The Moon's Redamancy In Fall [Tsukishima x Yamaguchi]

eleven.

Yamaguchi

As I walked closer to the kitchen, the more nostalgic I felt as I picked up the aroma of Mrs. Tsukishima's cooking. Tsukki's mother, Kaori-san, lead me to the dining room where Tsukki, Akiteru-san and a tall man with blonde locks that looked a lot similar to Tsukki sitting by the dining table.

The old man's features were essentially akin to Tsukki, he just looked a lot older with the wrinkles by the corner of his eyes, the subtle lines on his forehead and had a short growth of beard. I fundamentally assumed that it's Tsukki's father.

I never met him ever since Tsukki and I were friends. I've never seen him in this household, but just about now. Tsukki never spoke about his father, ever. And by I mean, never, I mean never ever. He doesn't like it when it's brought up to topic or when you ask him about his dad. He would completely terminate the topic. Even for Kaori-san, his mom, she wouldn't talk about her husband even for once.

I was mentally shocked that he and Tsukki looked so similar than his brother, Akiteru-san. Tsukki had his light, blonde hair, his hazel brown eyes and the palest complexion among the Tsukishima family.

"This must be your friend?" Tsukki's dad glaced at me and then back to Tsukki who sat quietly still, just beside him by the dining table.

I bowed my head slightly for my greetings, "Good evening, Mr. Tsukishima. The name's Yamaguchi Tadashi, Sir," I politely responded.

Tsukki's dad bow his head in a sly manner and gave me a controlled smile, "Please, Akihiro is fine," He said, his voice timid.

Well, he sounded scary than his looks.

Akihiro-san pointed with his open palms towards the vacant chair beside Tsukki's seat, "Please, have a seat," He insisted, "We were just waiting for you,"

I politely complied, striding by the carpeted floor, as I take the seat just beside Tsukki's chair. Tsukki didn't move an inch. I couldn't even tell if he was breathing. He was quiet, staring down at the plates in front of us.

Akiteru-san gave me a warm, welcoming smile, "It's indeed been so long, Tadashi!" He gave my shoulder a light pat.

I happily obliged, smiling, "Sure is," I tell Akiteru-san.

Kaori-san stood by the entrance of the dining room, "I'll just place this in a vase," She said, holding the bouquet of flowers I gave her.

Akihiro-san cleared his throat, making me glance back at him, "Kaori, dear, don't be rude to Tadashi," He said in the sweetest tone possible but it still felt cold and by then the air kind of shifted into a different aura. It felt oddly heavy.

"Just place it somewhere. You can fix that later, okay? Let's eat dinner before we all starve to death," Akihiro-san forced a chuckle, before gritting his teeth together into a controlled smile.

I pursed my lips together as I shift on my seat uncomfortably. Kaori-san didn't say another word, but immediately placed the bouquet of flowers by a small coffee table near the dining entrance as she sat next to Akihiro-san and Akiteru-san. An eerie silence crept around us. Damn, I couldn't even tell if anyone of us wanted to speak.

"Thanks for the food," We all say our greetings, clasping our hands together before we grabbed our own servings of food.

The room was silent, the only sound we could hear was the slight clanking of the bowls and utensils as we eat. Tsukki ate the smallest portion on his bowl of Soba, it almost felt like he wanted to throw up there and then. What could've happened?

Akihiro-san cleared his raspy throat, again, "So, Tadashi, right?" He started, almost shaking the quiet walls of the house, "I heard you're the childhood friend of my son, Kei,"

"Precisely, Akihiro-san,"

"I'm sure we haven't met yet, until tonight," He said, as I could feel Tsukki's body tensed uncomfortably, "I am Kei and Akiteru's father, Kaori's my wife," Tsukki placed his hand under the table just above his lap, rubbing it, anxiously.

"I came from Osaka and I've only went here in Miyagi for the past two months," Akihiro-san placed his chopsticks down before intertwining his fingers together as he explained, "I figured I'd stay here with my loving wife for the kids,"

Akihiro-san gave a sly smile towards Kaori-san, my peripheral vision saw Tsukki's hand, closed in a tight clutch, his knuckles turning white. I have a bad feeling about this. Akiteru-san lets out an uneasy smile, stretching out his arm and placing it on the small of their mother's back for a light pat.

"We are very much happy that you're here," Kaori-san managed to say, almost like a whisper. Her shoulder hunched, but kept a small smile on her face.

Tsukki's upper eyelids raised in a stare towards Akihiro-san and to his mom, his jaw clenched and eyebrows pulled down together, his breath growing rigid. He was already losing composure. I suddenly had the urge to place my hand down on his arm.

Tsukki flinched a little by the contact of my palm on his arm, but he did not made a fuss about it, instead his tensed body relaxed a tidbit under my touch. I traced his skin with small circles using my thumb for comfort. Tsukki sighed.

The entire dinner somehow just went with the flow, it was strangely disturbing but at the same time, Kaori-san seemed to conceal the growing tension between Tsukki and Akihiro-san. Tsukki did not say another word ever since we came, which pretty much adds to the latent hostility of the room.

After another twenty minutes, we all cleaned our plates; except for Tsukki's. His food was unfinished, it almost looked like it was untouched.

"I'm going to bed," Tsukki deadpanned, scuffling on his seat. He spoke in a gruff, monotone way. Kaori-san wanted to say something but Akihiro-san stood up before Tsukki could.

Akihiro-san strode towards the pantry, reaching for something -- a bottle of Japanese saké?

"Kei, party's not over," Akihiro-san chuckled, placing four empty whiskey glass on the table.

Tsukki closed his eyes before giving Akihiro-san a squint-eye, his eyebrows cocked like a blade, tumbling flame seemed to rush through his eyes, desiring to incinerate his own father without leaving any residue.