CHAPTER 9 The following Monday was extremely long. At least it was for Kusano. He had birthday in 2 days. His 18th birthday. His entire family thought about it as a big thing, Kusano did not really care how old he got, only he got presents he was happy. “Hironori, what do you want for your 18th birthday hm?” his mother kept asking, Kusano had nothing special in mind so he just said he wanted a new bed. Then is mother’s jaw dropped down and told him a bed was bloody expensive. “But I get 18 mum~” he grinned. 14th February. Valentine’s Day. Kusano sighed. Every single girl in his class, or the entire population of girls at his school for that matter, was all hyper and they all wore something pink. Some of them were giving their secret loved once a box of chocolate, homemade or bought. Shige of course, had gotten 14 boxes of chocolate already and it was not even noon. Shige comment on that was; ‘I can’t help it that I am popular’ Koyama did not like it though. Shige was HIS boyfriend, and only HE was going to give Shige chocolate. Or at least Koyama’s chocolate was the only chocolate Shige was allowed to eat, the rest went into the trashcan. “Hiro-chan!” a way too familiar voice these days shouted. “Yes Yama-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan” Kusano could not help but to over do the ‘chan’ part. “Chocolate!” “…” Kusano went all silent, looking down at the chocolate box that was wrapped inside pink paper and white bonds. “I made it especially for you” Yamashita smiled cute like. “T-Thanks…” Kusano mumbled and took the box from Yamashita, stuffing it down in his bag Kusano froze. That box. It was something familiar about it. Hang on… Kusano stared at his locker. He usually got a box of chocolate like this anonymously every date that had the number 14. Yamashita. Could it be him, or did he copy a chocolate box from Kusano’s room? “I hope it’s just as good as always” Yamashita giggled, kissing Kusano quickly on the cheek he left for his class. ‘You seriously are in love with me aren’t you?’ was Kusano’s SMS to Yamashita that afternoon. Placing the chocolate box on his night table, he laid down in the bed, just switching through the TV channels for something interesting to watch. BEEP BEEP. ‘Yes I am :)’ was Yamashita’s reply. Letting out a scream, Kusano was about to crunch the chocolate box when he got interrupted by his sister. “Can I have some chocolate too?” she asked in a friendly matter. “No.” “WHY NOT?” “Because it’s made especially for me!” Kusano shouted back and threw a pillow at his sister. “MUMMYYYY!!!!!!” she cried running out of the room. “IT’S MY CHOCOLATE! GET A BOYFRIEND OF YOUR OWN!” Shoot. Did he just say that? Boyfriend? The rest of the afternoon Kusano spent thinking over to or not to go and visit Yamashita. Something inside him really burned to go and see Yamashita, but he did not know why it burned so strongly for it. Kusano had never imagined setting a foot inside Yamashita’s house. Ever. The main reason he wanted to go there was to thank him from the chocolate, since he had said ‘thank you’ very poorly before. Being a bit childish he ripped a piece off paper in two and wrote ‘yes’ on one half and ‘no’ on the other. Putting them in a cup he had gotten from his sister, he shook it for a second and pulled out one of the pieces. ‘Yes’ it stood. “Mum I am going out for a while, I wont be long!” he shouted as he ran down the stairs. “But sweety, it’s 11pm!” “I won’t be long!” he said once again and slammed the entrance door behind him. Running as quick as he could over to Yamashita’s house, he realized he missed a jacket. Almost there the dark clouds above him started to spit out heavy raindrops. Going ‘ow’ ‘itai’ and other that-hurts-words Kusano rang the doorbell to Yamashita’s house. “Coming!” Yamashita’s voice shouted from the inside of the house. Opening the door a second later he let out a giggle. “Not funny!” Kusano grunted and shook his head a little so some of the water would leave his hair. “That wont help and EEK you’re getting it all over me!” Yamashita said and dragged Kusano inside. Yamashita’s house was so… girly. All plain white walls and light tree floor. Pretty, clean and organized. And it smelled of spring flowers. “Just go to my room and I will get you a towel” Yamashita turned around half the way to the bathroom “My room is up the stairs and the second door to the left” Following Yamashita’s instructions, he opened the door to Yamashita’s room. Stepping back just as he saw what Yamashita’s room contained, Kusano could not help but to just stand there, staring into the room. There were pictures of him. Everywhere. His heart made a jump. Sure Yamashita could be in love with him, but not obsessed. “What’s the matter?” Yamashita asked as he saw a paralyzed Kusano standing outside his bedroom door. “You not feeling well?” he came up behind Kusano and started to dry the other boy’s wet hair. “You stalking me?” Kusano asked not thinking about that he might hurt Yamashita’s feelings. Having a gay obsessed dude after him was just uncomfortable. “Stalking?” Yamashita stopped drying the boy’s hair. “I--- what?” “Those pictures…” Kusano pointed at some of the pictures that were hanging over Yamashita’s desk, which contained even more pictures of Kusano. “I wouldn’t call it stalking…” Yamashita said slowly. “It’s more… like a… self preserving thing…” “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Kusano snapped. “Don’t get mad please” Yamashita whimpered and took a step back. “Why not? You can’t do this! It’s not legal!!!” “I’m sorr—“ before Yamashita got to finish his sentence Kusano had entered his room, starting to rip down pictures from the wall and tear them in two. The pictures laying on the desk Kusano frilled with his hand and threw them across the room. “Hir—“ “It’s Kusano for you now!” Kusano yelled and smashed the framed photos of him to the floor. “Stop, please” Yamashita begged as he started to pick up the pictures Kusano had ripped in two. Kusano did not reply to that, he just kept on searching for more stuff of him to destroy. Stopping by the chair Kusano glanced down at the yellow jumper. “Is that my jumper?” he asked in an angry tune. “Yes” Yamashita whispered. “What else do you have of me huh?” he grabbed Yamashita by the collar. “Nothing” Yamashita whined and looked away from Kusano’s face. “Look at me you fag!” Kusano yelled loudly and shook Yamashita a little. Yamashita quickly looked up at Kusano with watery eyes. “Don’t you dare to cry!” Now it was Yamashita’s turn to not answer. His heart was aching, and his eyes hurt to let the tears go. Letting go of Yamashita Kusano stormed out of the room, all read in his cheeks, with his chest hammering faster than a leopard could run. It was first when Kusano had locked the entrance door behind him, he realised how much it hurt to tear those pictures apart. Sliding down the door he buried his face in his hands hoping the pain would soon abandon from his chest. But the pain did not go away, neither did it gradually fade, it stayed there, as an illness tearing him apart from the inside. Inside the house Yamashita was sitting on the floor with his back lent to the bed. The tears had escaped the barricade in his eyes and were now floating down his cheeks. Bending forward a bit he started coughing. The pressure that was on and in his chest right now caused the coughing. And it only pressed harder and harder, he could hardly breathe. Even though Yamashita did not suffer from any sort of illness he was coughing up small drops of blood at the moment. ‘So love do hurt’ was the sentence that travelled through Yamashita’s mind. This had to be the worst Valentine’s Day ever, Yamashita though and glanced over at the alarm clock. 12:03am… it was February 15 th. Getting up Yamashita hoped to catch up with Kusano to wish him happy birthday. Opening the front door he saw Kusano sitting right outside the door, sobbing. “Hironori?...” Looking up Kusano quickly hide his red eyes in his hands again. “It’s okay… I’ve got red eyes too…” he said in a comforting tune and pat Kusano on the shoulder. Sniffing loudly, Kusano got up and stared at the ground. “I’m sorry… I overreacted…” “Don’t worry… eh… I guess I will be getting legal taken pictures of you soon” he sent the younger on a smile. “Un” “Anyway” Yamashita lifted Kusano’s chin up. “Happy birthday” Kusano wanted to call him ‘baka’, but he did not. Between him and Yamashita he was the baka not Yamashita. Stretching a bit Kusano placed a soft small kiss on Yamashita’s lips. Leaving them just as quickly as he had touched them, he sent Yamashita a small smile and mumbled ‘thank you’. This time the mumbling was not from him being moody, but because his throat was dry so it could not get more than a mumble. “18 huh?” Yamashita said after a moment of peaceful silence. Kusano just nod. “You eh… better get home, it’s getting very late” Yamashita tapped Kusano’s nose but got interrupted by the younger boy throwing his arms around his neck. “I wanna stay here” why on earth did he want to stay there?! Kusano wanted to go over to the wall and bang his head, but being in Yamashita’s arms were much better. “I am pleased to hear that, but you can’t okay?” Yamashita placed his arms around Kusano’s waist and closed the gap between them. “Another time”