Okay guys listen, I don't have much time to tell you this, I just have to say, whatever you do, DON'T trust Akutagawa Jirou! You may think it's silly, but it's not, this is 100% REAL. He's not who you think he is, you know, that bubbly character that spends his days sleeping away? That's all a façade. He's evil. I'm locked away at this moment, in an semi empty room, and do you know why? It's because of him, he's locked me here, I was lucky enough to find writing utensils… but it won't be long until he comes for me. There's a window in here, but it's definitely not one I can fit through, so I'm going to throw this letter outside, so whoever finds it. Please, please warn others of this monster! I know I don't have a lot of detail, but like I said he
"… This is…" Tezuka Kunimitsu stared down at the paper, his tea now becoming cold with it's exposure to the air.
"Interesting, isn't it?" Fuji Syuusuke spoke, sitting down in front of the other. They were in Tezuka's residence at the moment, breakfast before heading to their school.
"And… where exactly did you get this?" Tezuka asked, his eyes still slowly hovering over each word on the old, warn out letter.
"On my jog, it had blew in my direction." Tezuka stared at the other.
"So you just picked it up?" Fuji chuckled and gently rested his head in the palm of his hand.
"I saw the writing and became curious." Tezuka sighed.
"Curiosity killed the cat."
"But perhaps, curiosity will save it, this time. If what this note is saying is true, wouldn't that mean that sweet little Akutagawa is actually," Fuji looked back at the note to find the correct word, "A monster?" his grin was small, but still, quite unsettling to the bespectacled man.
"Well, we should get going, we can't be late." Tezuka spoke, sighing as he realized his breakfast was now cold and unappetizing. Standing up from his seat and pulling on his school bag, he began cleaning up his, still semi filled, dishes. Fuji nodded doing the same.
As soon as the too got outside, Fuji continued the topic they were having before.
"I wonder who it was who wrote that… it must have been someone Akutagawa-kun hates." Fuji spoke, looking straight ahead. Tezuka sighed, not wanting to talk about the earlier topic any longer.
"There isn't many people Akutagawa hates though, are there?" Fuji shrugged, not knowing much about the other. "Anyway, you can't just believe those things Fuji, for all you know it was just some sort of prank to scare students. So don't spread this around, speak nothing of it after this." Tezuka gave Fuji a glare for good measure before speeding up his pace. Fuji frowned, but soon put on his usual happy expression and sped up as well.
"Okay, I won't… unless necessary."
"Fuji." Fuji huffed at him.
"Okay, fine." Tezuka knew Fuji didn't mean it, it took a lot to get Fuji to back down from something he was interested, and by a lot, like disowning his brother a lot. Meaning, it's most likely not going to happen.
As the two made it to their school, Tezuka continued to give Fuji warning glances which quickly got the attention of a few others.
"Ah~ What's this! Gazes of love it seems." Yukimura Seiichi spoke, walking in between the two with an amused smile. Fuji wiped away a fake tear.
"We just started yesterday~"
"Fuji." Fuji sighed and looked away.
"You're really no fun, Tezuka-kun, one of these days Fuji will abandon you and go to someone else, like me." Yukimura spoke, petting the tensai's hair gently. Fuji laughed.
"You're so awkward." Yukimura sighed, his smile quickly vanishing. He walked in front of the two, stopping them in their tracks.
"But really… I need to talk to you two." A concerned look replaced the two's normal features. Yukimura quickly pulled the two over to the lockers. "It's about… Bunta." Marui Bunta was one of Yukimura's friends, that neither Fuji nor Tezuka knew entirely well. "He never came home last night, he's run away." The two's eyes widened, not expecting this.
"What? When I saw him, he always seemed so happy." Yukimura shrugged, his lips forming a crooked line. He had now brought his voice down to a whisper.
"I know, that's what's so confusing, and he didn't tell a soul, he just… left! Poor Niou is going crazy about it, he didn't even come to school today." Yukimura gave a depressed sigh, his eyes were beginning to water up. "B-But um… oh, I was just wanting to tell you that so… yeah, just… Sanada you know, he's in a bad mood now, and everyone is depressed…. Just…" Fuji nodded, giving him a light, comforting pat on the shoulder. "Sorry you guys… I'm… I'm going to-," The two just nodded in understanding as Yukimura took the chance to walk off.
The two stared down at the ground, feeling upset about their friend's problem.
"Poor Marui… something must be going on in his family!" Fuji said, giving a serious gaze to the taller one.
"Fuji, don't get into other's problems." Fuji looked away.
"I just feel so bad… I want to do something to help!"
"Fuji, don't get into it!" Fuji immediately quieted down from his friend's outburst, Tezuka rarely raises his voice unless to convey absolute force, mostly getting other's attention.
Fuji gave him a long look, not breaking the gaze until the bell for their class rung. Then he turned, walking away, without a single goodbye.
0o I 0
Sitting in class never really bothered Fuji Syuusuke, he was the second top of his class. Unfortunately, Jackal Kuwahara, and Yagyuu Hiroshi had the same class. He couldn't stop staring at their tired faces as they looked mindlessly at the teacher, definitely not taking anything in.
Fuji continued to nibble his pencil's eraser, a habit he picked up when irritated, how much he wanted to go over and ask them questions, when was the last time you seen Marui? What was he doing? How did it seem he was feeling? Did he act any differently? Just a question! That's all!
"Okay everyone, for this next activity, I'm going to need you to partner up." a light bulb went off in Fuji's head. This was his chance, he would partner up with Jackal, Fuji usually sees Jackal and Marui together more, and figures that Jackal would probably know a little more.
While the teacher was explaining what he needed from everyone, Fuji was busy figuring how exactly he would ask, he knows that he probably wouldn't want to talk about it, so he would have to start off casually, breaking the ice until he got what he wanted.
"Okay, move along." He spoke, sitting down at his desk. Immediately the sounds of chairs moving broke out and Fuji quickly got up, moving to Jackal.
"Hi Jackal, would you like to work with me?" Fuji asked, putting on a wide smile to lure the other in.
"A-Ah… sure, if you really want-,"
"Fuji." Fuji looked over and his eye gave an almost undetectable twitch, there stood Echizen Ryoma, a small notebook in his hand. He smirked, "let's work together." Fuji stood up, his smile back on but seeming a little forced.
"Sorry, but I'm working with Jackal." Jackal shook his head.
"No, it's alright Fuji-san, I'll work with Yagyuu." Fuji bit the inside of his cheek but complied with him, walking over to Echizen's desk.
Echizen Ryoma was, supposed to be, a first year that skipped two grades. Fuji didn't dislike him, he actually liked the boy a lot, he interested him, but, unfortunately he was the reason Fuji was the second top of his class. Because Echizen lived in America and knew English well.
"Why do you all of a sudden want to partner up with me, Echizen-kun?" Fuji asked, the twitch of his eyebrow not going away. Echizen gave a bored look up at him.
"Tezuka wanted me to keep an eye on you, and make sure that you didn't bother people… or something." Echizen yawned and placed his head onto his hand.
"What happened to your honorifics young man?" Fuji asked, picking up his pencil. Echizen's eyes slowly rolled up to gaze at him.
"I'm in the same grade…"
"It doesn't matter!" Echizen sighed.
"Anyway… we have to work." Fuji looked at his papers, confused.
"… Um…. What are we doing?" There was hate in Fuji's eyes as the other's lips quickly turned to an arrogant smirk.
0o I 0
After an agonizing hour of arguing with Echizen on what sort of short story they should right about in English, Fuji's wanting to be a story of a girl and her cactus, and Echizen wanting the story to be of a boy and his cat; they finally agreed on making a story of a boy and a girl who had to save a cactus from an evil cat, minutes before time was up to turn in their papers.
But class had ended, and now, while Fuji was walking, Echizen slowly trailed behind him. He was really taking the order from Tezuka seriously. Well, if it had to be anyone, Tezuka would be one person Echizen respected.
Walking over to the vending machine, Fuji put in a few coins and pressed a button. He then crouched down, getting out the can, then opening it up, quickly taking a sip.
"Eew, out of everything in there you got black coffee?" Fuji looked over with an irritated smile when his heart began to race at who was standing next to him. Mukahi Gakuto, not really important, and Akutagawa Jirou, who leaning on the shorter, redhead, an arm wrapped around him. The said boy smiled widely once his eyes opened.
"Fuji-kun! Hi!" Fuji smiled at Akutagawa, blocking Mukahi completely out of his sight. Akutagawa quickly ran over and jumped onto the tensai, almost knocking the coffee right out of his hands, but only managing a slight spill.
"Ah..!" Fuji looked down at his shirt that now had a coffee stain on it.
"WAH! Fuji-kun I'm so sorry! Here, we should go clean it off!" Jirou said, grabbing the other's wrist.
"Jirou you klutz." Mukahi spoke with an annoyed tone.
"No, it's alright, I'm fine." Fuji spoke, casually walking backwards away from the two.
"Aw but… the least I can do is try to clean it off, let's go to the bathroom!" Jirou spoke, still smiling. Fuji smiled back but simply shook his head. A strange feeling began to overcome him… a feeling of slight fear. Fuji just wanted to get away from the two.
"Just let him go Jirou, you've done enough." Mukahi spoke, putting in money for his drink. Fuji waved to the two slightly before turning to leave. As he walked, the chilling feeling wouldn't leave, the hair on his arms and legs were now sticking up as if it were freezing in the building, for as he turned, he could have sworn, the wide smile, immediately turned to an angry frown.
0 o I 0
Fuji sat silently in his room, staring mindlessly at his computer screen. Ever since that collision with Akutagawa, Fuji has been on his toes, he wasn't even sure why. Fuji sighed and leaned back, rubbing his face. Why was he scared? It was just Akutagawa… the bubbly, narcoleptic as people say.
"Aniki." Fuji almost fell backwards as he jumped from his younger brother's sudden entrance.
"Yuuta, please knock!" Fuji spoke, trying to calm himself. Yuuta blinked.
"Are… are you okay aniki? Now that I think about it, you've been up here quiet ever since we got home…" Fuji simply waved him off.
"I'm fine." Yuuta gave him a concerned looked before shaking his head and continuing with what he had to say.
"Anyway, I'm going out, Aniki."
"With who?" Yuuta glared.
"What do you mean with who?" Fuji stared angrily at him.
"With that thing?"
"Aniki, Mizuki is not a thing, he's my friend, and no, not this time." Fuji blinked, surprised by this.
"Then who are you leaving with?" Fuji asked, his protective older brother instincts popping in. Yuuta sighed.
"…Oshitari." Fuji stared at him.
"Oshitari…?"
"… Yuushi." Fuji immediately jumped up.
"The pervert? Yuuta!"
"Aniki he isn't a pervert! And besides, there's going to be others there too!" Fuji leaned on his desk, trying to breath.
"Who?"
"Well for example… His cousin, Kenya, is coming, Atobe-san, Akutagawa-san, Sengok-,"
"Akutagawa..?" Yuuta nodded.
"Well, I'm leaving now." He spoke, closing the door to Fuji's bedroom. Fuji sat there for a second, staring up into space before finally jumping up and chasing after his brother.
"I want to come too!"
"Aniki no!"
"What, why?"
"I just… I don't want you to come!" Fuji frowned.
"But Yuuta…!"
"No Aniki! … no offence but, I want to be away from you, we're already in the same house, we don't need to have outings together too! I already go on enough 'dates' with you as it is where you mostly take the time to embarrass me!" Fuji continued to stare at Yuuta as the other tried to avoid his gaze. Fuji sighed.
"Okay… fine…" Fuji slowly turned to head back to his room. Yuuta, already feeling awkward enough, turned to leave.
0 o I 0
Fuji smirked, the perfect disguise! A red wig and a mustache, not forgetting the sunglasses of course. Fuji peered from behind a small bush at the group in front of him, they were sitting on a couple of rocks laughing about something. How badly Fuji wanted to get closer.
There was a tree, but it was too far away and too close to the small group, there was a high risk of getting caught.
Fuji squirmed uncomfortably as he watched them converse. Yuuta frowned too many times for his liking, it was probably that pervert's fault! He was probably making his poor little brother uncomfortable. Fuji just wanted to run up and save him, but, he couldn't, Yuuta would definitely get mad at him. Fuji sighed, sliding down to the ground.
'I'm over-exaggerating…' Fuji thought as he slowly got up to leave, 'But… the note…? … Maybe Tezuka is right, maybe it was just a joke, I'm thinking to hard about this, I need sleep.' Fuji stood up getting ready to head home before looking back once more… everything looked fine, they went just back to normal, and Yuuta was smiling at something someone must have said.
Fuji started walking in the direction of his house, before a voice called out to him.
"Ah! Fuji-san!" Fuji stopped dead in his tracks before slowly turning around to see Akutagawa running straight towards him. Fuji gave a slight smile and awkwardly waved; he could already see Yuuta's irritated frown.
"Hi…"
"What are you doing here Fuji-san? Have you come to hang out with us?" Fuji looked away.
"Ah… no, I was just about to leave actually.." Akutagawa frowned.
"Aw come on Fuji-san, you have to come hang out with us! It's fun!" Before Fuji even had a chance to say anything, he was grabbed by the wrist once more and dragged over to the group and Yuuta.
"What are you doing here… Aniki?" Yuuta asked, obviously trying to hide the irritation in his voice.
"Ah… well I mean, I didn't know you were here, I was just about to leave…"
"Ah no you should stay, the more the merrier you know?" Sengoku Kiyosumi said, grinning.
'Another pervert! Yuuta, who are you hanging out with…?' Fuji wanted to sob at his little brother's choice of friends, but said nothing of it, knowing he was already on thin ice with him.
So the group walked around and talked about different things in the school, gossip, foods that they've proudly cooked themselves, movies, the usual, when it began to get late and their parents would soon be asking where they were.
"I guess we should get home~" Sengoku said as he stretched back after looking in awe at the playful kittens in the pet shop window. Everyone nodded in agreement with the red head and began heading their separate ways after wishing each other a safe trip home.
Fuji immediately got beside Yuuta, keeping up with his pace. Seeing his brother's disgruntled expression, he knew he had some explaining to do.
"Yuuta? I'm sorry Yuuta, I- I was just walking and-," Yuuta held up a hand.
"It's fine… Aniki… I'm just thinking…" Fuji tilted his head to the side in confusion.
"About what, Yuuta?" Yuuta stared up at the sky for a second before replying.
"… Are you friends with Akutagawa-san?" That name sent chills up Fuji's spine.
"Ah… not really… why?" Yuuta looked over at his brother, keeping his gaze on him for a little longer than a second before speaking.
"Because… the whole time I was there, he kept asking me about you." A sick feeling made it's away into Fuji's stomach once he heard that. He kept his smile up.
"What do you mean?" Yuuta shook his head.
"Things like, do you have a job, what time do you usually get home from school, things like that. Kinda strange." Fuji unconsciously stopped walking and stared down at the ground. "Aniki?" Fuji blinked, coming out of his thoughts.
"Ah… sorry." Fuji gulped. "Um… so, Yuuta, do you know what we're having for dinner tonight?"
0 Io 0((
Fuji was biting his nails, something he never did, as he quickly dialed Tezuka's number. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, but, having Tezuka know about what was going on would definitely make him feel at least a little safer.
"Hello?" Fuji smiled, glad he answered.
"Tezuka!" There was a short silence.
"Yes?" Fuji panted, trying to get his words together.
"Tezuka… I'm kind of freaking out at the moment." There was another silence.
"What do you mean?" Fuji gulped and began chewing his next finger.
"I think Akutagawa-kun is after me!" Once again another silence, but Fuji could almost feel the irritated vibes coming from the other.
"Fuji…"
"No, I'm actually serious this time, Tezuka," Fuji swallowed, "he's trying to know my schedule. He asked Yuuta if I had a job and what time I come home! We never even talk, why would he want to know that?" Fuji could tell the other was in thought.
"Aniki." Once again, Fuji jumped in shock, only this time he was on his bed.
"Knock Yuuta!" Yuuta blinked.
"Ah… sorry, I just came to ask, are you sure you're not hungry? Sis is about to put up the food." As soon as Fuji came home, the sick feeling hadn't left so he excused himself from dinner and went to his room, to think.
"I'm fine." Yuuta stared at him a little longer, as if he wanted to say something, but only closed the door, leaving Fuji's presence. After Yuuta left, Tezuka finally spoke up again.
"Fuji… you may just be over thinking this." Fuji ran his fingers through his head.
"Yeah… that's what I was thinking too… but it doesn't help that I'm still so shaken." Tezuka sighed.
"Just get some sleep, you'll be alive in the morning, I promise." Fuji grinned, although most of the times his jokes weren't funny, anytime Tezuka randomly attempted to be humorous always made him laugh, just because he couldn't be humorous. It just wasn't in the man's blood.
"Okay… see you tomorrow." Tezuka grunted in response and the two hung up; Fuji now, cheerfully, feeling more comfortable than before.