K Side: Red

Interval 3

Totsuka was impolitely sitting on the couch with his feet up on it and his arms around his knees as he silently listened to Kusanagi and Suou’s argument.

Kusanagi’s hand was grabbing Suou’s collar, and he was shoving him up against the wall like he was trying to throw him against it. Suou didn’t resist, and allowed himself to be forced between Kusanagi and the wall.

"You…!" Throwing away his usual atmosphere and widening his often drooping eyes, Kusanagi glared at Suou, and spat out his words like vomiting blood. But, immediately, he shut up and clenched his teeth. 

At that moment, Suou was covered in wounds. He’d received first aid, but many of them weren’t closed, and blood leaked out to stain the bandages red. But Suou’s eyes, as if in contrast to his body’s condition, were energetically- perhaps even dangerously, one might think- full of life. Like his soul alone was trying to run on ahead, leaving behind his physical body.

Totsuka didn’t try to stop Kusanagi from grabbing Suou, who was in bad shape. Totsuka also understood Kusanagi’s feelings, so much it was painful.

"Do you wanna die, Mikoto?" At Kusanagi’s expression, one he never usually wore which was a fierce look only a paper’s breadth away from looking like he was about to cry, Suou smiled in a wry, troubled way. 

That scene was opposite from how things normally were.

Normally, Suou would always push annoying things off on and act so whimsically towards his elder, Kusanagi, it was almost like he was being spoiled in a way. Right then, it was Kusanagi who wasn’t able to control himself, and Suou was the one who was looking like he was watching over Kusanagi from some distant place. That also fanned Kusanagi’s worrying.

"Not really, I don’t intend to die." Looking at Suou’s face as he said that, Kusanagi grimaced and let go of Suou’s collar.

"Kusanagi." Suou called, but Kusanagi didn’t reply, and only irritably turned away. Still smiling bitterly, like his throat was tight (Kusanagi probably thought that even the fact that he was making such a face felt ominous), and after looking at Kusanagi’s face, he lightly layed his hand on the guy’s shoulder and left the bar.

Between Kusanagi and Totsuka, who were left alone in the empty bar, an awkward silence fell. While Kusanagi and Suou had been arguing, Totsuka had just sat there silently without opening his mouth or even looking over there. Even after Suou exited, Totsuka didn’t move and wondered what he should do for a little bit. In the end, while still not looking at Kusanagi, he asked directly.

"…should I leave you alone?"

"No." Kusanagi also didn’t look in Totsuka’s direction, but he shook his head.