love beyond species《tsukkiyama》

09: 義務

義務: duty

"Oh no..." whispered Asahi, moving to comfort Yamaguchi, but was stopped by Daichi's outstretched arm.

"No," muttered Daichi," let him cry it all out. It's the best way."

Daichi and Asahi stood on either side of Yamaguchi, watching his tears fall freely now, his glazed eyes shining in the moonlight.

"Why? Why does this happen to me? All of these events are ruining my life! The love of my life is a... a monster! My life is spiraling downwards! No one is ever telling me anything anymore! I feel just... I don't think anything can ever make me happy again. I feel," he yelled into the night air. Yamaguchi pulled on his hair until a few strands fell out, unmoving, to the ground.

"I feel like my heart is broken," he whispered, his hands moving to clutch his heart.

Daichi and Asahi couldn't say anything to comfort Tadashi. They knew that nothing they could say would make him feel any better.

"Yamaguchi," whispered Daichi, kneeling down to Yamaguchi's curled-up figure," I'm very sorry, but I have to get to the point here. You've found someone who is a parasyte. We are going to have to... Exterminate him."

"Daichi! You didn't have to be so blunt!" seethed Asahi, punching Daichi in the shoulder lightly.

"W-why me?" whimpered Yamaguchi, trying to wipe the oncoming tears out of his eyes.

Daichi's eyes hardened as he stared into Yamaguchi's eyes.

"You are the only one who can get close enough to him without him suspecting anything," said Daichi," You signed up for this, Tadashi. You need to do this. It's your duty. You can't back out now."

"I- Are you sure no one else can do this for me?" Yamaguchi choked out, standing up, and wiping away the final tears on his face.

"I'm afraid so, there's no one else in our area but us," said Asahi, putting a kind hand on Tadashi's shoulder. Yamaguchi stared at the ground before taking a deep breath and looking up at the two third-years and nodding,

~

Tsukkishima walked back home. He stepped inside, the lights were all turned off, and no one was downstairs. His family must've slept already. He too rushed upstairs to his room and closed the door behind him, staring into his mirror. He touched his lips with his fingers, remembering Yamaguchi's lips that were once there, only moments ago. The feeling of Yamaguchi's soft lips lingered, causing Tsukkishima's lips to twitch, almost into a smile.

It was the first time in a long time that Tsukkishima felt... at peace. Yamaguchi's love comforted him, like a reassuring space in his heart. It was as if all of his troubles had been washed away. Tsukki himself couldn't even believe that he loved someone so much.

Kei grabbed his phone and opened his camera roll, scrolling through the many pictures he had. Most of them were edgy memes that he didn't really understand now, but there were a few of him and Yamaguchi. He picked one, it was the two of them eating lunch. Yamaguchi was sporting his usual smile and Tsukki in his usual scowl, glaring at the person taking the picture, while outstretching his hand to attempt to take the phone back. He stared at Yamaguchi's face, examining every square inch to the very last freckle. His beauty captivated Tsukki to no end.

An hour passed and Tsukkishima was still in the same position as before, staring at pictures of Yamaguchi. He already couldn't wait to see his smiling face again, the next day at school. With that, he crawled into bed.

It was the first night that Kei finally got a sound, dreamless sleep.

~

The next morning, Yamaguchi stared at the ceiling, tears silently forming in his eyes. He had woken up too early, unable to sleep after the night before. He had made a plan to kill Tsukkishima in his head, but even the slight thought of it brought him to tears.

"I can't believe I signed up for this..." muttered Yamaguchi, rubbing at his eyes that ached from crying all night.

"He said he loves me. Would he understand? No. He couldn't. Especially since he's not... himself..." he continued to himself, sitting upon his bed.

"But he said it. He said that he was in love with me. And he looked serious too," he said, getting up and sitting in front of his mirror. He stared at his bloodshot eyes and his tangled hair from tossing and turning at night. The past few days really did a number on him.

Tsukki's words replayed in his head over and over again.

'Yamaguchi Tadashi. I think I'm in love with you. Yamaguchi Tadashi. I think I'm in love with you. Yamaguchi Tadashi. I think I'm in love with you.'

Yamaguchi stood up and put on his school uniform, slowly buttoning up each button.

"I have to do this. It's my duty," he said, grabbing his bag and walking out the door, unable to look himself in the eye.

w: 841