After finishing cooking dinner, Rai went back to his room to tidy up the scattered papers and books on his desk. It wasn't anything urgent, but organizing them gave him something to do, something to focus on and pass time. His mind had been restless all evening, and keeping his hands busy helped a little for the moment.
Maybe he just needed to wait until Zade became normal again.
If that was even possible.
Once everything was stacked neatly, he glanced at the clock.
Just past 6:30.
Rai stepped out of his room and walked toward the living room where Zade was still sitting exactly where he had been earlier, leaning back on the couch like he hadn't moved in hours.
"Dinner is ready."
"Mm."
That was all the response he got.
Rai paused for a moment, irritation immediately rising in his chest. But then he frowned at himself.
What exactly had he expected?
Did he want Zade to argue with him?
Did he want him to get in his face, throw some sarcastic remark, or start another pointless fight?
The thought made Rai exhale sharply.
He forced the irritation down. Zade was obviously stressed, and Rai wasn't the kind of jerk who would start bothering someone just to satisfy his own bad mood.
Without saying anything else, Rai turned around and walked back to his room.
Strangely, his appetite had completely disappeared.
Did he seriously lose his appetite just because he didn't get into a fight with Zade?
That was ridiculous.
Fucking ridiculous!!
Just as Rai pushed his door open, he suddenly heard Zade's phone ring from the living room.
Rai didn't mean to listen.
But the house was quiet, and Zade wasn't exactly lowering his voice.
"I'm sorry, dude. I don't think I can make it tonight."
There was a short pause.
"I'll cover both shifts tomorrow."
Another pause followed.
"No, no. It's alright."
His voice sounded a little calmer this time.
"Thanks, dude."
"…Okay. Bye."
"Mm. Good night."
Rai quickly stepped into his room before the call ended completely. He closed the door behind him and dropped onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling with a confused frown.
He definitely hadn't been trying to eavesdrop.
No. Absolutely not.
'No… no, no.'
He groaned quietly and covered his face with his arm.
'Okay… I did purposely overhear it,' he muttered to himself. "Rai, what is wrong with you? Where are your morals?"
He shifted slightly on the mattress, irritation bubbling up again.
He hated his own lack of manners.
Which was exactly what Zade had somehow brought out of him again in the short time since they had reunited.
For a long time, Rai's life had been calm. Quiet. Predictable.
Normal.
But ever since Zade had reappeared, something about Rai seemed to snap backward. Being around him brought out a version of himself he hadn't seen since high school, the impatient, easily irritated kid who reacted to everything without thinking.
It was embarrassing at this age.
But he couldn't stop it.
Somewhere deep down, Rai knew the truth.
He was still that same teenager.
And… he still fucking loved hating Zade.
Rai dragged a hand down his face and groaned softly.
"Ridiculous…" he muttered under his breath.
'Fucking ridiculous.'
He turned onto his side, staring at the wall. The house was still quiet, but somehow the silence felt heavier than before.
Rai didn't know whether he was more annoyed at Zade… or at himself for letting something so small get under his skin.
He turned onto his other side again, and nearly jumped when he suddenly heard a knock on his door.
Rai sat up instantly.
His heart jumped for reasons he didn't understand.
Before he could even think about it, he was already on his feet.
He crossed the room quickly, almost running, before stopping right in front of the door.
For a second, he just stood there.
Then he grabbed the handle and pulled the door open.
Only afterward did Rai realize something strange.
He had rushed to the door without even thinking.
Without even noticing it himself.
'Why the hell was I in such a hurry?!'
'Ah...I guess I was feeling empathatic toward the bastard. I am nice like that...'
The convincing wasn't so convincing after all and the realization irritated him all over again.
Rai opened the door with a deep frown.
And,
Zade stood there.
'Oh...'
He looked… terrible.
The expression on his face was unusually blank, even for him. His usual arrogant confidence was missing, replaced by something heavy and distant.
He looked like someone had just told him his entire family died.
And that stupid face now stared straight at Rai.
"Do you drink?" Zade asked.
Rai's frown deepened.
He slowly shook his head.
"It's alright," Zade said immediately. "Then just sit with me."
Rai tilted his head in confusion.
Before he could even respond, Zade suddenly grabbed his arm.
"What the-!"
Rai barely had time to react before Zade pulled him completely out of the room and started dragging him toward the living room.
"Hey-!"
'Fucker.'
Rai cursed Zade in his head, but seeing the strange mood he was in, Rai didn't have the heart to actually say it out loud. Yeah,he was nice like that.
Still, that didn't mean he would just quietly accept being dragged around like luggage.
Rai tried pulling his arm out of Zade's grip.
The result came immediately.
'Agh-!'
A sharp groan escaped him when Zade's grip tightened suddenly.
Pain shot through his arm.
It hurt like hell.
But Rai was far too prideful to complain about something like that, especially to Zade.
So he bit his tongue and stopped struggling.
The moment he did, Zade loosened his grip slightly.
Good.
Rai immediately saw his chance.
He quickly tried to slip his arm free again.
Big mistake.
Zade tightened his grip again.
Harder.
This time the pressure was even worse.
"Agh-!"
Rai clamped his mouth shut before the sound could fully escape.
'Fine.'
Rai rolled his eyes.
'Fine! Fucker!'
He gave up struggling and just followed along, mumbling curses under his breath.
...Completely missing the small smirk slowly forming on Zade's face.
That stupid smirk Rai had always hated.
Rai didn't see it.
If he had, he probably would have exploded.
Rai didn't know Rai's annoyed expression was already enough to make Zade's mood lift slightly.
It was strange.
Odd.
But then again…
Both of them had always been a little odd.
So maybe, in its own weird way,
this was completely normal.
To them.
'Bastard.'