I'm scared of you

The young man in wide jeans and a baggy shirt ran down the busy street. His blue eyes scanned everywhere, searching for the man with white hair, but he was nowhere to be seen. He was used to having a fast heartbeat, but now he had a furious one.

The wind blew harder and spread his bright teal hair in all directions. He squinted his eyes against the gusts, looking for the man wearing a black tracksuit in every store and on every sidewalk he passed by.

Then, there he was. His roommate was standing at the corner of the street, facing away from him. His posture was calm as he talked to a female figure with fiery red hair.

Natsuo could see her sobbing face and shaking shoulders as she cried. His housemate reached out to comfort her, wrapping her in his arms and murmuring something in her ear as he stroked her back. She clung to him and buried her face in his chest as he held her tight.

A sudden cramp struck his stomach as he observed the two of them. He stood there frozen and watched how Jiro grabbed her hand and led her away from the crowd to an alley where they wouldn't be seen.

(A while later)

The bell chimed as Natsuo returned to the salon he had previously fled. His mind was still spinning from the sight he had seen earlier, so he stood at the entrance with trembling limbs, since he returned almost as quickly as he had left.

"Well, how did it go with you - ?"

The woman stopped mid-sentence as she saw the broken expression on the other's face.

"What happened?" Ayumi sighed and put down the teriyaki chicken she was about to eat.

"I, uh... saw them, him and Izumi. She was crying, but he... he comforted her and hugged her. They went into the alley together..."

"Wait, what?"

The chime rang a second time and the person with white hair wearing a tracksuit stepped into the salon. The black-haired woman still dressed in her apron turned her frowning gaze toward the new arrival in disbelief.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jiro was taken aback, probably not expecting such an accusatory tone when he had just returned from his attempt to get coffee.

"Sorry, I saw a note saying the your favorite café was closed. Do you want me to go to another one?"

Natsuo stood stiffly, not daring to look at the man. He was afraid that the sight of him would cause him to break down in front of his friends.

Ayumi rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. She took off her apron, grabbed her long coat from the rack, and headed toward the door.

"Well, I'm getting that damn coffee for myself."

She reached for the key from her pocket and was about to step out into the busy street, before turning to look at the two people left in her salon.

"Neither of you will leave until you work this out."

She locked the door behind her, trapping the former classmates inside with their unresolved conflict.

"What is happening?" Jiro asked in complete confusion, most likely wondering why he was confronted with such an attitude.

Natsuo quickly made his way to the small restroom and twisted the lock, isolating himself in the safety of the tiny space. He sank into the black-painted toilet and rested his head on his hands as tears stung his eyes.

All his buried emotions erupted and he was completely powerless to fight them anymore. He hated that he had to give in to such cowardly behavior. He hated himself for being so weak and helpless.

The other man knocked gently on the door. The thud of his knuckles against the wood sounded much louder than it was.

Natsuo heard the soft whisper calling his name from outside, the voice of the man he had always been attracted to. It penetrated the thick walls and cut through the silence between them, choking his chest with unspoken and overwhelming longing.

"I want to understand why you are so upset. Please, talk to me. Did I do something wrong?"

A vintage radio in the salon played a sorrowful ballad, depressing the mood even further.

"I'm here for you. Tell me what is wrong."

Jiro's voice was the gentlest Natsuo had ever heard, full of warmth and kindness. It put him in some kind of trance, making him stand up and pulling him forward like an invisible string. He slowly reached out and placed his hand on the doorknob, feeling the cold metal in his palm. He was nervous about opening the door, but then he took a deep breath and collected his nerves.

Natsuo unlocked it with a click and opened the creaky door, revealing the figure standing in the doorway, looking worried.

"Do you... plan to harm me?" he asked quietly.

His white-haired friend was completely stunned by the man's reply. His face changed into deep sadness as he tried to reach out, but the other one flinched away, avoiding his touch as if it could burn.

"What makes you say things like that?" Jiro asked with wrinkled brows.

Natsuo stared distantly like he was in a daze. He thought back to Ayumi's words, her encouragement and assurance that the redhead was behind everything, trying to break them apart. The other man spoke first when he was about to mention the mysterious phone call.

"Did you see me and Izumi on the street?"

Hearing that, Natsuo was at a loss for words. He glanced at the taller man before him, who was gazing intently into his eyes.

"I just ran into her. I rejected her and told her I had another person in my heart since she kept contacting me," the yakuza uttered in an unsteady voice.

"She asked if I could give her one last kiss. I said no, that I could hug her instead, but..."

He paused for a moment and exhaled slowly.

"But even when I did that, I... it felt wrong."

His pale brown eyes looked at his previous classmate, like searching for some sign of understanding or compassion in the other's expression.

"I'm sorry. Now I wish I could take that back."

Natsuo stayed silent, his hands trembling as he tried to absorb the details he had just heard. He felt like he was at a crossroads, with his past and present forcing him to make a decision that would change everything.

"I hope I can kiss and hug only the one I really want from now on. I don't want to hurt him in any way," Jiro said in a painful tone.

The former bully never openly admitted his weaknesses, flaws, or failures when he was younger. Everything was always just one big lie. Acting tough and rebellious. Being vulnerable and raw was never an option. Facing his suppressed fears and insecurities felt so much harder than behaving like a jerk - it was the scariest thing he had probably ever done, but he finally decided to do it.

"I'm... scared of how you make me feel. I'm scared of what people will think... I'm... scared of you."

Their eyes met and the atmosphere shifted, when neither dared to look away from each other's gaze.