Recovery Road (boyxboy)

Chapter 9

Today was another school day. Kids dressed in their normal attire or maybe uniform. High school students roaming the halls of the large high school building. Kouyou, Yuu, and Yutaka sat in the cafeteria, eating their breakfast. None of them had talked to Takanori since the incident.

"Wait...Has anyone besides me talked to Takanori?" Kouyou spoke after swallowing his chewed pancake. The guys looked at Kouyou with wide eyes. No one has heard nor spoke to Takanori since that situation. No one even knows that he's been in a mental hospital. They looked at the empty spot that was next to Yutaka. That's where Takanori usually sits.

"He hasn't been coming to school lately..." Kouyou mumbled and sighed. He felt really bad for his best friend and he just wonders why he hadn't just let him stay home that day. "Let's go to his house after school to check on him..."

"Roger that." Yuu and Yutaka said in sync. Kouyou sighed and continued eating along with the guys.

The day had went by pretty smoothly. The classes were pretty quick and of course some of the classes seemed long because of how boring it would be. Then, dismissal time arrived. The scholars had scattered the halls once again, to get to their lockers and maybe go to detention, or go to tutoring, or to just go home. Kouyou and Yuu walked each other to their lockers, whilst Yutaka following them as well. They leave the building and proceed their way to Takanori's home. The walk was pretty silent. Well, there was a bit of small talk going on, but without Takanori, it was kind of quiet. When they finally arrive to his home, they open the gate skipped to the front door, knocking and ringing the doorbell.

Kato had unlocked the door and opened it, "Oh, hey guys." he said and opened the door wider, allowing the guys to come in. They each sit on the sofa in the living room after taking off their shoes and putting them by the wall near the door. Kato sat down on the opposite side of them on the sofa chair. "So, you guys looking for Takanori, correct?" Kato asked and leaned his elbows on his thighs.

"Yeah, is he here?" Yutaka asked. Kato sighed and shook his head.

"No...he's not here. He won't be back until for another 2 months..."

"Why?" The three said in unison.

"Well...he's in a mental hospital."

Everyone had gotten quiet. Kouyou, then, felt tears falling down his eyes and his stomach started aching. "What? What do mean?" Kouyou's voice cracked as he spoke.

"He's in a pretty bad condition. He has been self harming and everyday crying and screaming. Throwing stuff, having a tantrum. Breaking glass, attempt of suicides, taking drugs, he was terrible." Kato said. Yuu felt like he was getting even more depressed, thinking of that time where Takanori was literally about to stab himself in front of his eyes,and Kouyou remembered how Takanori was slitting his wrists the worse way possible. Kouyou was sobbing now and Yuu held on to his boyfriend, rubbing gentle circles.

"He shouldn't have to go through that. It's my fault. I shouldn't have let him go to that party. I shouldn't have manipulated him to go." Kouyou cried. Kato sighed and went over to the male and sat on his knees in front of him.

"Kouyou, it's not your fault. You didn't steal away his virginity. You didn't get him drunk. You didn't upload that pornographic video. Isamu did. You did what was right, wanting him to have fun, but look... .he's going to be okay. I promise." Kato rubbed on Kouyou's back again. Yutaka was in the hug embrace as well.

"I hope he will. When can we visit him?" Yutaka asked.

"We'll see. My mom will let me know."

Kouyou took a long, deep inhale and a long exhale. He has never felt so guilty ever. Even if it wasn't his fault, he felt guilty for taking Takanori. Kouyou wiped his tears with his arm sleeves and sniffed, sitting up from Yuu's embrace. "Does Akira know?"