Urasaka Oneshots and Short Stories

Bleeding Sakuras and Emerald Stars - 1 (A)

So, thanks to the idea for the 'star tear disease' being spread on Twitter not long ago, and thanks to some ideas from a very lovely married couple who spammed me with ideas for it, I decided...why not make an angsty short story? It was supposed to be a oneshot, but it would be too long, so I'm going to split it into 2-3 parts. We'll see what it ends up being. I'll do requests right after I finish this angst ww

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By now, Urata had lost count of how long he had known his best friend for. At least over a decade by now. They were part of a successful group. They made music together, streamed together frequently. Laughed together. Drank together; as they were at this present point in time with their other close friends.

He lost track of how long it had been since he had fallen for his laugh. His smile. The way his ruby hair fell in front of his face whenever he was teased, and he angrily huffed and attempted to throw retorts back...only to break out into laughter afterward as if the teasing didn't happen in the first place. His voice.

"Uwa, Ura, you stopped drinking. Are you alright?" Sakata turned his gaze from where it had been on the other 2 members, to where Urata sat and tilted his head to the side in confusion.

Shit, he was catching on. "I'm fine. Was thinking of that embarrassing thing you did earlier~ What was it again?" Urata hummed softly, trying to divert attention away from his loss of focus back to the youngest.

"No!! Don't remind me, I'm embarrassed..." The redhead fake cried out, trying to hide his face away in shame with his arms.

Chuckling softly to himself, the eldest lifted his glass of alcohol with his hand for a drink. After taking a sip, and removing his lips from the cup, he widened his eyes in shock at what he was met with. Floating atop his alcohol, as if it were only natural was a single, lonely sakura petal. But, where could that have come from? And why...why did his throat all of a sudden start burning?

"Chubby cheeks~" The sound of Shima's voice broke his concentration, forcing him to turn his gaze towards his friends. The second eldest was currently pulling at the youngest's cheek, a wide grin on his face in an effort to continue the teasing trend. "You don't look very fat. Does all the fat store here in your cheeks instead of your stomach?"

"Maashi! Stop it! I'm not fat, my cheeks are just...naturally like this!" Sakata tried his best to come up with an excuse. He wasn't fat, was he? Oh no, was it the sweets? Trying to force the other away, he recklessly swatted his hands at the one that was yanking at his face, gaining a chorus of laughter from both Shima and Senra.

Urata normally would have joined in on this, but for some reason unknown to himself, he was unable to. Instead, it felt as if his heart physically hurt...and without his permission! And once more, his throat began to burn, this time an added tingling sensation was added to the mix, and it felt as if he were going to vomit. Instead, he held out his hand, resisting the urge to puke to instead cough, but what he coughed out was once more a thing he had not expected.

A pair of sakura petals this time. Stained in blood. His own. And the feeling simply refused to go away; it only increased. Quickly standing up out of his seat, the brunet started to make a mad dash for the bathroom. "I'll be back." Somehow in this mess, he found it in him to throw a quick farewell over his shoulder, though it was soft and his voice cracked. It was faint, but the blond sitting beside him caught it.

"Ura! Is everything alright?" Sakata worriedly called out.

"Did you drink too much? Want one of us to bring you some water?" Shima chipped in as well, ready to jump at a moment's notice. But the other was already too far away to hear either of their comments.

"I'm going to check on him. You both stay here." Senra stood from his seat, flashing the other 2 a comforting smile before jogging slowly to catch up with the other. He didn't want the others to worry and make a scene, but something about how Urata acted left a cause for worry.

Luckily he hadn't made one last glance behind, or he would have noticed yet another unsettling thing that would have caused him to freeze in his path, distracting him from what he was meant to be doing.

"Urata!" The blond called out, his voice echoing through the empty bathroom. He darted his head back and forth, trying his best to take note of which stall could have possibly hid the smaller man he was searching for.

"Go back to the others...I'm fine." Despite trying to sound cool and composed like the leader he was, through his words, coughs burst through his throat and lips, scattering more flower petals across the dirty floor he was crouching on.

"I won't fall for your lies. I'm not Sakata. I at least have more than one brain cell." Senra chuckled, taking a few steps closer to the sound of the elder's voice.

At the sound of the redheads name, as if just the mention of his name had as much impact as a gunshot, the shooting pain in his body increased, and something larger tried its absolute best to climb out of his throat. "What.." Cough. "The fuck..." Cough. "Is this?" Cough. He couldn't stop, which only made the other panic further, practically bursting down the door with his foot.

"What the hell-" Senra himself was astonished, and stunned at what he came upon. The whole floor around the tiny space of the bathroom stall was littered in sakura petals. No other flowers, which was odd. What stood out even more, was the fact that most of them were stained red. "Urata what happened-Wait, Urata breathe!" Noticing the other struggling, he knelt to his knees and placed a comforting hand to his back and started to gently rub circles with his palm.

With this added support, Urata tried his utmost best to regain control of his breathing, and with one, strong, powerful heaving cough, he sent flying a...full sakura blossom from his mouth? And just like the rest, this one was painted with red.

Blood. His own blood.

"Urata, when did this start?" Senra questioned, allowing the elder to lean back and rest his body against his chest. He needed it right now; he must have been exhausted.

"Just now? No...perhaps even before. I think my jealousy is starting to take control of me." Urata sighed, staring down towards his hand, clenching and unclenching it into a fist. "I even overreacted when you said his name."

"His...you mean, Sakata?" The younger furrowed his brows in questioning, trying to fully wrap his head around this situation so he could possibly figure out what everything meant.

"Yes. The idiot. And when I saw Maashi get close to him...touch him, I got upset. To the point I coughed up flowers. Isn't that pathetic?" The brunet chuckled weakly.

"No." Senra shook his head. "I understand completely. Maashi is very...touchy. I don't appreciate it either." He felt his own cheeks brighten up at his words. No! That wasn't what he was meaning to say! "Hanahaki."

"Eh?"

"Hanahaki disease. A disease that sprouts from unrequited love, where you cough up flowers. Worse case scenario, you could die. And the only way to cure it, is to have that love returned...or somehow forget those feelings."

Urata felt his body freeze up at those very words. Forget? He didn't want to..nor did he want to die...fuck it! Disease or not, he would fight to his very last breath to survive this. There was no way he could confess his feelings. Not when...His mind flicked back to a recent memory; perhaps the one that had spiked this situation.

~~~~

'Hey, Ura? What is the best way to confess your feelings...'

'Do I look like I've had relationships recently?' Sigh. 'Why, you like someone? An idiot like you? Aren't you a little old for a school girl crush?' If he only could have changed his words.

'Don't mock me! I'm just not used to feeling like this...and I'm worried they won't feel the same.'

If only he could have asked one simple question. Maybe then, things could have gone different?

'I...I'm sure whoever it is, will love you very much Sakata. Stop worrying. Now, hurry up. We're going to be late.'

'Right. Thank you for listening Ura!'

If only he turned around as he left the room. He could have noticed the start of the suffering that was not just his own.

~~~~

"I'm not confessing." Urata replied with a straight face.

"Then...you'll forget?" Senra felt both confusion and concern well up in his chest. What was going on inside his head? He knew the other made brash decisions but this was a little much.

"I won't do that either." The brunet shook his head, deeply sighing.

"Then-"

"I'll wait it out. See how things go. Maybe this will just be a one time thing and it will all be over with tomorrow?" He shrugged, attempting to stand up. Keyword was attempting, for he immediately fell back into Senra's arms once more.

"I forget you're an idiot too..." He sighed, raising one finger up in front of the elders face. "One week. If nothing gets better, and things continue to get worse, we do things my way. I don't want to hear any excuses. Got it?"

"Yes mother." Urata chuckled softly, sending the younger an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"Don't be. What are friends for? You'll probably need my help getting out too. I parked my car out front. Let me drive you home. Give me your arm and lean your body weight on me." Senra placed Urata's arm around his waist, secured his own around the smaller's side and refused to move from where he stood until he felt an increase of weight against his side.

"You're really annoying." Urata tried to laugh out through another fit of coughs.

"The same could be said about you~ But that's why we all get along so well. Normal is overrated anyway." Senra smiled softly and led the way out of the bathroom.

"Oh! There you guys are!" Shima called out, waving from where the two still sat, conversing seemingly still. "Will he be alright Senra? Would you like me to help you take him back, or-?"

Giggling at his group mate, as well as partner's raise in pitch as he saw the well being of their leader, Senra planted a soothing kiss to the purple haired man's cheek. "I got this. You walk Sakata home. We'll talk...later." His eyes flicked between the currently frail brunet and the redhead that was clenching his fists under the table he sat at, his head turned away, refusing to make eye contact. The blond softly sighed. "Sakatan, I'll see you later."

Without a verbal response, the youngest nodded his head in understanding.

That was...odd, but Senra couldn't handle 2 idiots at once. Shima would have to at least figure out what was now going on with Sakata.

This was all just a giant mess. With that, Senra escorted Urata from the bar they were drinking at without another word.

~~~~

As the other 2 left, Sakata dug his nails further into his palms to the point that blood began to draw from his wounds. Why was he doing this? Was he just jealous watching Senra help Urata out, when it could have...should have been himself who was by his side, just like every other time in the past?

No. While that did play a part to his confused emotions, that was not why in this very moment. Right now, he was scared.

Afraid.

It was no secret that he was, in fact, a crybaby. It wouldn't take very much to get him emotional. A sad movie. Good news. Bad news. Even if he was just gifted with something as simple as a treat. He would probably cry over that due to the fact that someone felt kind enough to take the time to give him something.

Yet, these tears that suddenly welled up in his eyes came from none of these things. They first threatened to fall, or so he assumed the moment Senra stood up, taking the place he had wanted in helping Urata. They returned just as the 2 showed up once more, without a single explanation as to what had happened. Of course, they surely had reasons...but did his body, did his emotions accept that answer?

No, and that was where these tears came into play.

Once Senra and Urata finally disappeared from sight, Sakata felt the floodgates flow free, releasing his tears. Instead of just normal tears, these differed in 2 ways.

They were shaped like tiny, sparkling emerald stars. And they were accompanied by a tiny twinkling noise. Soft, and solemn like a music box.

"Sakata, are you-" Shima started, questioning his friend while slowly turning to face him. As he did so, it took everything he had to keep himself from falling forward in shock and awe. The scene laid out before him was both beautiful, yet highly disturbing. "What the hell-"

Turning his head to the side to meet his friend's gaze, he stared back, momentarily confused. Normally he would have been met with the bright splash of vibrant, purple hair at first sight, but instead, it seemed...dull in his eyes. Shaking his head from side to side, he blinked quickly, closed his eyes, and braced himself for what he may be met with when he reopened them.

Reopening his eyes, Sakata felt a new form of panic wash over him. "No...No this can't be...B-but. I-Everything was fine just a few minutes ago!" He screamed, desperately clenching at the sides of his head, gripping tightly to his hair now.

What he was met with, was the exact same thing. And when he darted his head from side to side to take in the sight of the other patrons, he noticed the same thing. It was as if he just suddenly lost the ability to see color. Was it just him? Perhaps, by some stroke of luck, his friend was experiencing the same, and he wasn't alone? "Maashi!" He desperately called out.

"Yes!" The other answered back, extremely worried and concerned over his friend's actions. This wasn't natural...was something happening? Was there something he could do to help? It physically hurt him to just stand there as both of his friends went through some crazy random experiences at similar times.

This couldn't have been coincidental.

"Please, tell me what color your hair is!" Sakata practically yelled at the top of his lungs, alarming every other person nearby.

"Eh? My hair? Sakatan, people are staring...could we take this outside?" Shima nervously answered, trying to gesture to everyone around that everything was fine, and to continue on with their business.

"Maashi, please! I need to know if I'm losing my mind or not." Attempting to lighten up the mood, the redhead lifted his head from the floor where his gaze had drifted to, and begged the other with a soft smile; emerald stars still falling from his eyes. "I'll stop bothering you after that..."

The mix of the tears, the sound they created as they fell, and the whole mood surrounding his friend really sent the elder over the edge. "I really don't understand what is happening, but this all feels unreal! I'm weak to your tears!" He whined and pulled out his phone, took a selfie and turned it around to show it to the other. "It looks the same as usual. But why...?"

Sighing softly, Sakata drooped his head low again. "Maashi, I think, I'm colorblind. I don't understand what's going on." He sniffed, allowing more tears to fall from his eyes. If only these were normal tears. A good cry usually made him feel better if he was sad but this...this was not. If anything, it made him feel worse.

"Hold on! I think I've read this before..." Pulling up the internet, Shima popped in a few keywords and waited until it gave him what he was looking for. "Star tear...disease?"

"Never heard of it." The redhead shook his head.

"It says here, that it is like the rare hanahaki disease with unrequited love...but instead of the whole 'flowers and death' thing, this has colored star tears that make a specific noise when you shed them..I guess yours is a very sad music box type? Color blindness that is probably due to the colored tears...and in worse cases memory loss. Oh."

"Oh." Sakata agreed at the last part, feeling shivers go up and down his spine.

"Sakata...I'm going to ask you a serious question, and I need you to answer me seriously. Do you like Urata?" Shima questioned.

"....Yes." Sakata answered, pulling at the edges of his shirt nervously.

"And does he know about this? Has anything big happened lately that could have sparked your unrequited love to spiral into drastic circumstances?"

"I-no...and I can think of something...But I can't confess!" His voice rose an octave higher once more in desperation. "He said before that he wished me luck with my crush...he thought it was someone else. I'm already doomed..."

"Did you ever confess outright?" Shima raised an eyebrow towards the other, who immediately shrunk back in his seat.

"...No..."

"You both are a pain." The elder sighed and scratched the back of his head. "If you won't confess now, I can't force you...but please think about it more? I care about your health. I worry about you. Senra does too."

"Uwaa, Maashi's being mushy~" Sakata grinned, grinning widely as if he wasn't sadly not even 10 seconds ago. Reaching his arms out, he dove right into the others chest for a big hug, squeezing him tightly. "Thank you Shima..." He mumbled softly.

"Oi! Seriously, think about what I said. Don't ignore me. Now, come on. I promised to walk you home since somebody took the car!" Shima playfully whined and gently pulled the other with him.

He really hoped this situation wouldn't escalate further. For both of their sakes. He wanted his friends to be happy.