My only cure {Soukoku}

Chapter 7

"Chuuya!"

"Hmm? Wah!" Chuuya is an inch away to be knocked down by a pole.

"You don't look well. What's wrong?" I'm worried. He seems a bit off today.

We're on our way to the grocery store to buy some ingredients. I can see my a spider web in my fridge. Not like spiders can live in that cold weather. Can they?

"Are you sure, Dazai?" Chuuya suddenly groans.

"Sure what?" I softly ask.

"Me, living with you. Don't you think I'm a stranger?"

"Not at all."

Chuuya nods. He looks sad and I'm not sure what to do. What is he thinking? Maybe he thought that his presence in my house is unwelcomed. Chuuya opens his mouth to speak. The sentence that escaped his lips is confusing me.

"Do you remember me? Ah, of course not. It's not the real you." He mumbles at the last part. I heard it all. I once told you that I'm good at it, remember?

"What do you mean by not the real me?"

Chuuya jumps. "Huh? No, nothing. Oh isn't that the grocery store?!" He runs and hits a tall man. Well, he is just too short so that certain man would look so tall.

That man, I know him. That white hair, wearing traditional clothes. Obviously, that's him, Fukuzawa-san.

"I-I'm so sorry! Mister!" Chuuya looks up with a guilty face.

Fukuzawa stands there, staring at Chuuya. Chuuya freezes, his face looks like he is about to cry. I let out a laugh and quickly stand up straight when Fukuzawa turns his head on me. Fukuzawa is my big boss. I'm sure don't want to pisses him off.

"You seem lost." Fukuzawa says, slightly bending his knees to look at Chuuya's face better. He sneaks one of his hand in his kimono's sleeve and hands Chuuya a rainbow lollipop. I wheeze and cough after that. The older man asks Chuuya. "Don't you like candy, little one?"

With that, I tear up because of my laughter. Chuuya's face turns bright red. His cheeks are plump. His eyebrow creases. That cute pouty face I loved so much. He's an angel. I wonder, which sky did he come, from the seventh skies?

"Don't be shy, I'll give it to you." Fukuzawa put the lollipop on Chuuya's open palm and walk to Brownie. Wait, Brownie? This brown cat, it's from Kyouyo's cafe. It looks frightened though.

Oh, I just realize about a little orange cat hanging on Fukuzawa's shoulder. That cat too, Orangette. I'm surprised that I can recognize them.

Chuuya who stomps his feet after shoving the rainbow lollipop into his blue jacket, shouts. "Eh?! Is that...???" He breathes longer at the last alphabet trying to remember something that apparently... "Brownie and Orangette." I told him.

"Brownie and Orangette!" He enthusiastically repeats. His blue orbs are sparkling, meaning that he is very excited. Chuuya is still a kid that needs Ribena after lunch and warm milk before a bedtime story. Typical enough.

Orangette jumps from Fukuzawa's shoulder to Chuuya's head. That shoulder is the perfect spot to land on Chuuya's head since both have the same height. Literally.

I lift Brownie in my arms. He seems to be startled. So, I stroke his fuzzy neck to calm him down. He did. That's when I realize Orangette and Chuuya both staring at me with their blue big eyes.

"What?" I growl.

And both look away.

"We need to bring these guys to Kyouyo. She must have been worried." I say while patting Brownie's brown fur. Both Chuuya and Orangette nod. I swear I saw Orangette did that. Her head was shaking up and down. It just had been implied. Or it is just me? Duh, I'm still sane.

————

When we arrive, Kyouyo welcomes us. "Oh, Dazai-kun and Chuuya-chan." Kyouyo was shocked when she saw these cats. Chuuya flinches.

"Your cats." I said, handing Brownie to her. Brownie jumps back on my head and lands on Chuuya's arm. (Orangette hisses while its claws are visible in his paw.) Shocked Chuuya makes that innocent face with blue twinkling big eyes. Pretty boy.

"We will be going now, Kyouyo-san." I bow while eyeing the short ginger who can't stop gazing at the sweets in the room. He bows fast almost in a rush after realizing a pair of brown eye squinting at him. Kyouyo packs us some sweet dumplings (She always does this. Just like a mother.) and I know Chuuya was so grateful. Our walk back to home was filled with Chuuya grinning at the small package.

~

"I'm home."

"Welcome back— ah, I mean... I'm home too." Chuuya blurt out, blushing. I got a hard yank from the small boy when I accidentally chuckle. Almost accidentally.

Chuya looks uneasy because he is pacing and rummaging the fridge. I touch his shoulder and he turn at me. "No food! We can't have dinner ready at time."

I sigh. Why do I care about that? I used to be fasting for a month. (Lacking the urge to go out and buy some food. Luckily Odasaku bought me some or I might be dead by then.)

"I'll have you as my dinner then~" I grin at Chuuya. His eye widen and then he tilts his head to the right, questioning my sentence. He doesn't really understand. I give him a "never mind" smile making Chuuya glare at me more.

Instagram:nyartz_