Azusa

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Yuri p.o.v
"According to Masa-bro's explanation, I have something called meningitis." Explains Azusa calmly with a small smile while I'm standing next to him. We're currently outside due to Azusa wanted to take a breath of fresh air. I tilt my head a little to the right. "M-Mening-gi-gitis?" I manage to stutter out.
"Yeah. To put it simply, it's apparently an illness that makes the membrane around your brain become inflamed." That...sounds serious.
"Y-Your brain? Are you gonna be all r-right?" I ask, feeling a little worried. I hope it isn't something dangerous, than Tsubaki would feel even more guilty about it. Because I'm lost in thoughts, I almost miss Azusa's answer.
"Yeah. If I get treated, I'm told I can expect to suffer almost no after effects. They said I didn't have too much to worry about." A sigh of relief escapes my lips as I press my hand against my chest. "I-I'm glad."
"Well, in terms of work, the timing was bad though. But there's no point in fretting about, right?" He opens his eyes again. They are holding a thoughtful glance mixed with sadness. "Right now, the only thing I can do is to get well as quickly as possible."
"T-That's true, but don't push yourself too h-hard again." He chuckles and nods in agreement before switching to another topic. "By the way, how are things? I mean, back at home..." He trails off.
"T-The same as usual." The wind picks up after my answer, blowing our hair around and causing me to wince a little as my hair pricks me in my eye. A thought enters my mind all of the sudden.
"U-Um..." I start, not knowing how to begin. Azusa turns to me again. "What is it?" Feeling a bit nervous, I look down at my hands and start to fidget. "W-Well..."
"It's about Tsubaki, isn't it?" His question is answered as I nod, my head bobbing up and down. "Y-Yeah. I-I-It's r-really eating at h-him." My breath hitches as I stumble to explain the situation.
"H-H-He feel responsible for you e-ending up this way." He stays quiet for a moment and I glance through my eyelashes to eye his reaction. "I knew it..." He clenches his fists.
"H-He thinks he created the s-situation that caused you a-anxiety." I straighten my back so I can look him in the eyes (which also results in straining my neck). Azusa looks confused. "The situation?" I'm happy he doesn't mention my stutter that worsened.
"L-Like the lead role in the a-anime, for example. A-Also-" "Do you mind if I ask you something?" Interrupts Azusa all of the sudden and I focus on him in surprise. "H-Huh?"
"How do you feel about Tsubaki?" Wha? I give him a confused expression, but answer nonetheless. "I-I see him just as a b-br-brother." Who kissed me several times. Whispers my mind traitorously.
"What about as a man?" I choke on my spit at the blunt question and pink dusts my cheeks as I wave my hands around frantically as I'm trying to form an answer. "I-I've never thought of h-him that wa-way!" And take a deep breath before continuing. "Th-That's why I'm grateful that y-you stopped him before he could continue t-that time."
"You have it wrong?" My mind screeches to a halt. What?
"W-W-What?" Not for the first time in my life I hate my stutter. Please tell me I'm wrong about what I just heard. Please tell me I'm wrong. Please-
"I haven't done anything that's worthy of your gratitude. It's like Tsubaki said. I was butting in." He takes a slow breath as I'm trying to progress what he just said. How was I so stupid?
"You see, I love you. Not as an older brother, but as a man." He continues mercilessly before engulfing me in a hug. My hands are trapped between our bodies as he bends slightly towards me. Too close, too close, too close. I push my arms against his chest, hoping he isn't going to act like Tsubaki and just let's me go.
He looks a bit guilty as he let's go off me and turns away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it. It's not just Tsubaki. Several of my brothers also have feelings for you." Stop. "And the fact that you're troubled by it...I knew all that, and yet...." The air around us has become heavy and I can't help but have the feeling that it is about to suffocate me. I need to go. Luckily, he let's me and I run away, feeling tears of frustration building up in my eyes.

Third p.o.v
"Your room is as messy as ever. There isn't even any space to walk." Comments Natsume with a serious face as he inspects a book he picked up. "Hey now, don't clean up without my permission. I find this chaos soothing." Is heard from Tsubaki's bed and he clutches a huge cupcake pillow closer to him.
A sigh comes from Natsume as he kneels down to look around a bit more and switches to another topic, "Hey, aren't you going to visit?"
"No, I'm not." Surprise takes over as he looks over his shoulder to Tsubaki. "Huh? Why not?" The other one closes his eyes as he once again leans into the huge pillow. "You know, Natsume...I'm all screwed up right now." The bed dips as Natsume sits next to him.
"Hey, Tsubaki, What in the world happened between you guys?" Natsume narrows his eyes in suspicion as a lone thought he pushed into the back of his head reappears. "Nothing really-"
"Is it about him?" He guesses, and by the looks of Tsubaki, he guessed correct. "I don't mean to pry. But I'll tell you this much." Natsume continues, looking down at his feet. "It seemed to me like Azusa was more worried about you than about himself." Tsubaki's head snaps so quickly to Natsume, he's almost worried that he hurt himself.
"What?" With a shake of his head he stands up. How can he be so clueless sometimes?
"He asked me how you were and all kinds of things along those lines. It was like I'd gone there only to talk about you." He starts walking to the door. "Azusa's worried about me?"
"Well, I'm leaving." He opens the door, ready to walk out as Tsubaki's next comment stops him. "I'm the worst."
"Yeah, the worst." He glances over his shoulder, "But the issue here isn't so much about what you did before. It's about what you do going forward, right?" It's a rhetorical question, they both know it, and with that being said Natsume leaves him alone, a vague feeling tells him that it is going to be alright now.

Tsubaki (third) p.o.v
It is quiet as Natsume leaves his room, a heavy feeling of guilt is pushing against his chest. "What could there possibly be that I could do right now?" He mutters to himself, flinching a little as the loud ringing of his phone screeches through his room. He looks towards his nightstand, the word 'manager' is showing on his screen.
He should take it...right?

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