Red String

The Case of Kurahara Kakeru

A/N: If you didn't know, Kurahara Kakeru is a character from the anime Run With The Wind/ Kaze Ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru :).
It's a sports anime by the same studio as Haikyuu and it's so amazing please check it out.

***

The last time Tobio met Kurahara Kakeru, his cousin, was two years ago. Kakeru was in his last year of high school and Kazuyo-san was still alive during that time, even if most of Kazuyo-san's time was spent in the hospital. During that time, Kakeru was quiet and seems gloomy which makes it difficult for Tobio to approach the older boy. Despite them both being a sports enthusiast, the fact that they are in a different sport didn't help much in conversation. Tobio can sprint but doesn't know much when it comes to long distance. And thus, every time their family have a get-together, they would just awkwardly be in each other company, silently observing as the adults enthusiastically converse with each other. After that, he heard something about Kakeru making trouble at school but he didn't pay any mind to it.

However, this changes the first time he saw his cousin after two years. The Kakeru he met now is different. Kakeru is smiling a lot and seems to be much more social. He helps their mother a lot in the kitchen and seems to try to start a conversation with Tobio; much to Tobio's surprise. He seems to still be a bit awkward, not that Tobio can't criticize him for that but he's trying and Tobio tried his best to return the gesture.

Another thing that seems to change is his red string. Before, Kakeru's red string is nothing special. It's neither dim nor bright, just as anyone else. But now, Kakeru's red string is so vibrant and bright, similar to that of a married couple. Tobio had to take a double look on it. As far as he knows, Kakeru wasn't married. But then again, he is not close enough with his cousin to say for certain. Throughout dinner, his eyes keep wandering to Kakeru's pinkie, to the point where Kakeru notices this and he could only come up with lame excuses to dismiss the concern. Kakeru doesn't seem to be convinced but he let it slides anyway. Kakeru will be staying at Tobio's room for the night and Tobio is dying to ask Kakeru about it but he kept quiet about it.

"Tobio, is something wrong? You've been glaring at me for a while and uh... sorry if I did something?"

Tobio shakes his head nervously, "No! Nothing! Sorry... It's just..."

Tobio had given up his bed for Kakeru, ignoring Kakeru's refusal and quickly setting up the futon on the floor and laid on it. He didn't notice that he had been glaring at Kakeru's pinkie as Kakeru is typing on his phone, smiling every once in a while. Kakeru is looking at him patiently. Before, Kakeru would keep his head down, never meeting anyone's eyes and only answers any questions curtly. Tobio remembers when Kakeru would play with him, Miwa and Kazuyo-san when they were kids. Kakeru wasn't really interested in volleyball but it was fun playing with him whenever they met as Kakeru had enough stamina to keep up with the ever enthusiastic Tobio.

"Kakeru-san... do you remember when Kazuyo-san would tell stories about the red string of fate?"

Kakeru blinks and Tobio was just about to dismiss his earlier question when Kakeru speaks, "Yeah. Kazuyo-san talks about it a lot huh? I do think it's a bit too fairytale-like so I never really paid any attention to it?"

"Right..."

Kakeru grinned, "What's up Tobio? Did you find your red string person?"

Tobio feels a pang in his heart, remembering a certain brunet, "I... Not really..."

"How about you Kakeru-san?" He quickly asks before Kakeru could probe any further. Kakeru smiles softly at the question as he looks at his phone.

"Well, there is someone..."

Huh, Tobio was both surprised that Kakeru easily told him and not surprised that there actually IS someone. The vibrant red string was a very obvious indicator, "What kind of person are they?"