The Universe Listened | Kiribaku

Ringing in my head

•Chapter Twenty Four•

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Here's what happens when you fall in love:

At first, you think he's horrendous. His hair is too spiky, too red, and his eyes are dull. His laugh makes your skin crawl and there's something about his smile that you just can't stand. He's overly nice, almost as if it's forced. All in all, he's thoroughly average. Painfully average.

Everything he does, everything from his over-the-top personality to the way he eats frustrates you to no end. He walks to slow, his actions are so careless. His room and school locker are far too messy. He takes too long to text, he's not the brightest guy out there, and he's too loud all the time. You can't stand it, and you're not sure why. At first, it was because he stole your top spot. You thought he was undeserving of that prize, undeserving of the applause and the attention. This doesn't change when you discover he's blind, in fact, it fuels your hatred even more and you can't fathom why.

You get to know him, and not by choice either. You see just how hard he works, all of the hardships he had to face, and eventually you're a little more forgiving, a little less hostile. The hatred turns to admiration. The smile, the happinessーit was all a facade to show his friends that they, too, could keep going. They would beat the pain, and the battle would have been worth it.

He opens up to you, and he allows you to do the same. He listens. He shows that he cares.

You realize your entire world could be crumbling all around you, but everything would be okay as long as his was standing.

You notice his heart first. You're made aware of the way it bleeds and beats for others, the way it doesn't beat for himself. It's so loud all the time, always explaining the way he feels without him actually having to say any words. Sometimes, in the quiet of the practise room, when you're both resting, you can hear it's steady rhythm against his chest. It's so musical. So soothing. You tap the beat on your leg. You fall in love with it.

Next, you notice everything else. His brain, which actually isn't as empty as he makes it out to be, and the armour he's been building up over the years. You see the way he carries it, how heavy it must feel. You compare it to how heavy yours is and you wonder if it's the same. You notice just how beautiful he is.

You didn't realize you were falling in love until it already happenedーuntil your heart constricted at the mere thought of him. Until he was all you could ever think about it. It was too late.

Suddenly, his face is no longer annoying. His eyes are no longer boring, his hair isn't stupid anymore. You wantーmore than anythingーto see his smile at every waking moment. You want to see his eyes light up as he rambles about the things he enjoys. His fascination for the colour red captivates you, and his annoying dog grows on you.

His friends: You put up with the two because they're important to him. They've been there for him in ways you couldn't, and they'll be there for him in ways you'll never be. As painful as that fact is, you come to terms with it. You have to.

You couldn't understand the importance of these people for the longest time. Pieces of a puzzle that didn't seem to fit no matter how many times you mix and match them. They weren't meant to fit together, the two. That wasn't their purpose. They were the pieces that were meant to go on either side of Kirishima, the pieces that kept him together. Together, the puzzle was complete. Sometimes they broke apart, sometimes a corner somehow ended up bent, but in the end, they'd fix each other.

Fear is instilled upon you when you think about telling him, not because you're afraid he's going to reject you, but because you aren't sure you'll be around for much longer. Your father's job constantly has you moving, as well as your talent.