Chapter Text
“What do you mean by ‘stay away’?” Chuuya’s eyes narrow as he’s staring down at his friend sitting by the wall. “I live here.”
Shirase shrugs under the piercing gaze. “I didn’t mean for you to actually leave , just...maybe stay home for a few days?”
“Stay home.” The redhead repeats, crossing his arms over his chest, not caring about how dirtied with ink they are. “And what about my work , huh?”
“You always do it here anyway, just keep it with you until--”
“I don’t see any reason why I should be hiding or delaying my work just because some travellers are passing through.”
“Chuu-- Ugh , Yuan, a little help here, please ?”
They both turn to the pink-haired girl who’s been silently sipping on the tea Chuuya served them before and playing with the stray cat that likes to sneak inside, knowing no one would ever have the heart to throw him away. She’s sitting closer to Shirase than to Chuuya, but still far enough to try and not be a part of the argument.
Clearly, her plan failed.
“You too ?” Chuuya’s voice is accusing with a hint of annoyance ringing through it, rightfully so considering they’re all supposed to be friends and not traitors .
“What? Wait, no-- I mean…” The cat that’s been resting on her lap until now jumps off when Yuan starts fidgeting in her place. “It’s not ‘staying away’, more like… staying low ?”
Abandoning the painting he’s been working on until the conversation shifted to that topic, Chuuya moves to the door of his small hut to let the cat scratching at the door out, but the frown doesn’t leave his face
“Right. Not showing myself in the village or talking to anyone for fuck knows how many days because I’m ‘staying low’ is completely different from being asked to just leave .” The night air hits his face as the door opens, filling Chuuya’s lungs with the smell of the surrounding forest. “Thanks so much.”
“Chuuya…” Yuan puts the cup down on the floor next to her. “You know that’s not what I or Shirase meant. We just don’t want you to get into trouble .”
“She’s right.” Shirase tries again, watching as his friend sits down by the opposite wall, right next to dozens of inked papers laying around. “There’s no need to give others even more reasons to be spreading rumours about you.”
His words only make the frown on Chuuya’s face deepen. “What rumours?” He hasn’t heard anything about this, he’s always so nice to everyone and he never felt any ill-intent from any of the villagers either. “Don’t tell me it’s about that one fight, the guy deserved it!”
“No, it’s not about that.” Yuan sighs, shifting on the cushion she was given to sit on. Her face suddenly turns troubled, or uncertain, just like Shirase’s when he hears her speak again. “It’s about that other stuff.”
Chuuya looks between the two, waiting for an explanation because they clearly know something he doesn’t, but his friends only avert their eyes when his gaze falls on them.
Just what is going on?
What is Chuuya missing?
The redhead sighs heavily before letting his expression soften into something less... annoyed . He doesn’t particularly enjoy fighting with his friends, but he also doesn’t like being told to isolate from the village without a reason.
“What other stuff?” He eventually asks, leaning his back on the wall and stretching his legs forward. All of his kimonos are already ruined with ink, getting a little dirtier from dust won’t make a difference.
“Well…” This time it’s Yuan searching for help from Shirase, but the boy doesn’t seem any more eager to speak than her, shaking his head in desperation. “It’s a small village and… people talk .”
“Yeah, obviously.” Chuuya also talks with them, that’s just normal.
“Yes, but…”
This is all very confusing. Shirase is just being himself, but Yuan never lacks confidence. She’s almost as vocal about her opinions as Chuuya, never the one to back away, so what is making her so nervous now?
“Listen.” Finally, Shirase decides to stop hiding behind her and speak again. “You know how the last group of travellers that passed through here just… disappeared ?”
Yeah, Chuuya remembers them.
“You mean those two men who beat Minato-san’s dog to death ?” He doesn’t even try to hide how he feels about them. The villagers only let them stay because they were officials from the city and no one wanted to cause trouble with the local council.
“Yes, the--”
“Why would anyone care about them?”
“It’s not that!” Shirase sighs again, his hands fisted in the grey kimono. “Yes, everyone was happy when they disappeared but someone saw you talking to them the evening before.”
“Okay…” It’s not like anyone in the village has the right to ignore officials, even if they aren’t that high-ranked. “Wait, you don’t think I killed them, do you??”
“ No , but…”
“ But? ”
“It wasn’t just once , Chuuya.” Yuan answers this time. “Or at least, that's what people are saying now. Apparently, Shogo saw you talking to that woman who came here last year the day before she disappeared.”
Chuuya doesn’t believe what he’s hearing. His friends , despite saying they don’t actually believe that, are acting as if he was the murderer while--
“Shogo wasn’t even here at that time!” The redhead argues, looking from Yuan to Shirase, they should know that. “He was away for a whole month and that woman only stayed for three days! ”
“Oh, come on, Chuuya!” Shirase runs his hand through the silver hair before leaning forward to rest his arms on his crossed legs. “It doesn’t matter whether he was here or not. What matters is that he says he saw you, and people believe him!”
“Exactly.” Yuan agrees. “We just don’t want you to risk it. What if someone sees you again and then these travellers disappear too?”
“So what, people think I’m a murderer now?” The same people who keep smiling at him every day? The same people that the redhead helps whenever they ask for it? He even lowered his prices for the poor, old man who just wanted a present for his soon-to-be-bride daughter.
His family thinks of him as a criminal ?
“No, no…” Yuan must be feeling guilty, hearing how betrayed Chuuya sounds, because she moves closer and places a hand on his shoulder. “No one thinks you killed them.”
Great.
He can get some comfort in all of this.
“So what do they think?” He still feels betrayed in a way, but the familiar hand on his arm somehow manages to soothe Chuuya’s anger. They’ve been sticking together for years now and have known each other even longer - they’re supposed to trust each other, so Chuuya’s mind automatically leans into the touch. But Yuan doesn’t answer. Instead, her hand slightly tightens on his arm, head turning towards Shirase and long, pink hair falling down from her shoulders.
The boy doesn’t look happy about being handed over the responsibility of telling Chuuya the truth, but they can’t back away anymore. He has the right to know, and maybe if he learns about it, he’ll be more careful .
Maybe the rumours will stop eventually.
“They say…”
Shirase clears his throat, but he can’t look his friend in the eyes as he says it. He doesn’t want to see the betrayal in them.
“...that you’re a bad omen .”
—
As Chuuya’s fourth day of not going anywhere nears its end, he starts getting restless.
He finished all the paintings he was commissioned for, cleaned the whole place (except for the old ink stains on the wood that are never coming off) and he’s already halfway through rewriting an old book he was asked to copy.
Oh, the joys of being one of the very few people who know how to read and write around here.
But there are only so many things he can busy himself with. Yuan and Shirase dropped by on the first day, but they have their own responsibilities too and can’t spend every second with this bad omen of a friend. They’re supposed to tell him when the travellers leave and Chuuya is trying to be patient about it but--
How is it fair ?
He’s lived here most of his 20-year-long life, never caused any problems except for this one fight with some drunk and rude man. Sure, maybe his temper can slip sometimes, but he’s not dangerous . He just wants to get by with his drawings and occasional side jobs.
He just wants to live in peace .
Knock, knock.
Chuuya gets up from his spot by the small fireplace in the middle of the hut, sighing in relief that he’ll finally get to talk to someone that isn’t a stray cat.
“Can I fucking go out no--”
“Oh.” The stranger standing on his doorstep, reeking of alcohol, looks over Chuuya, a disgusting grin painted on his face. “So you are as pretty as that old hag said.”
…
What the fuck?
“Who the hell ar--”
“Hey, beautiful .” The man leans on the doorframe, almost losing his balance and falling down but gripping the wood at the last moment. “What about spending the night with me? I’m going to be very rich very soon...”
Chuuya’s insides are boiling with rage and disgust after the man even dares to suggest something like that. He’d rather stay on his home arrest forever than get any closer to the creep. But he’s trying to listen to his friends’ advice and not cause a commotion with any of the travellers. And this man is most definitely not from around here.
“Fuck off.” The redhead growls at the man.
“Oh, I get it.” The stranger tries to straighten his back, but his body sways backwards and soon enough, Chuuya is looking down at the drunkard covered in dirt and mud from last night’s rain, sprawled on the ground in front of his hut. But the stubborn creep doesn’t shut up. “You want the money first, don’t you, beautiful?”
One more pet name and Chuuya will become a murderer.
With no regrets. He’ll be doing the world a favour.
“Get lost, old man, before I make you.” He’s about to shut the door in the man’s face, but his arm stops when he hears the low mumble from the ground.
“...demon’s gold will make you more pliant, brat…”
What did he just say?
"...you'll be begging me to…" The stranger's attempts at getting up only end up with mud splashing around. "I'll come out of that fucking forest with more gold than the fucking emperor has…"
He wouldn't mean…?
Chuuya narrows his eyes at the man who somehow managed to stand up again and is now turning around and walking away in a swaying step in not exactly the village's direction. It's late and dark, and it's not Chuuya's problem if the creep gets lost on his way.
The redhead closes the door, irritation growing in his stomach because he wore his only clean kimono today and now there are brown spots all around its bottom. But he doesn't even reach the fireplace before he hears a knocking sound again. If that bastard is back--
"Chuuya?" A sigh of relief escapes him at the sound of Shirase's voice. He's in a bad mood and there's still a part of him that feels betrayed, but...
One argument isn't enough to write off years of friendship.
"You've got some nice timing, you know?" Chuuya says as he walks back and opens the door. "One minute earlier and maybe you'd get an invitation to throw up in disgust too."
There's faint concern painting under a thick layer of confusion on Shirase's face. "What?"
"I had a visitor just now." He rolls his eyes and steps to the side, letting his friend inside. "A very drunk one. And he was just asking for the beating of his life."
"Someone from the village?" Shirase asks carefully, slowly walking up to the small fire and sitting down next to it when Chuuya nods at him.
"No. I've never seen him before."
"One of the travellers ?"
"Probably. Not that I would know what they look like." Chuuya's tone may be harsher than he'd want it to be, but with everything that's happened... He's allowed to be a bit less polite. He still offers Shirase some water and leftover rice cakes, though.
"Did anyone see him coming here? Did he go back?"
" That's what you're asking first?" Not how Chuuya is feeling, but whether someone caught him being home ? "Sorry but I was too busy trying not to punch the stranger harassing me in my home , so I didn't have the time to look around for witnesses . "
"I just wanted to--"
"Make sure there'll be someone to blame?" Chuuya hisses, his gaze piercing through his friend like needles. Maybe he should have pretended he was asleep.
"I--" Shirase tries, but his voice dies in his throat. He sighs and runs a hand down his face, shoulders shrugging before meeting Chuuya's stare again. "Look, I'm sorry. Really. "
It sounds honest and, despite the anger, the redhead chooses to trust these words.
"Are you okay?" His friend continues. "Did he do anything?"
"I'm fine." Pissed off, but physically fine. "He asked me to... spend the night with him, but I refused and he walked away."
"I can understand the throwing up part now." Shirase wrinkles his nose at that, the same disgust Chuuya felt clearly showing. "But how did he know you live here? How did he know about you in the first place?"
"He said something about an older woman mentioning me being..." Chuuya makes a face at the memory of that creep saying it. " pretty ."
The other boy's face twists again as he takes a sip of water, but then his mouth stretches in a guilty smirk as his voice tries to sound teasing. "Flower stall grandma? She does that a lot , remember?"
The conversation began awfully , but now even Chuuya huffs a laugh.
Yeah. He remembers very well.
"Sure." He rolls his eyes and sits down opposite to the other man. "Every time she's trying to set me up with one of her granddaughters."
Unsuccessfully, but it is funny every time.
And only a little awkward.
"Well. They're very nice..." Shirase smirks suggestively at him, amusement starting to dance in his eyes--
"Want me to tell Yuan you said that?"
--before it stops and his face goes pale .
"Please don't."
It's only been a little over half a year since he and Yuan got together after Shirase spent his entire life trying to impress her. From giving his best in every childhood game they played to working extra errands just to be able to afford a present for her birthday. And the girl wasn’t oblivious to it, she knew very well about her friend's feelings, everyone knew, and it's not that she wanted to be cruel - after growing up with just her mother, Yuan simply didn't believe in love confessions. Not after she saw her father walk out only to never come back.
She didn't believe in it and decided she didn't want it.
But Shirase was very... stubborn . Some even called him desperate over the years, but that never lessened his efforts. And after almost two decades of trying…
Yuan believed him.
Now he just needs to not mess it up.
"If you have any mercy in your heart, you won't do it." And he's ready to beg if that's what Chuuya wants.
"Hm, well you did hurt me a little just now..." Making his friend stress a little isn't a bad thing, it's simply payback but, as it turns out, he does have mercy. "Relax." Chuuya huffs at his friend, a teasing grin stretching on his face. "I won't tell. I've already had enough fun watching you struggle all these years."
"Wow, thanks ."
They stare at each other for a second before they both start laughing, just like old times. Well, older than three days .
It's times like these, that the redhead cherishes the most. Sitting in a warm room, with whatever food they have, laughing and bickering until no one other than them three can tell which threats are real and which are not. It's enough to make the creep's visit seem like nothing important, like a few minutes Chuuya won't even bother to remember, and the whole rumours situation…
Well, it's not his friend's fault.
Yuan and Shirase have always been there for him, before he moved away and after he came back, and even if Chuuya was hurt by their tones last time--
They just wanted to help .
"So" The redhead starts again after he's calmed down. "Why are you here?"
"I can't visit ny best friend without a reason now?" The other boy takes a bite of the rice cake he was offered, making his pouting face even more childish.
"You know what I mean." Chuuya rolls his eyes but takes one sweet for himself. "I guess I'm still on house arrest since that guy was just here"
"Actually, they're supposed to be leaving tomorrow morning."
Oh, finally .
"And you couldn't tell me that tomorrow?"
"Chuuya," Shirase starts, almost with a serious face. "If you think I'm a morning person, then you've clearly gone mad while staying here." And then a shy smile blooms on the boy's, his eyes looking to the side as his voice turns more shy. "I knew you'd want to go out as soon as possible, so I came now."
That makes Chuuya smile as well because--
Yes, he really wants to get out and see the village.
"And we seriously don't think any of that bad omen bullshit is true."
"I know." Or at least that's what Chuuya believes. "But thanks."
"Anything for my man." After a moment, Shirase adds: "Unless you snitch on me to Yuan, then I'm taking you down with me."
"Deal."
—
To be honest, Chuuya isn't much of a morning person himself, however , today is different - today he has his freedom back .
He's been awake since sunrise, but it's only when he sees people walking around in the distance from his window, that the boy decides it's time.
With the paintings carefully placed between paper sheets and wooden panels, an empty bag to be filled with food for the rest of the week, the redhead walks towards the village, basking in the sunlight hitting his skin.
It’s warm, the sky is clear again and the fresh air resonates with the sounds of people getting ready for the day. Chuuya's hut isn't quite in the village, it was built by his parents a long time ago where the forest meets the river, a good 15 minutes walk from the next closest house, but he doesn't mind. He likes the peace, how quiet the nights are ( usually ), and even if, compared to everyone else, it is a bit secluded from the others... It's his.
It's filled with memories from his childhood, from before he moved away after his dad died, and he feels safe there.
...although now, he really needs to spend some time with people.
His first stop is the house of, oh the irony, the flower stall grandma who ordered a painting for her granddaughter's birthday - a scenery of the sea that the girl loves so much.
"Ah, Chuuya, you're here!" The old lady greets him with a smile when she spots the redhead coming her way. "I haven't seen you in a while, or is it just my memory getting worse?"
But before Chuuya can even return the greeting, she continues, gesturing for him to come closer.
"Well, regardless, did you consider my offer? None of you are getting any younger, believe me."
Ah, of course.
"I'm glad you seem healthy and in high spirits, Ino-san." He smiles at her, nodding politely. "But I'm afraid my answer is still the same."
"Yes, yes..." She waves her hand at him just as always. "But if you do change your mind..."
He won't and she probably knows it, but this topic has become something of a tradition between them.
"I'll let you know if I do. For now, though, I finished the painting you asked for."
"Oh! Why didn't you say so sooner, show me, show me..."
Out of all his clients, Ino-san and the old man from the fish stall at the end of the market are Chuuya's favourites. They never ask for the impossible and their reactions are always so heartwarming and satisfying to watch. Seeing the shining eyes and wide smiles is like getting a second payment, but instead of filling Chuuya's pockets, it fills his soul with happiness.
It's his work that makes these smiles appear. His paintings.
With a handful of coins and a white flower tucked behind his ear (a present of gratitude, as Ino-san said), Chuuya walks down the main street, smiling and greeting every familiar face he sees. The villagers don't seem any different from usual, which is a good sign, but now that he knows the things that were, and probably still are, being said about him…
He can notice things he didn't before.
How, despite their smiles, people rarely ever start a conversation with him. Before, Chuuya thought it was a matter of him growing up - everyone here loves indulging children in answering their never-ending questions, when you're a teenager they like to keep up with what you're up to, and as a fresh adult, Chuuya thought people were simply trying not to disturb the little free time he allows himself from work.
He thought they were too busy with their own lives to still be keeping in touch the same way they used to.
But now he sees it.
They smile, but also quickly avert their eyes. They answer his greetings, but also walk away right after. They will talk to him, but only if he takes the initiative.
He doesn't feel not welcome in the village, there is no hostility towards him, it's just... It feels lonely when people who were supposed to be his family are scared of talking to him.
And Chuuya can't do anything about it.
No one publicly accused him of anything, no one gave him a chance to defend himself and make things right. No, the villagers decided to stay quiet and just not risk talking to him if it's not necessary. And if he tried to say something now, if he let them know that someone told him about the rumours - what good would it do? Make them think he's angry? Make them even more scared of him?
Chuuya can't win with words, not now, he needs time to show them he's still the same boy they knew, the same man that came back a few years ago.
It's frustrating, but he can be patient, he can wait.
He simply doesn't want to be alone forever .
"Ah, hello boy."
A familiar sound brings Chuuya back to the present, the thoughts clouding his mind slowly fading away. The man sits under the tree next to his sweets stall, just like he always does, and looks up at the redhead with a soft smile.
"Are you feeling better now?"
Chuuya bows politely at the elderly man, trying not to show how the question confused him for a second. Was Shirase's excuse for Chuuya's absence that he was sick ? After he was asked to stay away--
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you very much for your concern. I finished the piece you asked for."
"Oh, wonderful!" The man beams, slowly leaning away from the tree. "Come, help this old man stand up and see it."
The painting, again, is received with a gentle smile, the man's eyes turning even warmer as he admires the portrait of his soon-to-be bride granddaughter.
"You know," He says quietly. "I wish you were here when I was getting married all these decades ago, my wife would love something like this. Not that I could have afforded it at the time." The man laughs to himself and Chuua chuckles at the confession, not saying anything yet, though, because..."I wish she was still here."
The redhead never got a chance to meet her, but he knows the pain of losing one's family - he knows how long the pain can hold onto someone's heart, and he can only offer silence to the man whose smile has always had this sadness to it for as long as Chuuya remembers.
"But who knows, I may be joining her soon. These people who came here..." He sighs heavily, putting the paint safely on the stall and searching for his bag to pay the redhead. "They almost gave me a heart attack twice in just a few days."
That information makes Chuuya's brows furrow. "What happened? Did they do something or...?"
If the rest of them are any similar to the creep that came to his hut, then they may have caused trouble for the villagers and Chuuya wouldn't know about it.
Did they hurt anyone? Did they try something inappropriate --
"They're a bunch of rude youngsters without any manners." The man's face twists. "And they got even worse after drinking without paying the bill. I don't know what they came here for, but gods bless us with them gone now."
It doesn't sound like anyone got hurt physically, Shirase didn't mention anything happening, but Chuuya can't help how his mind goes back to the man that paid him a visit last night. What if his companions were worse and actually tried something with any of the girls? What if they'll be back and someone gets hurt then?
The village has always been peaceful, its people don't like conflicts and, more often than not, it results in them being used and looked down on by the travellers.
They never fight back, especially elderly villagers.
It's Chuuya that stands up for them, but he can't do that if he has to stay away . He can't do that if it makes people more scared of him.
Finishing giving his works to his clients and shopping for groceries takes Chuuya the whole morning and into the afternoon. By the time all of his paintings are gone and his bag is full of food, the Sun is already starting to lower in the sky. With a steaming bun in his hand, Chuuya strolls down the main road, searching for the spot where he knows Yuan spends her breaks from helping at the tea house. And he's not surprised to see Shirase sitting next to her, both of them waving at Chuuya when the redhead comes from around the corner.
"Enjoying life outside?" Yuan greets him with a cheeky smile, but her voice is almost apologetic, just as it was last time.
"What do you think?" Chuuya swings his bag, arguably more full than it usually would be, in front of the girl's face before sitting down on the grass next to her. "I even got a new client."
"And I burnt myself with tea today, how unfair can today get?" The overexaggerated sigh tells Chuuya that it wasn't anything too serious, but he still worries about her. Strong-willed and independent as she may be, Yuan likes keeping these things to herself a little too much.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, this idiot here already freaked out enough for the three of us, so don't worry about it."
"Hey!" Shirase glares at his friend and girlfriend trying to suppress their laughter when they see his face. "I worry because I care ."
Which is sweet, they all know it, however…
" And I'm not an idiot, come on!"
Chuuya and Yuan both burst out laughing at the pause before that sentence and how Shirase didn't feel the need to defend that part until he actually thought about what his girlfriend said.
"Sure." Chuuya teases.
"Whatever you say, Mr Desperate-for-20-years." Yuan rolls her eyes at him but her voice is soft, much softer than it would be not even two years ago.
She may have ignored these feelings growing in her chest for years, but once she accepted him... Shirase may be the one who fell in love first, but now Yuan cares for him just as much. She probably has for a while without realising it.
"But it worked !"
Yes, it did.
Chuuya will forever remember how his friend shed tears of joy when his wish was finally answered, he'll forever remember how the sight of pure happiness before his eyes made his heart fill with warmth and a sense of relief.
The redhead's life was filled with all kinds of emotions. Sadness, joy, grief, anger, guilt ... But he has never been the one to chase the impossible himself. Chuuya accepted the happiness the world would grant him, but never sought more.
There were good days, but the only ones that would stay in his mind have always been the ones when he shared that happiness with his family and friends. Even now, every time he remembers the day Shirase knocked at his door, face red with dried tears and with Yuan at his side, too emotional to actually explain what happened until it was the girl that had to say it, Chuuya's lips always curl up in a smile he can't fight.
He's seen them go through so much.
He's seen them struggling and overcoming the problems along the way.
And he's truly glad they can all laugh together now. It makes Chuuya think… Maybe one day in the future, when they're older and wiser, maybe he'll be able to see Shirase even happier . Maybe he'll see Yuan be the most beautiful bride in the village.
It's a wish Chuuya holds in his heart, a wish they all hold dear, even if none of them ever says it out loud.
But would life actually allow the redhead this chance?
Would this cruel life allow any of them to see the day of a marriage that's only just a dream?