champagnekiss

Hari kelulusan tiba dan Diluc pun datang tanpa pasangan khusus untuk menemani hari kelulusannya. Tapi itu bukan merupakan hal yang buruk bukan?

Buktinya dia masih bercanda tawa ria, befoto dengan kedua orang tuanya yang sangat bangga, lalu juga dengan teman-temannya yah yang walau ricuh namun tetap dapat membangkitkan semangatnya.

Diluc hanya tersenyum kecil melihat teman-temannya yang berbutan siapa bisa foto duluan dengan dirinya setelah foto grup, padahal kalau menunggu saja semua pasti kebagian kok, baru saja Diluc mau menengahi dirinya dipanggil ayah dan ibunya untuk berbicara.

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“Aku mau foto sendiri sama Kak Diluc”

Ucap Lumine yang langsung disauti Ajax dengan sedikit nada tidak terima

“Ih ngapainnnn, nanti foto sama aku ajalah??!”

“Memangnya kamu udah lulus?”

Sahut Lumine lagi yang membuat Ajax menyerah, dia selamanya tidak akan bisa menang dari pacarnya.

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“Tahun depan lulus bareng yuk”

Ucap Kaeya merangkul Jean, yang dirangkul pun tersenyum sambil memegang tangan kekasihnya.

“Iya, ayo berjuang bersama Kaeya”

Adem ayem banget apalagi kalo dibandingin sama tuh pasangan yang tadi. Padahal kelakuan Kaeya dan Ajax dibidang keusilan sebelas duabelas, tetapi cara membina rumah tangganya beda kali ya? Bisa jadi, atau lebih ke Kaeya yang berubah menjadi orang yang penuh kasih sayang hanya ketika bersama Jean? Hm, misteri yang lebih susah ditebak dari bagaimana 1001 candi di bangun semalam.

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“Kak Kaeya, Kak Diluc ada dimana? Aku mau foto bareng sebelum cabut pergi sama Ajax”

Tanya Lumine kepada Kaeya yang masih saja merangkul Jean tanpa ada keinginan untuk melepaskannya sama sekali.

“Itu disana sama bokap nyokap gue- , lho kok hilang?”

Kaeya menunjuk ke tempat Ayah dan Ibu nya berdiri, namun nihil Diluc tidak ada disana. Kaeya bisa bersumpah terakhir kali Diluc ada disana kok... Kalau Diluc tidak ada disana, kemana dia?

“Lah iya hilang, lho Yoimiya juga kemana...”

Lumine juga sekarang kebingungan mencari sahabatnya yang berambut pirang itu.

Ayaka tentu lagi bersama Thoma, menunggu dirinya dan Ajax untuk double date.

Lalu disana ada kakaknya dengan Keqing, tidak tahu deh kali ini pdkt nya berhasil tidak ya?

Mona? Mona bersama Scara dan Kazuha pergi menghampiri Tomo yang lulus juga hari ini didampingi Ei.

Amber pergi bersosialisasi dengan kakak tingkat yang lulus lainnya. Lalu, Yoimiya dan Diluc ini ada dimana???

“Just between us, did the love affair maim you, too?”

-

“Baji kemana? Perasaan baru kemarin aja dikenalin, gonta-ganti orang mulu lo.”

Tanya Wakasa yang sedang menyalakan batang rokok untuk ketiga kalinya malam itu, sambil melirik Shinichiro yang tahu-tahu saja sudah membawa orang baru di atas pangkuannya.

“Ya gak kemana-mana, memang banyak yang harus dikenalin.”

Wakasa hanya menghela nafas kasar. Seiring bertambah umur, semakin banyak tabiat buruk yang diambil Shinichiro. Namun, memangnya dia bisa berkomentar apa?

Toh, dia pun sama saja. Bahkan, yang mengajarkan Shinichiro kan dirinya sendiri. Shinichiro hanya terkekeh melihat reaksi Wakasa, tidak tahu menahu bahwa Keisuke sudah mengetahui semuanya.

“Kei, kakak datang nih!”

Teriak Shinichiro saat menyelundup masuk ke apartemen Keisuke, namun tidak ada jawaban dari juniornya yang lebih muda 10 tahun darinya itu.

“Keisuke?”

Lirih Shinichiro pelan ketika mendapati pemuda yang dicarinya duduk diam dengan mata sembab saat pertama memasuki kamar.

“Kamu kenapa, sayang—“

“Kak Shin, yang dipangku kakak tadi siapa? Dia cantik, bisa kenalin ke aku?”

Shinichiro yang terpotong perkataannya langsung terdiam. Wajahnya tetap tenang, namun sebenarnya kepanikan sudah mengujuri tubuhnya dan ia langsung mencari 1001 alasan untuk mengelabui Keisuke.

Tapi pada tahap ini, apa alasan yang bisa dia keluarkan? Bukannya sudah terlalu jelas? Namun yang namanya Shinichiro Sano, pantang menyerah adalah kualitas terbaik dari dirinya.

“Itu cuma teman kakak. Kalau Keisuke gak suka, kakak gak bakal mangku-mangku yang lain lagi, janji deh?”

Lagi-lagi mengucapkan kata janji semudah itu. Apa kata ‘janji’ sama sekali tidak ada maknanya untuk Shinichiro? Keisuke marah, ingin rasanya dia memukul Shinichiro sampai hidungnya berdarah dan bergigi retak.

Tapi, pada dasarnya Keisuke tahu dirinya adalah si bodoh yang telah jatuh terlalu dalam ke perangkap cinta dan Shinichiro Sano pun selamat lagi. Mau sampai kapan, Keisuke? Sampai kapan kamu begini terus?

“Maybe if we were closer in age, we would’ve worked this out.”

Ucap Shinichiro satu bulan kemudian. Keisuke masih mengingat betul perkataan Shinichiro yang membuatnya ingin mati pada saat itu juga.

Namun, segalanya bukankah omong kosong Shinichiro saja? Buktinya, Shinichiro datang ke pesta ini, dengan gandengan baru yang jika dilihat dari penampilannya, mungkin seumuran Keisuke.

‘Keparat’

batin Keisuke tiada henti menghujam Shinichiro dengan caci makian sedari Shinichiro datang.

Apa yang sebenarnya kurang dari dirinya, apa yang sebenarnya dicari Shinichiro? Apa yang diinginkan Shinichiro dari dirinya? Kekasih yang manis? Manja? Perhatian?

Apa Keisuke sama sekali tidak masuk ke dalam kriteria yang dicari Shinichiro? Apa karena itu sebabnya Shinichiro dengan mudah menggantikan dirinya?

“Stop melihat Shinichiro dengan tatapan itu, Baji. Memang dia tidak pernah menyukaimu dari awal.”

Ucapan Wakasa yang tiba-tiba muncul disampingnya memutus semua rentetan pikiran Keisuke. Oh, jadi memang Shinichiro bersamanya hanya untuk mempermainkan dirinya?

Baru saja Keisuke akan tenggelam dalam rentetan pikiran lain, Wakasa membuka mulutnya lagi.

“Ah, gue salah bicara. Bukannya tidak pernah, dia benar-benar suka sama lo, tapi intensitas perasaan kalian tidak imbang”

Keisuke tidak tahu ingin merespon apa, jadi dia hanya diam menunggu Wakasa lanjut berbicara,

“Memang sudah dari awal kalian akan berakhir seperti itu, lo tunggu tanggal mainnya aja. Sebentar lagi sama yang onoh juga selesai.”

Tunjuk Wakasa kepada orang yang berada di rangkulan Shinichiro sekarang. Shinichiro Sano brengsek, memang paling brengsek dari definisi orang brengsek yang ada di dunia ini.

“Lo gak ada salah. Jadi gausah dipikirin, Baji.”

Ucap Wakasa untuk terakhir kali lalu mengacak pelan rambut Keisuke sebelum pergi meninggalkannya sendirian di sofa.

‘Oh, jadi seperti itu’

Keisuke tersenyum miris, memang dari awal artinya Shinichiro sudah tahu. Ini bukan tentang umur, bukan tentang dirinya, hanya saja kemauan Shinichiro Sano dari awal sudah seperti itu dan tidak ada hal yang dapat dilakukan Keisuke Baji untuk merubahnya.

In the end, Keisuke is the only one to remember them all too well, isn’t that right, Shinichiro?

“You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath”

Shinichiro adalah ciuman pertama, pacar pertama, dan ‘malam pertamanya’ Keisuke. Shinichiro serba segala yang pertama untuk Keisuke.

Memori malam itu masih lekat di ingatannya. Keisuke ingat dirinya yang memasuki kediaman Shinichiro di musim gugur itu, syal merahnya yang digantungkan di tangga dan Shinichiro yang mencumbunya dengan lembut di atas ranjang.

Shinichiro sangat perhatian dan atentif dengan sentuhannya, menempelkan bibirnya di sekujur tubuhnya, membuat Keisuke merasakan sensasi yang tidak pernah dia rasakan sebelumnya.

Keisuke tidak pernah dalam seumur hidupnya merasakan intimasi seperti ini, dan dia lega yang menuntunnya di momen saat ini adalah Shinichiro, saat-saat di mana tidak ada yang perlu tahu kecuali mereka, dan hal yang berarti hanya keberadaan mereka berdua saja.

Yang lain menjadi tidak berarti, seperti keberadaan mereka bahkan tidak pernah ada. Di momen itulah Keisuke mengikrarkan sumpah untuk tetap berada dalam genggaman Shinichiro Sano seperti ini selama-lamanya.

Mungkin Keisuke tidak bisa mengenalkan Shinichiro kepada teman-temannya, tapi hei, setidaknya Shinichiro bisa mengenalkan dirinya kepada teman-temannya, bukan?

Keisuke yang berada di pangkuan Shinichiro sepanjang 'reuni' kecil Shinichiro dengan para anggota inti Black Dragons. Keisuke mungkin ada di pangkuannya, namun tidak pernah sekalipun mata Shinichiro menatap manik milik Keisuke.

Terlalu larut dengan apapun topik yang mereka bicarakan tanpa sama sekali berusaha mengajak Keisuke untuk berpartisipasi. Keisuke merasa asing dan tidak diinginkan sama sekali, dan ia merasa dirinya hanyalah pajangan yang Shinichiro bawa untuk dipamerkan.

Tentu, pertengkaran langsung terjadi di momen semua orang pergi, menyisakan mereka berdua sendiri di garasi itu.

Yah, walaupun pertengkarannya lebih satu arah karena hanya Keisuke saja yang berteriak melepaskan kemarahannya, sedangkan Shinichiro sama sekali tidak menanggapi.

Masih sibuk menghisap batang rokok terakhir dari kotak rokoknya. Sehabis batang nikotin terakhirnya habis, seperti biasa Shinichiro dengan lancar mengeluarkan 'permintaan maaf', sambil memeluk Keisuke dari belakang dengan kata-kata manisnya,

“Maaf, Keisuke, it won't happen again, okay? I promise,” yang dibisikkan tepat di telinga Keisuke dan sayangnya, selalu berhasil membuat bulu kuduk Keisuke merinding.

Lalu, ditambah dengan kecupan di pucuk kepala Keisuke sebagai sentuhan terakhir, dan Keisuke akan selalu mengangguk pelan, membiarkan dirinya terlena dalam pelukan Shinichiro.

Lagi-lagi Shinichiro berhasil, tidak pernah tidak, dan Keisuke lagi-lagi jatuh ke dalam janji-janji Shinichiro yang dia tak tahu apakah benar-benar akan ditepati atau tidak.

Dan sekarang Keisuke berdiri di depan garasi Shinichiro, bersembunyi melihat ternyata yang berada di pangkuan itu bukan hanya dirinya saja. Shinichiro melakukan kontak mata, mengajak gadis yang di pangkuannya ikut berbicara. Memang benar Shinichiro menepati janjinya, hanya bukan kepada Keisuke saja.

Mungkin hanya Keisuke yang menganggap hubungan mereka sebagai segalanya, sebagai ikrar yang tidak bisa ia langgar. Sedangkan Shinichiro? Keisuke hanyalah satu dari ratusan rahasia yang dia simpan.

The end the best thing he could do was turning back the time, like the way it exactly how it used to be. The world where Hanma and Yuzuha got engage, Yuzuha got her dream job, both of them succeed on their own. The only difference this time Mitsuya didn’t cry on the bathroom, he simply went there and congratulated both of them and that was the ending of him pursuing Yuzuha, guess like Hakkai said there was something that are meant to be and not meant to be.

Hanma and Yuzuha were those things that meant to be, or you could say a soulmate. No matter how much Mitsuya tried his hardest, lady fate would pull them together and they would fall for each other every single time, they were just simply belong together and there was nothing Mitsuya could do but accept it. They made Mitsuya wander though, that maybe someone like that was reserved for him too. So Mitsuya would look forward to the future, aside of that what a broken hearted man could do beside moving on anyway?

“Getting lost upstate”

Keisuke Baji pemuda berumur 19 tahun yang dengan polosnya jatuh cinta kepada Shinichiro Sano, orang yang lebih tua sepuluh tahun dari dirinya.

Shinichiro hangat, tampan dan berkarisma, susah untuk tidak jatuh cinta kepadanya. Namun Keisuke bisa apa? Selain jarak perbedaan umur yang sudah jelas, Shinichiro juga merupakan kakak dari sahabatnya, Mikey.

Di semua persahabatan ada aturan tidak tertulis kalau kamu tidak boleh berpacaran dengan saudara sahabatmu dan Keisuke terlalu loyal kepada persahabatannya untuk berpikir memulai romansa dengan Shinichiro, atau benarkah begitu?

Shinichiro tahu tentang atraksi pemuda yang berjarak 10 tahun dengan dirinya itu. Mungkin Keisuke berpikir dirinya menyembunyikan perasaannya terhadap Shinichiro dengan lihai, salah besar.

Buktinya rona merah di pipi yang terpampang jelas setiap Shinichiro memanggil namanya. Jika yang Keisuke taksiri merupakan Shinichiro dari 10 tahun yang lalu, yang ditolak 20 wanita, mungkin saja Shinichiro akan abai terhadap atraksi Keisuke terhadap dirinya.

Namun dalam kurun waktu 10 tahun banyak perubahan yang terjadi, Shinichiro Sano bukanlah bocah naif yang selalu gagal dalam hal rayu merayu lagi. ‘Lucu’ batin Shinichiro tiap melihat Keisuke yang menghindari dirinya.

Shinichiro menjadi tertarik, bagaimana jika dia menggoda Keisuke sedikit saja? Seharusnya tidak masalah bukan?

Keisuke Baji benar-benar membenci Shinichiro Sano yang membuat hatinya berdetak kencang dengan kehadirannya saja, apalagi sekarang ditambah rayuan manis keluar dari bibirnya yang selalu ditemani sebatang rokok itu.

Jauh dalam lubuk hatinya Keisuke berharap semua rayuan itu mungkin benar-benar dimaknai oleh Shinichiro, apadaya kata bercanda yang selalu terselip setelah rayuan yang dilontarkan membuat Keisuke teriris sedikit demi sedikit, sakit rasanya tapi mau bagaimana lagi? Selamanya di mata Shinichiro, Keisuke hanyalah adik laki-lakinys seperti Manjiro.

Namun apakah benar begitu? Keisuke mulai meragukan semuanya ketika Shinichiro menyatukan kedua bibir mereka berdua ke dalam satu tautan.

“Stop menjadi menggemaskan Keisuke, apa yang akan dikatan Manjiro jika melihat kita berdua seperti ini, hm?”

Kalimat yang berulang kali dilontarkan Shinichiro sehabis melepas tautan mereka, tapi toh itu hanya kata-kata tidak berarti tanpa tindakan.

Jika Shinichiro benar-benar khawatir bukankah dia akan berhenti setelah ciuman pertama? Kita semua tahu itu adalah omong kosong, dari satu ciuman di garasi bengkel Shinchiro kala itu menjadi ah sudahlah, bahkan Shinichiro sudah tidak bisa menghitung berapa kali dia sudah mencium bibir manis Keisuke.

Dari garasi bengkel itu dan di sinilah mereka, lagi-lagi mengadakan perjalanan liburan akhir minggu mereka yang tidak jelas arahnya, tanpa siapapun mengetahui.

Satu hal yang Keisuke tahu pasti, semuanya akan berakhir dengan mereka berdua bercumbu tanpa henti di dalam mobil Maserati merah milik Shinchiro.

Satu kata untuk menggambarkan suasana di tempat mereka berkumpul hari ini, tegang. Semua menutup mulut mereka rapat-rapat, tidak ada yang berani memecah keheningan yang mematikan di antara mereka.

 

Sampai, siapa lagi kalau bukan Hajime Kokonoi, berada di urutan kedua pencari keributan, membuka mulutnya. “So, gossip girl is back,” ucapan Koko masih disambut keheningan hingga Kazutora tidak tahan lagi akan rasa takut yang sejak tadi menyelimutinya.

 

“THIS IS A BIG NEWS. LO SEMUA PANIK DIKIT??? WE ARE SCREWED IF THE PUBLIC FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS?!” wajar saja Kazutora sepanik ini, bagaimanapun dia yang menyelenggarakan party tersebut, kejadian yang mereka sumpahi untuk tidak akan pernah dibicarakan lagi.

 

“Tenang, Kak Kazu. Ayo, tenang,” Chifuyu menepuk Pundak Kazutora pelan, berusaha menenangkan pemuda di sampingnya. Desas-desus, bisik-bisik kecil mulai terdengar di antara kerumunan di ruangan ini.

 

“Tetapi kenapa setelah dua tahun baru muncul? Kenapa nggak pas tahun kejadiannya? Bukannya setelah kejadian itu gossip girl juga menghilang?” celetuk Smiley yang membuat semua orang seketika hening kembali. “J-jadi, maksud Nahoya, Shinichiro Sano bangkit kembali dari kubur?” respons saudara kembar Smiley yang lantas mengundang tawa seisi ruangan, tentu minus dari Draken dan Mikey.

 

“Aduh, orang bangkit dari kubur, gue gak bisa, aduh-“ tawa Hanma Shuuji masih menggelegar membuat pipi Angry memerah lebih gelap daripada warna rambut kembarannya. Yuzuha menyenggol Hanma untuk berhenti, sedangkan Smiley hanya bisa menahan Angry agar tidak mengajak Hanma berkelahi.

 

“Manusia tidak mungkin bangkit dari kubur, tetapi kita bisa simpulkan ada tiga teori, satu, Shinichiro Sano adalah gossip girl dan sekarang dilanjutkan orang yang berbeda. Dua, Shinichiro Sano dan gossip girl adalah dua eksistensi yang berbeda, dan terakhir, mungkin Shinichiro Sano belum benar-benar meninggal,” kalimat terakhir yang diucapkan Kokonoi menggantung berat di udara, entah sudah berapa kali keheningan melanda ruangan ini.

 

Kokonoi menikmati momen-momen seperti ini, momen ketika dia menaburkan bibit keributan. “Dan jika kita mengutip perkataan gossip girl, artinya hal ini ada berhubungan dengan kepulangan seseorang kemarin. Tapiiiiiiiiiiii, bisa juga itu cuma kebetulan.” lanjut Kokonoi  tersenyum puas mendapat reaksi tajam dari Mikey. Jika tatapan bisa membunuh, Kokonoi sudah dipastikan telah mati dengan bagaimana menusuknya tatapan Mikey terhadap Kokonoi.

 

“Maksud lo apa, Ko?” tanya Draken yang tiba-tiba mengangkat kerah Kokonoi, Hanma langsung siap siaga menurunkan Kokonoi dari tarikan Draken. “Dia cuma ngomong. Santai dong, Bro, kalau lo sampai begitu tersinggungnya artinya asumsi kita benar, ya?” balas Hanma dengan cengiran menjengkelkannya.

 

Layangan hantaman tinju melayang dan Hanma tentu sudah siap untuk menghindarinya. Namun, Mikey terlebih dahulu memegang lengan Draken, menghentikan tinju tersebut. “Sudah, Draken.” secara otomatis Draken langsung mundur mengikuti titah ketua gengnya, Hanma juga ikut mundur menyisakan Mikey dan Kokonoi berhadapan satu sama lain.

 

“Kalau lo main nuduh adik gue yang baru pulang, kenapa lo nggak bertanya sama Sanzu yang pertama kali teriak, nemuin mayat abang gue?” semua mata langsung tertuju pada Sanzu yang diam dari tadi and suddenly everyone have a new thing to accuse to. “Lo nantangin gue?” balas Sanzu murka di tengah desas-desus yang berbalik mengatakan dirinya. Suasana semakin tegang ketika Sanzu berjalan menghadapi Mikey, kini Kokonoi yang berbalik mundur.

 

“Gue cuma nanya kaya temen lo yang cuma nanyain aja ke Emma, ‘kan?” dan mereka akan baku hantam dalam hitungan detik kalau saja Takemichi Hanagaki tidak  siap melerai. “Udah, udah, Mikey sama Sanzu. Ayo, jangan bertengkar, kita semua berteman, ‘kan?”

 

“Nggak, tuh? Temen gue cuma Rindou sama Yuzuha,” jawab Sanzu menanggapi pertanyaannya dengan serius, membuat Kokonoi shock karena, ternyata, oh, ternyata, pertemanannya dengan Sanzu hanya hubungan sepihak saja selama ini.

 

“Sudah, sudah,” ujar Yuzuha yang tahu-tahu sudah berada di samping Sanzu bersama Rindou, “Topik pembicaraan lo melenceng, topik hari ini mencari tahu makna berita dari gossip girl, bukan tuduh-tuduhan Sanzu atau adik lo.” lanjut Yuzuha dengan Rindou yang manggut-manggut sebelum ikut membuka mulutnya.

 

“Kalau lo gamau adek lo dituduh harusnya orangnya datang sendiri bukannya jalan ke ZARA, sih, menurut Gossip Girl sikapnya, wah, cukup berani, ya,” Rindou menunjukkan handphone-nya dengan situs Gossip Girl yang terpampang di layarnya. Semua orang langsung refleks mengecek notifikasi mereka dan. benar saja, apa yang dikatakan Rindou benar.

 

Di saat itu, semua orang baru sadar, darimana Gossip Girl bisa tahu mereka sedang mengadakan pertemuan. “Gue cabut dulu,” Kokonoi Hajime langsung berjalan menuju pintu keluar, mendeklarasikan kepergiannya. “Loh, Ko, ini kita belum dapat jawaban apa-apa?” respons Kazutora yang panik ditanggapi dengan kekehan Ran.

 

“Ya, mau cabut, lah. Wong, Koko mau curi start mengungkap siapa identitas dibalik Gossip Girl,”

 

“Kita ga cari sama-sama?” balas Kazutora dengan polosnya. Namun, tidak ada yang menghiraukannya, satu per satu malah pergi meninggalkan ruangan tersebut.

 

“Kak Kazu, … mana mungkin mereka mau cari sama-sama, ‘kan semuanya saling mencurigai,” jelas Chifuyu sambil menggelengkan kepalanya. “Terus, kita ikut nyari nggak?”

 

“Nggak. Ngapain coba?” jawab Baji dengan singkat, padat, dan jelas. “Jangan gitu dong??! Gue kan takut!! BAJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!” mulai, rengekan dari Kazutora yang membuat Baji geleng-geleng kepala.

 

“IYAAAAAAAAAAA, kita ikut nyari. Sekarang, keluar dulu!” dan akhirnya, ruangan itu tertinggal kosong setelah trio sekawan itu keluar.

“Your new girlfriend will get suspicious if you kept insisted on us meeting back here” Tata said nonchalantly to the back of the person who was waiting for her around 5 minutes. The man then turned around, his usual stoic face was nowhere to be seen instead there was the pissed off look the one she loved to tease. “I already broke up with Emma, so stop it” He said with all of the strength he could muster to not explode right there. “Really? When you so famously dated her after we broke up just for two weeks” Here it arrived that sarcastic jab which Draken didn’t really miss, but she wasn’t wrong, he did date Emma just two weeks after they broke up for who knows how many break ups they had gone through.

“Like you didn’t go out with Sanzu’s brother and Baji then Mitsuya then Inupi and…, oh I forgot there were too many of them” He replied back sarcastically, a habit he picked up from her. The longer you are together, the more you resemble your partner phrase, except they already broke up. “Don’t be stupid, your friend are mine too, If I broke up with you doesn’t mean I wont hang out with them especially Kei and Takashi, those two are my best friends first if you forgot” She rolled her eyes, this is so typical Draken. Always keeping tabs on her when they had already broken up but to be honest she kept tabs on him too so maybe it’s fair for both of them. “Oh really Akashi Takeomi is our friend?” Draken said with a smug smile of his, if she wanted to play facts, two could play that game. “A date didn’t mean I’m in a relationship with him, Ryuguji Ken” Oh she spoke his full name, congrats on getting Tata pissed off Draken.

“You and him went on twice as many dates as I and Emma had” “So? I’m still not the asshole who dated someone else two weeks after the relationship ended” “To be fair I only dated her for two weeks” “Probably because you were feeling guilty, if you were true there was no damn way in your conscience you could agree to date someone that quickly Ken” That sentence took Draken aback for a minute, things weren’t as simple as she said. She took his silence as a chance to provoke him further “If you never love me then tell me Ken, all you wanted is her after all since you were thirteen” “She was my first crush okay, and sorry for realizing it late while we were in a relationship like you didn’t realize your first crush was Baji if I didn’t point it out!” Draken yelled, tired of the same argument same bullshit he had to gone through whenever they had fight like this

“But I didn’t date Baji, that meant I’m completely over him. And you?? You talk to her and probably did something even worse which I kept quiet about!” She countered him, All he could did was shaking his head in disbelief, how could she accused him of cheating “I didn’t cheat on you, I never did, stop accusing nonsense!” “Really? If you never then-“ Before she could say anything further, Draken crashed his lips on her and fuck, the two of them were the best kisser for each other, she wanted to get swayed in with his kiss, but she knew her pride was too high but before she stopped it, Draken stopped it first.

“This, I can’t do this with Emma” He was looking right into her eyes deeply, there was longing in his eyes that she knew all too well but it wasn’t her if she gave in this easily. “Because she is your innocent little angel?” “Just, don’t infuriate me like this please. If you wanted to know what happened, fine I’ll tell you” She didn’t speak anything after that, eyes averting to the ground. He took her silence as yes and began his story. “After we broke up, Emma asked me out, turns out she likes me all these years, I turned it down at first but she kept asking then she said if I didn’t fall for her after two weeks I can broke up with her” “So you said yes?” “No” He groaned before continuing with his story “But then Mikey was pestering me about it and then you went out with Akashi that night, I agreed to it in a haste” “And I suppose to believe your story?” “Can you let me finish the story first?” He said with his sharp no joking tone “…fine” “Then I broke up with her after two weeks, there is no way I could fall for her anyway, even more in two weeks, the whole arrangements is just too ridiculous” He finished his explanations but she still didn’t feel satisfied

“You still date her” She was just being annoying right now, he knew it but he took the bait “Really after my explanation? I can’t even kiss her, hell, I can’t even hold her hands because even the thought of touching her made me feel like I was cheating on you! While you were outside kissing Akashi so easily, who’s the traitor now?!” His octave got higher again, everybody probably heard them arguing at this point. “You are” She didn’t flinch even if she did feel a little bit guilty inside “The same response? I can’t believe it, Ta you are too-“ Then the argument part two happened, a lot of shouting, a lot of jabs were thrown again until Baji finally had enough and approached them. “Calm the fuck down you two, I thought you two would kiss and make up around this time. Also Emma and Akashi Takeomi are outside this whole time, listening to your conversation” Baji said in frustration before leaving the two of them stunted in silence.

“So... let’s ditch this place?” She opened her mouth first, turning around to see her ex boyfriend face. “If only we get back together” Draken responded, reaching her hand which she immediately intertwined with his. “Fine” she replied back with a grin, now that was something Draken loved to see. “Three months are too long for us, we never separate more than one month, no more break up alright?” “If you didn’t cheat” She replied, her face wasn’t serious at all, Draken knew she was only testing his patience “I will ignore it this time for the sake of this mood” Draken said, then they escaped the barbeque place hand in hand while grinning to each others. Teenagers relationship is really hard and infuriating huh.

Mitsuya couldn’t be anymore lost than he was in this moment, there he stood his hands may be clapping, but his heart? He didn’t it would ever be repaired again. He just watched the love of his life, Shiba Yuzuha, being congratulated to her engagement with some other man. It is unfair, he thought. He met her first, he was her best friend first, he was always there for her, then somewhere along the way Hanma Shuuji appeared and swoop her right into her feet and that was when the story wrapped up. There wasn’t a chance since then for Mitsuya to be the knight in shining armour for Yuzuha since Hanma did his job as Yuzuha partner in crime all too well. Mitsuya wasn’t a heavy drinker and he was a responsible person, but today he also lost sense of his so called self control. Drinking probably just four glass of champagne and he was already on the level of drunkness that made Yuzuha had to see him puking in the bathroom “What are you doing? This is so unlike you Takashi” Yuzuha said while giving him a glass of water which he had to accept. “Nothing, it’s just…” How could he said that he loved her for the longest time and please break off your engangement? There was no way he could told her that. “C’mon you can talk to me-“ Just as Yuzuha sentence was starting, a loud shout was heard through out the house “JUJU WHERE ARE YOU?” the echo of footsteps getting near and near until the man the shout voice belonged to appeared. “Juju I’ve been searching for you everywhere-“ The tall man stopped in the middle of his sentence when he saw Mitsuya laying on the floor, obviously drank way too much wine. “Dude, are you okay?” Ah, how would you like to be Mitsuya, your love rival seeing you in the pathetic state you were right now. But it was an one sided feeling too, because Hanma Shuuji never considered him rival in the first place. “I’m fine” Mitsuya answered “Takashi, I trust that you can take care of yourself right? I need to go out now for photos with Shuuji, if you need a ride I will call Hakkai to give you a ride home” “It’s alright I can call a car sevice” Yuzuha just nod as a response, then the two pair went disappear from the hallway leaving him all alone in his misery state. “Why, just why? This ain’t fucking fair” MItsuya cried, already on the comfort of his own now. One of the world new aspiring designer was bawling his eyes out over someone he could never had for the rest of his life. Just as he thought he needed to stop thinking about her, a message from Yuzuha popped on his screen.

Mitsuya was looking through his old camera now, he scrolled down on the gallery reminiscing his time with Yuzuha. She smiled on these photos, but never did Mitsuya saw a smile like the one directed towards Hanma today. Even just once he wanted that smile to be directed to him. Why it couldn’t be him? Why, why, why? Lost in his own thoughts and tears, Mitsuya accidentally snapped the camera button, who knows that snapped lead to rare occurrences that would change his life forever?

Mitsuya couldn’t be anymore lost than he was in this moment, there he stood his hands may be clapping, but his heart? He didn’t it would ever be repaired again. He just watched the love of his life, Shiba Yuzuha, being congratulated to her engagement with some other man. It is unfair, he thought. He met her first, he was her best friend first, he was always there for her, then somewhere along the way Hanma Shuuji appeared and swoop her right into her feet and that was when the story wrapped up.

There wasn’t a chance since then for Mitsuya to be the knight in shining armour for Yuzuha since Hanma did his job as Yuzuha partner in crime all too well. Mitsuya wasn’t a heavy drinker and he was a responsible person, but today he also lost sense of his so called self control. Drinking probably just four glass of champagne and he was already on the level of drunkness that made Yuzuha had to see him puking in the bathroom “What are you doing? This is so unlike you Takashi” Yuzuha said while giving him a glass of water which he had to accept. “Nothing, it’s just…” How could he said that he loved her for the longest time and please break off your engangement? There was no way he could told her that.

“C’mon you can talk to me-“ Just as Yuzuha sentence was starting, a loud shout was heard through out the house “JUJU WHERE ARE YOU?” the echo of footsteps getting near and near until the man the shout voice belonged to appeared. “Juju I’ve been searching for you everywhere-“ The tall man stopped in the middle of his sentence when he saw Mitsuya laying on the floor, obviously drank way too much wine. “Dude, are you okay?” Ah, how would you like to be Mitsuya, your love rival seeing you in the pathetic state you were right now.

But it was an one sided feeling too, because Hanma Shuuji never considered him rival in the first place. “I’m fine” Mitsuya answered “Takashi, I trust that you can take care of yourself right? I need to go out now for photos with Shuuji, if you need a ride I will call Hakkai to give you a ride home” “It’s alright I can call a car sevice” Yuzuha just nod as a response, then the two pair went disappear from the hallway leaving him all alone in his misery state.

“Why, just why? This ain’t fucking fair” MItsuya cried, already on the comfort of his own now. One of the world new aspiring designer was bawling his eyes out over someone he could never had for the rest of his life. Just as he thought he needed to stop thinking about her, a message from Yuzuha popped on his screen.

Mitsuya was looking through his old camera now, he scrolled down on the gallery reminiscing his time with Yuzuha. She smiled on these photos, but never did Mitsuya saw a smile like the one directed towards Hanma today. Even just once he wanted that smile to be directed to him. Why it couldn’t be him? Why, why, why? Lost in his own thoughts and tears, Mitsuya accidentally snapped the camera button, who knows that snapped lead to rare occurrences that would change his life forever?

Mitsuya couldn't help but grin all the time since breakfast this morning, honestly it was creeping Hakkai up who was meeting him for breakfast because Yuzuha had another errand to do regarding wedding things, but who could blame the groom who's going to throw his engagement party today, so he would let it slide for today.

Mitsuya wanted to remember yesterday press forever, how when he stepped outside everyone cheered him as the groom, and him with Yuzuha as the golden couple? He never even dreamed of that in a lifetime. He couldn't believed it, he finally reached his dream, he became a worldwide designer and even better with Yuzuha as his muse and model. What could be more perfect than this?

“So, who's coming to the party later?” asked Mitsuya, which madeh Hakkai confused a little bit “Dude isnt this your party?” “I'm so busy with work that I couldnt help but forgot the little things you know” Sounded believable enough for Hakkai “Well your friends, some of Yuzuha's friends, and my family” “How about Luna and Mana, also my mom?” Mitsuya was the one who got confused this time, why Hakkai didnt mention his family. “Taka chan don't you forget? They rejected the invitation” Mitsuya eyes went wide in shock, why would his family rejected his engagement party invitation. “W-why?” “You are being weird today, I will speak frankly to you, it's probably because you paid no attention to them, always working and when you had a free time you visited us instead, charming my mother that you became his third son already before marrying Yuzuha. You were cruel you know that? You became just a stranger who sent money to them but without an emotional connection anymore whatsoever” Hakkai said while sipping his coffee, and now Mitsuya's face was crumbling in shock. So that was the price he had to pay, guess there wasnt a perfect life after all, huh?

The party started, him and Yuzuha hand in hand greeting the guests. All of Toman's member came congratulating him, there was Yuzuha's mother too gushing about them. Of course Taiju just silently nod on the background, but Mitsuya knew that he approved this relationship. And then there he was, Hanma Shuuji came from the front door and congratulating them like every other guest. Guess Hanma found someone else on this timeline? He didn't seemed to be enamored with Yuzuha when they shook hand before so that was a good sign right?

The party went on full swing and as peaceful as it can be with the boys here. Mitsuya just chuckled, and went around the house to check the other guests. Then he stumbled upon the bathroom on the hall, he remembered it, it was on a bathroom too where he whined pathetichally about his life. But instead of him, right now he found Hanma Shuuji drunk lying on the floor of hus bathroom. “Don't mind me, I will be out in a minute” Hanma said “Sure” Mitsuya replied ready to head back but Hanma went on another ramble “Just please make her the happiest woman on earth, if you don't I swear I will beat you up and steal her for myself” There was a gloomy look on his face, the same messy look like he had on the past timeline. “I will but-” Before Mitsuya could said anything more Yuzuha's footsteps were approaching and she caught the two men on the bathroom.

“Whoa, what's happening here?” She asked when she saw what a mess Hanma was on the floor. “Well Hanma was just going to get out any moment now, you were searching for me to take our photo right? Let's head out Yuzuha” “Like he said” Hanma added, trying his best to smile to ease Yuzuha worries. “You are clearly not in a right state, Shuuji” And ah there was that worried look, Mitsuya mind was racing this didn't mean Hanma could still steal Yuzuha from him right?

“I can call a cab” Hanma responded, Mitsuya silently thanked Hanma on his mind, if they followed the first timeline of things then Mitsuya and Yuzuha would leave now, while Hanma droven away by a cab “Hakkai will drive you home, but right now excuse us we will be taking our-” Again Yuzuha interrupted him “We can't just leave him like this! Takashi can you go outside, I will take care of him first, it's rude for us if our guest leave like this” Yuzuha might said that to Mitsuya, but her eyes never took of Hanma. There was that concerned look, that adoring look, Mitsuya swore Yuzuha never looked at him like tjhat and he knew in that moment that look wouldnt ever never reserved for him. No matter how many scenarios he tried to go on with, in the end the one Yuzuha was going to fall with would be Hanma Shuuji and Hanma Shuuji only.

“Yeah, I will go now” Mitsuya trying to played it off nonchalantly but his heart was breaking inside. Later that night he found himself drinking the nth can of beer on the same room with Hakkai accompanying him, the only difference with the first time. All of his hard work mounted to nothing because in the end the only one Yuzuha would love will be Hanma, and he hated that. “Why did she agree to marry me?” Mitsuya finally spoke his first sentence from all evening. Hakkai pondered a bit, obviously didnt want to hurt his best friend heart anymore. “I didn’t know how to put this, but you do know how Yuzuha treasures our mom a lot right, and she wants her to marry you, well not out loud but Yuzuha got it and that’s probably one of the reason why” “So she felt pressured to marry me?” Mitsuya asked back, his eyes still went blank as if there was no life on it “In other words yes, and you are perfect to her you do know that, you treat her as your top priority, probably it added more pressure to her” Hakkai shrugged, drinking the glass of beer on his hand. “Then how did she met Hanma…?” Mitsuya finally daring himself to ask the question that’s been bugging his mind since the party started. “They met on an event, they got on really well but then again you two were already dating for a long time, so…” Mitsuya went dead silent after that for a few minutes before opening his mouth again, the atmosphere was tense and dreading if Hakkai was honest. “Why, why she couldn’t fall in love completely with me? What’s wrong with me? What did he has that I didn’t have?!” Now it was Mitsuya’s turn to be a crying mess. Hakkai didn’t know what to answer that question, all he could did was patting Mitsuya’s back as some source of comfort “It’s not about that, but Yuzuha couldn’t, she couldn’t because you know in this world there are just somethings that are meant to be and aren’t meant to be” What else could Hakkai said more in that situation?