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[ M!Reader ] ➜ Valentine's Day Without You

╰┈➤ The juniors of RYUSEITAI discover a pair of matching rings beside Chiaki's unit uniform. Upon being asked about it, Chiaki goes into detail about what happened to his other half.

                   BLOOD + DEATH WARNING!!!
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

     Clink—!

A metallic sound followed a shimmering chain falling from the nearby table. From behind the mesmerizing stage, in the shadows of the backstage area, the juniors of RYUSEITAI turned their heads to face the sound.
Tetora Nagumo was the first to investigate, his amber hues reflecting the two silver rings that had fallen from the pile of red and white that is Chiaki's RYUSEITAI unit outfit.
Shinobu Sengoku soon followed, his eyes fixated on the two rings. It was unique to RYUSEI Red, as none of the others have such an accessory to accompany their outfits. "Where'd that come from?" Asked Shinobu as Tetora picked up the rings.
"I'm not sure.. I think it fell from Morisawa's outfit." Tetora replied as he held the shimmering accessories in both of his hands.

"Hello, RYUSEITAI!"
The voice of Chiaki Morisawa thundered. He and Kanata raced backstage, their faces both smiling. Tetora, clutching the rings, turned to face the duo. Shinobu and Midori followed. "Ah," Chiaki's expression softened as he eyed Tetora's hands. "Hm. So you found it."
"It?" Questioned Tetora with a visibly curious expression.
Midori heaved an audible sigh. "Do we even want to know..?" He murmured.
"Haha, if you'll listen, I'll tell you everything!" Said Chiaki.

Kanata pat Chiaki's shoulder, smiling innocently as he spoke. "Perhaps the "abridged" version would be better." He suggested calmly.
Chiaki nodded his head in response. He then walked up to Tetora. All were wearing their casual street attire, such an atmosphere was perfect for storytelling. Tetora handed the rings instinctively to Chiaki. "So.. where'd this thing come from?" Asked Tetora.
Chiaki, holding the chain nostalgically in both of his hands, smiled bitterly. "This came from a.. friend of mine and Kanata's. He was a producer here for a few years."
"Ah— was?" Echoed the surprised Shinobu, followed by a mutual look of surprise from both Midori and Tetora.
Midori shook his head. "No way he's actually dead.."
Chiaki gave a slow nod of his head. "Unfortunately, yes." He then trailed off.
"Ah, Morisawa, you don't have to tell us." Tetora said, evidently surprised by the fact that a friend of Chiaki had passed away.

Chiaki snickered a bit as he eyed the rings, an unusually soft expression on his face. "It's okay. He was an amazing person, you all would've liked him. He had a vibrant personality, but it got him into trouble. He did his best to protect too many people, and in the end, that was his fatal flaw." As Chiaki paused to eye his reflection in the rings themselves, he heaved a soft sigh to gather himself before resuming.
Kanata briefly smiled. "He was very "thoughtful" while we were friends." He commented.
Tetora's expression shifted. Midori's expression was a tad envious. Shinobu's expression was mainly surprised by this new tale.
Chiaki forced himself to continue. "He was my best friend, and he was close with Kanata, too. In the end, I couldn't save him.. I couldn't be a hero, and he passed away because of it."

Kanata turned to the juniors. "Why do you think Chiaki is "RYUSEI Red"?" He questioned, seemingly an innocent inquiry.
Tetora glanced between the two as he thought. Midori seemed just as lost, but Shinobu seemed to understand. "Don't tell me.." he trailed off.
"Aha, I wasn't going to tell them that," Chiaki said towards Kanata. "Yes, I chose to become RYUSEI Red because red was his favorite color— and this uniform is almost the exact same shade as his blood." His confession summoned silence.

The backstage was somber as the outdoor hero event died out with the audience fanning out. Tetora, Midori, and Shinobu all held their faces in twisted expressions of pure shock and sorrow. Chiaki's expression was so gentle, so soft, and so kind. Some would assume that this was more than just his friend— and in reality, they'd be correct.

You were his everything. That scrawny nerd with thick, black glasses framing his face absolutely adored you. And you adored him. Every one of the two's conversations went by swimmingly. You thought of Kanata as your brother, and unfortunately, fell head over heels for Chiaki at first sight by the fountain while watching over Kanata. Unfortunately, your connections with awful people came back to haunt you. Just as Chiaki said, he was unable to be your hero. You were killed right before his eyes.
He was one of the last to hug you and see you smile, and the very last person to say goodbye to you.

Chiaki was never the same after that day. He put his glasses down and never picked them back up, and from that day onward, he was RYUSEI Red. Red— the color of your blood when he held you in his arms as your life dwindled out from between his fingers. And RYUSEI, meaning "meteor",  because you were a meteor in his sky that flashed with beauty for only a second before you were gone.

The air fell stagnant. Tetora balled his hand into a tight fist, placing it before his lips. "Morisawa.. I'm so sorry." He softly said.
Chiaki smiled at his unit members. "Haha, it's fine. That's the past now, all I can do is be the best hero now."
The best hero now to save everyone else because he couldn't save who he loved the most back then.
Kanata snickered a bit. "It's Valentine's Day, Chiaki. "Try" not to be so somber~. It's a day of "love" for everyone!" He happily announced.
In spite of that, Shinobu still looked as though he'd shed tears over such a story. Midori looked upon the jewelry that Chiaki held so bitterly yet so tenderly, unable to comprehend what kind of grief must follow with such a loss. And Tetora, he was frozen in shock. He was eyeing the rings and the outfit of RYUSEI Red, never to look at it the same way again.

The Chiaki back then couldn't save the one most dear to him, but if he could, he'd go back in time and show you the Chiaki of today. Maybe then, he'd actually be able to save you. If only he could be given a second chance.

Valentine's Day would be spent with his unit and a box of chocolates for someone that can only exist in his distant memories.