[AllTakemichi] Control

Chapter 74

The bright golden rays outside the window gradually grow dimmer. The cityscape is slowly enveloped by the hazy light of the evening sunset. Fluffy clouds and the sunlight paint long streaks of orange across the sky, making it look radiant and almost magical. The cool breeze drifting through the window blends with the melody of Izana's favorite song, suddenly stirring something inside him.

Izana looks out at the sunset beyond the window. He doesn't even know how long it has been since he last sits alone and watches an evening sky like this. He doesn't have much free time, and he isn't particularly fond of sunsets either. As beautiful as they are, sunsets carry a sadness of endings and farewells. They make people feel lonely and lost beneath this vast sky. For Izana, they also bring back the feeling of being abandoned, and he has never liked that feeling.

Ah, actually, he has seen a beautiful sunset recently.

Back then, the sky looked as if it was burning behind that person's back.

That person is radiant and shining that day, blending perfectly with the orange hues of the sky. That light makes it impossible for him to look away. It feels as though it spreads through the air, reaches him, touches something deep inside him, and pierces straight into his heart.

It's just that everything around him is bathed in warm colors that day, except for one thing.

Before those eyes close, he sees the blue in them weighed down by a sadness, a loneliness that seems endless. And for a brief moment, there is a yearning in them—something he cannot understand.

He looks like...

"He looks like he wants to disappear from this world."

The words slip from Izana's lips as he whispers them to himself.

The emotions from that evening suddenly return to Izana, accompanied by an inexplicable sense of fear and unease.

The ringing of his phone pulls Izana back to reality. He glances at the caller's name, a little surprised, then pauses the song and answers.

"Takemichi."

"Izana-kun, I'm calling to let you know that the party is this Sunday at the Shiba family's house, okay? I'll text you the address. I don't have Mochi, Shion, or Mucho's numbers, so can you call them first and then send their numbers to me?"

Takemichi's bright, chirpy voice rings through the phone like a little singing bird, bringing a gentle smile to Izana's face. Izana walks toward the balcony, gazing out at the city as its lights gradually begin to come on.

"Yeah, sure. I'll text them to you later. Though, I thought we'd be having it at your place."

"I'd love that too, but my house doesn't have a yard, so Taiju lets me borrow theirs for the party."

"Hmm. The Shiba family really is loaded, huh?"

"Loaded doesn't even begin to cover it. Their house even has a swimming pool."

The two of them then move on to another topic.

"Izana-kun, what are you doing right now?"

"Just listening to music and watching the sunset. Nothing special."

"Oh."

Izana can practically imagine the amazed look on Takemichi's face on the other end of the line.

"What did you think I was doing for you to go 'oh' like that?"

"Hehe, I don't know, but I didn't think it'd be something so romantic."

Romantic?

Izana doesn't think of himself as a romantic person.

"Hmm? Then you'll be surprised to know that I can play acoustic guitar."