¡Finally, Friday! Exams had been tormenting them all week, and finally, they were free from them.

With the exams finished, extracurricular activities returned to their usual schedule, so that day, everyone (except Chuuya) had orchestra rehearsal.

"What a blessing!" exclaimed Agatha with joy. "Exams are finally over!"

"Amen," teased Dazai, glancing sideways at Fyodor, who grimaced at the comment.

He didn't say anything.

"Dazai-kun, help me tune," requested Sigma.

Once seated at the piano, he played the G chord and then the single note. Sigma adjusted the pegs.

"A bit higher," indicated Fyodor. "No, not that much. Yes, that's perfect."

Then they moved on to D, A, and finally, E.

"Pass me the notes, Sigma," requested Gogol.

Once they had tuned, they took their positions. Sigma and Gogol sat together on the left side of the stage, Dazai was almost in the middle, leaning to the right. Agatha sat a little ahead of Fyodor, both on the right. So, every time Director Fukuchi said something, they looked at each other and made faces. They also communicated in sign language, saying things like "Old idiot" or "Farting old man." Things like that.

Fukuchi was a muscular man who had been part of the army in some war. Supposedly, after experiencing the horrors of war, he decided to dedicate himself to music.

But being traumatized didn't justify the rude way he treated the orchestra members. There wasn't a day when that old man wasn't in a bad mood. And he was only in a good mood when he drank, and if he drank, he farted. Hence the nickname Farting Old Man.

And that day, he seemed to be in a very bad mood. According to him, no one did anything right, and the rehearsal was a complete disaster.

According to the guys, it wasn't that bad, but if they dared to mention it, he would most likely yell at them, and they didn't want to smell his breath when he approached to scold them.

"Get out of here, all of you, you did terribly! You'd better try harder next time! Sigma, you must clean this place!"

Sigma turned, horrified.

"Huh?!"

"You heard me. And if this place isn't cleaned properly..." He raised a fist, and the young man with gray eyes swallowed hard.

Fukuchi was the first to leave. Sigma looked at his friends.

"Are you going to help me, right?"

They looked at each other.

"Listen, Sigma... I have some errands to run, you know..." Dazai excused himself. "I'll help you next time!"

And he ran off.

"Dear Sigma, you know I would love to, but..." Agatha smiled slightly. "I promised to call my family, so I can't take too long... See you!"

Another one who ran off. He looked pleadingly at Fyodor and Gogol.

"I can't. I have unfinished business," said the Russian, turning around and walking away. Sigma looked at Gogol.

"Please... Don't leave me alone," he pleaded.

"Oh, it's just that... Gangster and Ratatouille are waiting for me at home... And if I leave them, they'll die... I can't leave them... I'm really sorry, I swear I'll stay with you next time!"

And so, Sigma was left alone. Sighing pitifully, he began to stack the chairs and put them in their place. It was a terribly tedious job, but he had no other choice.

After stacking the chairs, he had to sweep and mop... And when he had finished cleaning, it started pouring rain. Of course, it did, a downpour just on the day he didn't bring an umbrella. Could the situation get worse, or had it hit rock bottom?

He stood waiting at the university entrance for the rain to stop. It was terribly cold, and although he was wearing a sweater, his bones were freezing.

A red car pulled up in front of him, and the window rolled down.

Oh, no.

"Do you need a ride?" Chuuya asked from the driver's seat.

"Ah...! N-no, I'm fine, no need..." Sigma stammered. Chuuya frowned.

"Get your ass in the car right now, Sigma," he ordered, opening the door.

And Sigma had no choice but to get into Chuuya's car and let him drive him home. On another occasion, he wouldn't have burned for nothing; on the contrary, it would have been a dream come true. But for some reason he didn't understand, Chuuya was angry with him, always taking the opportunity to give him a murderous look that made him extremely uncomfortable.

What had Sigma done to deserve this contempt?

"Where do you live?" asked the redhead, starting the car.

"Near Kuraki Park," explained the younger one.

The trip proceeded in such an uncomfortable silence that Sigma couldn't stop squirming uncomfortably in his seat. The rain showed no signs of stopping.

Nakahara parked a few blocks before Sigma's apartment.

"Do I get out here?" asked the bicolor-haired one.

"No," Chuuya replied calmly. "I just wanted to talk to you about a couple of things before taking you home."

He swallowed hard; he knew where this was going.

"Listen, Sigma," Chuuya began, twisting his fingers anxiously, "you're a good person. I think you're intelligent, and I really don't want us to get along badly."

"I don't want us to get along badly either, Chuuya-san."

"That's good, so I'll get straight to the point," Chuuya sighed deeply. "I don't like that you get so close to Dazai. And I want you to be honest with me, okay?"

"I'm not used to telling lies," Sigma said. "I have nothing to hide."

"Then tell me... You and Dazai...?"

"Just friends. I think he's already mentioned it."

"Yes, but—"

"Listen, Chuuya-san," Sigma interrupted, "with all due respect, I don't want to get along badly with you either. But honestly, I have no romantic involvement with your boyfriend. And even if I were the slightest bit interested, I don't think Dazai-kun would trade him for me."

"Dazai has many reasons to prefer you over me."

Sigma fell silent, astonished.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Isn't it obvious?!" Chuuya jumped, alarmed. "You're younger, super intelligent, and much cuter than me! You're literally the beauty stereotype in Japan, with your white and delicate skin, silky hair, and almond-shaped eyes! Every time someone looks at me, the last thing that would cross their mind is that I'm from here too."

The redhead stared out the window while Sigma didn't know what to say.

"Do you really believe that?" he dared to ask. Chuuya nodded. "I've always believed the opposite."

Nakahara raised his gaze.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"W-well, it's just that I've always thought Chuuya-san is perfect..." Sigma confessed. The mentioned one snorted.

"Don't be a bootlicker."

"I'm not! I really think that."

"Why?"

"Because, well, Chuuya-san is good at everything. You're the top student in his class, smart and athletic. I honestly have no idea where you finds so much time to practice so many sports. And besides, you're so... So..."

"So, what?"

"So beautiful!" he blurted out. "You have beautiful, perfectly tanned skin, and your hair looks like it's made of fire. And your eyes... They must be the most precious eyes I've ever seen. They remind me of the sky, or maybe the sea, so calm sometimes and so dangerous at others... My eyes remind me of the clouds that at night prevent me from seeing the stars..."

Nakahara was left speechless, and he looked surprised at Sigma. The latter, once he realized he had told Chuuya everything he thought of him, blushed completely and covered his face with his hands.

"That's... Wow," Chuuya managed to say. "Really... Is that what you think of me?"

"That's... Everything I've always believed about you, Chuuya-san."

"Oh, shit... Then...?"

"I never paid attention to Dazai-kun, Chuuya-san."

Again silence. And while Chuuya thought and his Windows rebooted, Sigma wanted the earth to swallow him. He felt embarrassed to confess in that way; he had never been good at expressing his feelings.

"I'm really sorry, Sigma. I feel like an idiot," Nakahara apologized. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"I don't feel that way anymore," Sigma hurried to explain. "I mean, I could never come between your relationship with Dazai-kun. It was just... a momentary impression."

Chuuya smiled and gently took his hand.

"You're a nice person, Sigma. Someday, you'll find someone you can have what Osamu and I have."

The bicolor-haired one gave a shy smile.

"And go get drunk and then go to an expensive motel? Thanks, I think I'd rather stay single for that."

The redhead laughed heartily.

"Well, you're right about that," he smiled. "Do you want us to be friends?"

"Of course. I'd love that."

He started the car again and drove Sigma to his apartment.

+++++++++++++

Not me obsessed with ChuuSig

Thanks for reading!