overcome it in the future. He liked telling himself that. It made him feel better in situations where grief was really the only other answer.

As Tanjiro left the bathroom, he stumbled upon Muichiro. The smaller one appeared to be in such a haste, struggling to get past his lover the second he bumped into him.

"Are you okay?" Tanjiro asked with genuine concern.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm trying," Muichiro breathed, pushing past him to enter the bathroom.

Muichiro started getting ready, his shuffling easily perceivable from inside. Every sound he made came out just so frantic. It made Tanjiro anxious. The funeral was definitely taking a toll on Muichiro and would only proceed to make him feel worse and worse about himself. Tanjiro disliked the thought of that.

When the time came that they were fully ready, Tanjiro started up his car and drove off. Every lingering thought of Muichiro's father weighed heavily on them both. It was definitely going to be a depressing evening, but Muichiro was willing to face it and express how he felt about his father.

As Tanjiro pulled to a stop, the two sat in the car in silence. The venue was a church in the middle of nowhere, illustrating the silence Muichiro wished for his father's demise. Muichiro could see people walking up to the front gates as the funeral began. He smiled as a familiar purple-haired woman approached the gate with balanced steps. However, it wouldn't take long for his smile to diminish upon realizing his brother wasn't present. That boy had abandoned him the day their father died. It was heartbreaking, to say the least.

"I'm ready when you are," Tanjiro suddenly said, looking over at Muichiro with a gentle smile. He took his hand, kissing it briefly to soothe the smaller one's rampant feelings.

With a sigh, Muichiro unlocked the passenger seat door. He had to get this over with.

"I'm ready,"

Only a few days had passed since the funeral. Enough days for Tanjiro to be fully prepared to break the bad news to Muichiro. However, he planned on doing that after the walk Genya and him were meant to share. The two were going to the local park, more specifically, Michin Park, where Muichiro and Genya had first hung out. It served as a stark reminder of how Muichiro ran out on him that day he failed to make a promise.

"Ugh, I messed up," Genya groaned, running a hand down his face as he recalled the events.

Immediately, he picked up his phone, his fingers trembling as he pondered on what action to take next. He could always call Muichiro up, apologize, and restart things back to how they were. Yet, it wasn't even the right time to do so. He had other priorities, and just the thought of that upset him.

Eventually, Genya would exit the hotel and begin his trot toward the local park. The birds sang to him, a symphony of history and truths. Genya feared he had neither. Maybe that's why Muichiro stormed out on him.

Shrugging off those thoughts, he approached the vast field of grass. It wasn't too far from his hotel, but just far enough for a good walk. That is where they'd chosen to hang out that day. It wasn't too luxurious or cacophonious like the other hangouts, but it was definitely a setting worthy enough to garner a genuine conversation from two mature men.

"Hey, Genya!" A familiar sounding voice yelled out from afar.

Genya promptly pivoted to face where the voice had come from. As Tanjiro came into view, his lips curled into a sincere smile. To see somebody so interested in encountering him relieved him. He wasn't entirely hated, after all.

"Hey," he said, bringing Tanjiro into a gentle embrace.

The second they parted, they began to walk. Their conversation consisted of the old jibber jabber. The usual. It was pretty much everything Genya had been talking about with everyone ever since. It was the same routine every single time. However, Genya still somewhat experienced a comforting sensation whenever he was catching up with someone. Even if it was all the same.

That was until Tanjiro revealed something shocking.

"I'm actually planning to propose to my lover, Genya,"

Of course, the smaller one had already attempted that before. We all know how that ended. However, there was a reason he still decided to show up to the park.

He wanted to test Genya.

Although he was certain that Muichiro was definitely guilty, how could he be so sure that Genya knew about their relationship all along? That was exactly what he wanted to confirm. He wanted to feel like there was still someone he could trust.

"Oh wow," Genya sang, both of his eyebrows arching upward. "That's big, Tanjiro. When are you planning to propose?"

"By the end of this week, I'm thinking," Tanjiro said. "Do you think he'll accept?"

Genya tilted his head in thought.

"Depends," He said with a shrug. "Tell me the circumstances,"

That was it. Those were the words that could reveal everything. Tanjiro would be able to test Genya's loyalty.

"Well, I've actually started dating Muichiro again," He admitted, a gentle smile finding his lips. "We've been dating for a year now, and I really think it's the right time,"

For a second, only just a second, Genya's expression had completely changed. He was dumbfounded.

"Pardon?"

"Muichiro," Tanjiro clarified, now all of a sudden, feeling uneasy. "I'm planning to propose to Muichiro,"

Genya paused, his eyes blank as he stared straight ahead, hands in his pockets. For a moment, he wouldn't even begin to blink. He walked so aimlessly, as if he wasn't even aware of where he was going.

"Oh," he managed to say beneath all of the tension.

He nervously bit his bottom lip, no longer able to face Tanjiro. A feeling of anxiousness washed over him as he came to realize all he had done with the other ones' lover. It almost hurt for him to think about. He found himself at a loss for words, unable to speak any further.

"As I expected," Tanjiro mumbled to himself, his head hanging low.

The rest of the hangout would be awkward for them both.