Twinkling Lights

Chapter 11

******SO LIKE IM HAVING WRITERS BLOCK AGAIN. BUT I CAME UP WITH SOMETHING MORE TO ADD TO THE STORY. SO BARE WITH ME.******

******TW: MENTIONS DEPRESSION******
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By the time practice ended, I had changed, grabbed my bags, and zoomed out of there faster than you can say 'Koolaid on a Sunday afternoon'. I jogged all the way to Tsukki's house, taking a break to catch my breathe at his front door. I reluctantly composed myself and knocked on the door. The door swung open seconds later.

"Yamaguchi? What brings you here? Kei didn't say anything about visitors. Please come in." Akiteru greeted me and slide aside to welcome me in.

I haven't been here since Tsukki's last bad depressive episode, mainly because my mom could track my phone and well....she found out I went to his house. It looked the same as always, warm yellowish walls and oak wood flooring; not to mention all the family photos covering the walls. I bowed, peeling off my shoes at the entrance politely.

"Sorry for the intrusion." I muttered shyly.

"Aww. Don't say that. You're practically family. Just make yourself at home. Kei's....." Akiteru huffed in his usual bubbly manner, only hitching at the mention of Tsukki's name.

"What's wrong? Is he okay? He left school early all of a sudden and didn't show up for practice. I knew something was wrong." I sputter guiltily for not coming sooner.

"Yeah, he came home around noon and went straight to his room without a word. Mom and I tried to get him to tell us what's wrong, but he simply said it was nothing. Mom is out getting some groceries to make his favorite food to try to cheer him up. We called the doctor, but she just recommended rest and to keep an eye on him." Akiteru explained drearily, peering down at his feet for a moment, before walking away to his room.

Without a word, I instinctively wander upstairs towards Tsukki's room. For some context, Tsukki might be a salty person with a snarky personality, but in reality that's just his shield for his personal issues. He was diagnosed with Clinical depression back in middle school. It got pretty bad at one point, but nothing too extreme like...well ya know. He just stopped going to school and playing volleyball and even talking to me. When his mom found out, she had him assessed by a doctor and well they diagnosed him. Ever since then he's been on medication and goes to therapy once in a while.

I've always been there to help him out or cheer him up. Whenever he was going through a bad depressive episode, I was always there to just talk to him or make sure he ate. But lately I've been so caught up in my own world, I didn't even bother to look at the signs. Even today! When I snapped at him and he didn't fight back and just gave in, he would've never done that. I should've known.

I stood in front of his room, door shut completely and mustering up the nerve the knock. I eventually knock twice, hearing nothing. So, I knock again only louder this time. This time I heard shuffling from the other side.

"I'm not hungry. I'll eat later." A gruff voice muttered from inside of the room.

"It's me, Tadashi. I'm coming in okay?" I announced loud enough for him to fully understand me.

".....okay."

I turn the handle, entering the room and being welcomed by freezing air. I shut the door behind me and take in the scene. The lights were shut off, the AC was on full blast, the curtains shut, the floor cluttered with clothes, a thrown book bag, a dump out messy-looking sports duffel, books scattered here and there, and papers poorly clumped upon the desk. It was definitely a melancholy sight. I peered over to the single twin sized bed in the left corner of the room, where a lump of a figure resided under the comforter.