Chapter 4: What Are Friends For?

[Loud The Insane]

Eijun found himself in a memory of the past. He saw himself back in his high school, he was in his room that at the moment he shares with Asada. He saw how his high school self was reading a shoujo manga, as usual, but he remembers this day clearly. All of a sudden, yelling could be heard. Asada looked at Eijun and he looked back at him with confusion, both got out of the room and saw Haruichi discussing with Satoru.

“oh no, Sa-chan and Harucchi are fighting”

“but, isn’t that normal in couples?”

“but they never fought like this… I wonder if something happened?” Eijun said. Almost everyone was watching the fight; Satoru most have said something stupid or bad to Haruichi because the next thing everyone who was watching knew, Haruichi slapped Satoru while walking away with tears on his eyes. Eijun told Asada to wait on their room while he went to investigate what happened.

“Sa-chan, are you ok?”

“I’m… fine…”

“are you sure? What happened!? Why did Harucchi slapped you?”

“…Ei-chan… can I talk to you… later?”

“oh… um… sure?” Eijun said. After Satoru walked away, he went to where Haruichi went and saw he was going to leave the dorms. He quickly yelled Haruichi’s name and his friend stopped walking, he saw how his friend wiped away his tears and sniffled when Eijun finally caught up to him.

“Eijun-kun…” Haruichi said his voice breaking.

“are you ok, Harucchi? What happened?”

“I’m fine… I’m fine… Satoru… Satoru is just a jerk” Haruichi said breaking in tears again. Eijun looked at his friend with worry and hugged him, Haruichi quietly sobbed in Eijun’s shoulder. Eijun patted Haruichi on the back; what in the world happened between those two? After Haruichi told him that he’ll just go for a walk, Eijun went back to his room and the rest of the day was slow and the atmosphere was tense. It was almost dark and Satoru came to Eijun’s room before dinner was ready, yet Haruichi hasn’t come back, Asada went out and let Satoru talk to Eijun.

“what’s wrong Sa-chan?”

“Eijun-kun… I… I made a mistake… I’m just… I’m just a f***ing idiot” Satoru said and for the first time Eijun saw Satoru cry. Eijun looked at his friend with worry, Satoru hugged Eijun and cried. Eijun returned the hugged and patted his back, he let Satoru cry and after he calmed down he told Eijun what happened. Satoru thought that after he told Eijun he would be mad at him, but he wasn’t. Eijun forgave what Satoru had done and even tried to cheer him up; after their talk, they went to dinner and everyone could see the tense atmosphere. Haruichi was sitting next to Eijun and Satoru… well, he decided to eat alone for the first time.

“come on… pick up already!”

“I really don’t think this is a good idea, Eijun”

“it needs to work, Kazuya”

Hello?

“Sa-chan!” Eijun said. He felt relieved that Satoru had answered him, for a moment there was silence, Eijun was hoping that Satoru didn’t cut the call like times before. Though Eijun had a feeling it wouldn’t end like that this time.

Yes?

“Sa-chan!! I’m glad you answered, how are you doing?”

I’m… I could’ve been better

“do you wanna… hang out?”

No… I’m fine…

“but… but it can be just you and me! And… and I’m not gonna talk about relationships if you want!!”

Look, Ei-chan… I know you called for me because you’re worried… I understand that, but you remind me of our high school lives and…

“Sa-chan…”

I’m sorry, Ei-chan

“no… it’s ok…”

Thanks for understanding

“Satoru-kun is that you?” a voice said. Satoru tensed up, why of all people did he had to see him right now after talking with Eijun? It’s probably because he still leaves in Tokyo with his grandpa, but he just didn’t want to leave Tokyo. Satoru had a lot of memories in here with friends and… well… there was that moment in his life in which he made a mistake and ruined his love life.

“Kominato-kun” Satoru said facing Haruichi. Haruichi looked surprised at Satoru, it was the first time he heard Satoru called him by his last name. Youichi didn’t know what to do in this kind of situation in which the person you are dating and you bump into your special one’s ex. Satoru looked at Youichi and for the first time in his entire life, Satoru understood the bitter words of ‘only know you love them when you let them go’.

“so… um… how are you?”

“good… I guess”

“I see…” Haruichi said. For him this situation was awkward, what will you say to your ex if you bumped into him and you’re already dating someone else? It’s not like Haruichi still loves him (he does, but only a little), so what should he say?

“have yo-“

“Sa-chan, over here!!” a voiced yelled. The three of them looked at the source of the voice and saw Eijun waving his arm with Kazuya walking by his side, Haruichi and Youichi looked at each other and then back at Eijun with shocked expressions.

“Ei-chan?”

“you got lost didn’t ya? Come on, the café is over there” Eijun said pointing to a café nearby. Satoru understood the indirect and mentally tanked his friend for rescuing him, though he has to wonder how in the world did he found him?

“Eijun-kun?”

“Harucchi! Youichi-senpai!” Eijun said surprised. Kazuya never expected Eijun to act surprised so realistic, if it wasn’t for the fact that Eijun had asked Satoru’s grandpa of his whereabouts and knew that Haruichi and Youichi are headed to a place nearby Satoru’s location because they told him, Kazuya would have thought Eijun was really surprised.

“Eijun-kun… can I… talk to you… for a moment?” Haruichi said. Eijun knew that one day Haruichi would discover he was still friends with Satoru, not that Eijun hide his friendship with him he just didn’t bring it up to Haruichi knowing he’ll be offended and hurt.

“sure! Kazuya, can you and Satoru wait for me in the café?”

“sure thing, bae”

“Youichi, can you go with them? I’ll get you when I’m done” Haruichi said. Youichi nodded and went with the other two to the café, Haruichi looked back at Eijun with a serious expression. Eijun prepared himself mentally for what Haruichi was gonna say.

“were you always on his side?”

“I was in neither”

“but… after what he’d done to me, you still are friends with him!?”

“Harucchi, I know what he did to you was wrong, but he’s still my friend”

“see you are no his side!!”

“Haruichi, at least you’re happy with someone else, he hasn’t since you dumped him and don’t you dare say he deserved it because you and I both know he has always been lonely until he met us… we were his only friends and you his first love… but like you said, because of his insecurities he messed up” Eijun said in the most serious tone he could do. Haruichi was surprised by this side of Eijun, he didn’t know his friend could have this kind of side. Haruichi stood in silence for a moment, before following Eijun to the café. Eijun and Haruichi sat on the booth were Youichi, Kazuya and Satoru were sitting.

“so… um… how are you guys today?” Kazuya said trying to cut the tension in the air. Eijun looked at him and put a hand on Kazuya’s shoulder while he looked at him with a confuse expression.

“Kazuya.don’t.” Eijun said. After an awkward silence of drinking coffee or Frappuccino or whatever they were drinking, Youichi and Haruichi said they were going to continue to walk to the place they wanted to go.

“Ei-chan…”

“yes?”

I forgive you and I hope you find the indicated person

“thanks”

“hey! What are friends for?” Eijun said. Satoru cried as he read the text he got from Haruichi over and over again, he felt more relieved now that he knew Haruichi didn’t hate him anymore. He may not know how long would it take for him to find his special one, but he was just glad he didn’t felt the burden he had since high school and all thanks to his best friend: Sawamura f***ing Eijun. Kazuya looked at Eijun with a proud smile, his boyfriend sure knows how to make people’s problems go away. Though the only thing he did was to give them a hand and the rest is up to them.

“well, see ya later Sa-chan!”

“yeah… see ya later, Ei-chan!” Satoru said with a smile. Eijun was glad he had helped a friend, after all, it has been such a long time since he saw Satoru smile like that. However, he wonders if Kazuya would do the same to him. Will Kazuya one day stop giving affection to him? Will he cheat on him? Will he just tell Eijun to break up for no apparent reason? Eijun shook his head, he needed to trust Kazuya. But can he really trust him?