blackbox | kirishima eijirou

14 | rising moon

"So yeah.. that's what happened," Eijirou sighed, taking a sip of his drink, leaving Sakura to comprehend whatever he'd just said for the past few minutes ever since they settled down with their drinks.

Eijirou has been telling her about how he tried to fight off his first major villain during an infiltration of a headquarter where a mafia was staying at, and Sakura was unclear whether if it's because he felt like he wanted or needed to tell her all the details from his perspective—she was a tad bit worried.

"I mean.." She snapped out of her thoughts when he spoke again. "In the middle of the fight between Fat Gum and the villain, I interfered because it felt like my legs couldn't move to do something.. Then I was reminded of the old me. The old me that I wanted to abandon long ago."

The air around them suddenly felt gloomy.

"Back then, I was in the same middle school as my classmate from Yuei. She have this outgoing personality and great physical abilities. Everyone says she could easily be a hero because of that.. then I couldn't help but just compare myself to her and thought I was just.. plain." Sakura sees the solemn look formed on his happy façade.

And it was a sight she'd never seen and didn't want to see.

"One day, I saw some girls getting harassed by a villain. There weren't any pro heroes on patrol, but I wanted to help. I wanted to stop him from scaring the girls further. But even so, I hesitated. I was.. scared? Or maybe just—I didn't know what to do? Then the same girl came rushing in, stopping him from scaring the girls further. Made up directions for him since he was looking for someone." Eijirou looked down on his hands. "I was so useless. I felt like shit. I mean, it wasn't big of a deal if it's someone else's perspective but.. that day.. hit me hard. It hurts."

"When I got home that day, I immediately put down my bag, sat on the chair while staring at the Academic Aspirations Survey, choosing Yuei as my first choice. Before I knew it, I scribbled it out, feeling shittier by the second because I wasn't manly to even be called a fucking hero."

His gaze was futile, fixed on the window with cars passing by and streetwalkers with sunset filters touching the world. Sakura observed him with her hand supporting her chin—his scarlet brows were slightly furrowed, his lips that were destined to smile as bright as the sun were thin, frowning just a little. His ruby eyes that used to be filled with kite chasers were vain, a hint of anguish glinting within them.

So this is how the sun descends into the horizon.

"Hey," Sakura finally broke the long silence looming over them, averting his gaze from the window. "You used to tell me that you're a grown man and now you're sitting here wearing a Yuei uniform. What changed your mind then?"

His eyes widened slightly in realization, his hand making its way to the back of his neck, glancing away for a moment. "Crimson Riot, I guess.."

"A hero?" He nodded. "Then what did he do to get where you are now?"

"He.. used to say things about what makes him a hero and all but.." The corners of his lips curled up just a little. "Being manly's about living without regrets.. that's what he said. I didn't want to revert back to my old useless self just because I break, that's why I didn't want to regret anything ever again."

"And now you're still unbreakable," she smiled at him, his expression lightening up a little with a hint of astonishment. "You're still walking around with a smile while carrying that unbreakable heart of yours like a hero would."

"Did you just say 'unbreakable heart'?" He cracked a grin when he repeated what she just said, making her glance away for a moment because, well, it was still too bright for her although the sky outside was getting dark.

"S-Shut up," she retorted while ignoring the annoying grin on his face. "I'm only saying that to cheer you up."

"Aw, shucks."

"Just finish your damn latte," she rolled her eyes, standing up from her seat. "I'm closing in like ten minutes."

"Before that, can I get another slice of cake?"

Sakura glanced at him with a blank look.

"I'll pay," he grinned again.

"...Fine."

__________

"Isn't it tiring to do closing shifts every day?" The redhead yawned behind his hand when Sakura locked the glass door with a satisfying click.

"Kinda, actually," she answered honestly before putting the keys in her bag. "But it helps with the fact that I'm a night owl."

"So you're saying you purposely make yourself tired so you can go to sleep easily?"

"Pretty much," she shrugged before walking down the path on the way home, only for him to follow the blue girl. "Uh.. Aren't you going back to your school dorms?"

He caught up to her side with his hands in his uniform pockets. "Not until I walk you home."

She lifts an eyebrow. "Is this going to be a regular thing with you?"

"Nope, I'm just being a gentleman," he chuckled.

And then the both of them started walking down the trail from her memory, the silent night looming over them.

Streetlights illuminate the empty street with no one in the dark to interfere with the company of two populating the street at night. The light footsteps and the small hums coming from the boy beside her were the only music playing in the silence. Vincent Van Gogh's starry night was displayed all over the sky, and she almost forgot just how much she loved the nightlife that brings out so much of its true colours blending with her element.

How odd. Her heart's supposed to cry every time she makes her way 'home'.

She glanced at the swaying hand from the corner of her eye.

Ah, right. She's not alone.

Every time she looks at him, Sakura couldn't help but think, 'this is how a happy person supposed to look like'.

Because he smiles like he was reading a text coming from a certain someone, he laughs like someone had told him stupid puns, he talks like there wasn't anything in the world could stop him, he looks at the world with those ruby gems like everything was perfect.

She wished she has that.

But there wasn't a shooting star tonight.

By then, they're already at the same parting point from the last time. Eijirou was holding onto his small backpack with his shoulder while staring at her with a small smile, the streetlight above them illuminating his face.

Ah, she realized, if they both part ways now then there'll only be one person populating the street.

Sakura kind of wanted the night to last longer.

"Thanks for today, Sakura-chan." The smile on his lips broadened. "See you when I see you."

And then he brought his fist in front of him, realization hitting her in the face.

"Oh," she chuckled before putting out her fist too and fist-bumped him.

And then the both of them chuckled before he walked off and waved, the splotch of red fading from the painting full of blues.

Sakura looked up to the moon which never failed to amaze her with its light illuminating brightly in the deep sky, standing there for a few moments before she finally made her way around the corner to enter the house made of papers, a rare smile lingering on her lips.

So this is how the moon ascends from the horizon.

__________

Song: Streetcar // Daniel Caeser