「 ⩩ 𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 Vienna, amidst the bullying at school, crosses paths with a charmingly mysterious thug who swiftly becomes her protector. They both become each other's comfort despite being polar opposites, discovering in each other the hope a...
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⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ˳༄꠶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
↳ currently playing ;; [Astronomy] - [Conan Gray]
Some things needed to be let go, even if it meant leaving behind parts of yourself you're not quite ready to part with.
Ni-ki had always been a fighter, fiercely protective of those he cared about. Yet, lately, he'd come to realize that clinging too tightly was hurting both parties—sometimes it was best to sacrifice yourself.
As he carefully arranged Vienna's books on the shelves in her small, cluttered room, he couldn't help but feel the weight of his own thoughts and emotions. The room was quiet except for the occasional rustle of paper and the soft thud of books being set into place.
Ni-ki glanced around the room, taking in the personal touches that made it uniquely Vienna's: the photos of friends and family, the handwritten notes pinned to the walls, the soft glow of the lamp casting a warm light over everything. In this space, where Vienna's life and dreams were so vividly displayed, Ni-ki found a certain solace.
He calmed himself by saying it was all for her sake.
As Ni-ki's phone buzzed with a call from Asahi, inviting him to hang out, he hesitated at first. The prospect of a casual outing seemed tempting, but he eventually decided to have Asahi come over to his place instead.
Upon arriving home, Ni-ki found Asahi leaning against the shutter door, a green foxtail hanging nonchalantly from his mouth. Ni-ki pushed open the door and stepped inside, with Asahi following, the door clattering shut behind them.
Asahi's eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight of Ni-ki's home. "Hey, this place looks a lot tidier than I remember," he commented, raising an eyebrow. Despite the lingering humidity, the room now exuded an air of newfound order and cleanliness.
Ni-ki simply shrugged, a faint, sad smile playing on his lips, as he motioned for Asahi to follow him inside.
Ni-ki replied with a calm, even tone, "The house was a mess yesterday."
"Who made it messy? That little girl who used to hide behind you?"
A self-mocking smile tugged at Ni-ki's lips as he responded, "I dumped her long time ago."
"Oh?" Asahi's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Why's that?"
"She was just too noisy and irritating," Ni-ki said, his tone detached but tinged with an underlying bitterness.
"Oh," Asahi replied with a knowing nod. Despite his understanding, he couldn't help but be surprised that Ni-ki had tolerated her for so long. Growing up with Ni-ki, Asahi had never seen him show any real interest in a woman.
Ni-ki had always turned away the advances of those who tried to get close, leaving his striking looks largely underappreciated.
He flopped down onto Ni-ki's bed, stretching his limbs in a relaxed manner. Ni-ki shot him a glance, about to remind Asahi to get off the bed, but then recalled that this had become Asahi's usual behavior whenever he visited.
"Riki," Asahi began, his voice carrying a hint of casual curiosity, "Haruto mentioned he's heading to Osaka to carve out his own path. But honestly, what's there in Osaka that's worth exploring?"
Ni-ki retrieved two bottles of beer from the fridge, effortlessly popping the caps off against the edge of the table. He handed one bottle to Asahi, who took a hearty swig and continued the conversation with a sigh.
"So, what about you?" Asahi asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Are you planning to stay in Kyoto, or are you going somewhere else?"
"I'm leaving," Ni-ki replied simply.
"Leaving? Where to?"
Ni-ki paused, his gaze distant, before answering quietly, "Tokyo."
Asahi raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Tokyo, huh? Sounds pretty high-class."
Ni-ki took a long gulp of his beer, choosing to ignore Asahi's sarcasm.
Asahi's tone shifted as he continued, a hint of melancholy creeping into his voice. "It's strange, isn't it? All of you are moving on, and I'm the only one left behind in Kyoto. I always thought we'd be like brothers, sticking together no matter what. I never imagined we'd all go our separate ways once we grew up. The lady at the welfare center used to say things would get better when we grew up – but what's so fucking good about growing up?"
Ni-ki nodded, his expression contemplative. "Yeah, what's fucking good about growing up?"
As Ni-ki spoke, his words seemed to resonate deeply with Asahi, who quickly shifted his stance. "It's alright," Asahi said with renewed encouragement. "Go on, explore the world out there. Don't forget me when you make it big."
"Sure," Ni-ki responded, his voice steady. "If I do leave in the end."
He felt like a tree, deeply rooted in his past and surroundings, even though he longed to soar. His branches reached out, but the roots held him firm, binding him to a place he couldn't easily leave behind.
"The teacher called," Ni-ki said, giving Asahi a gentle nudge. With a grunt, Asahi lazily shifted to one side of the bed, making room for Ni-ki.
Ni-ki flopped onto the bed, propping his arm under his head as a makeshift pillow. "Why bother with that certificate?" he asked. "What's so special about it?"
Asahi rolled his eyes and grinned. "Our graduation certificate is more than just a piece of paper. It proves we've mastered a specialized skill. These days, many university grads don't hold a candle to us skilled workers."
"Seriously?" Ni-ki scoffed. "You actually buy into that?"
"It's the truth! I even landed a job. My plan is to save up and start my own company in a few years. Unlike you, I don't have a wealthy aunt and uncle who got my back despite ignoring my existence."
Ni-ki let out a low chuckle as didn't reply to Asahi's comment immediately.
Annoyed with himself for speaking out of turn, Asahi tried to shift the conversation. "By the way, have you heard about the Raincoat Man? Apparently, the criminal might be around our age."
"Why do you think that?"
"When I went to pick up my graduation certificate with a few friends yesterday, there were some shady guys in the teacher's office. They were watching us like hawks the moment we walked in. They had that look, you know? I bet they're undercover cops." Asahi scoffed. "The form teacher's playing dirty, too—he had all the troublemakers come in together to pick up their certificates. It's like he's treating us all as suspects."
Ni-ki didn't respond to Asahi's rant. The breeze from the electric fan blew a few strands of his hair into his face, and he shook his head in irritation.
Undeterred by Ni-ki's silence, Asahi pressed on. "Hey, don't forget to pick up your graduation certificate."
"I know," Ni-ki replied curtly, still lost in thought.
