I only loved you
#1 of Shorts and one-shots
Bonus points for anyone who can guess the symbolism!
A little something-somethings since today is indeed a special day.
"...The person I love is, well, you."
"Me?... J-just say you're joking already-"
"THIS ISN'T A JOKE!! W-why would I joke about something like this?... Ever since back then, even before you changed schools, I only loved you... Heh, I knew saying this so suddenly would make things awkward."
"... No, it didn't. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised."
"... O-oh, I see. So, um, if it's okay with you, will... will you please go out with me?"
"... Look, I'm glad that you feel that way. To be honest, you're--"
It wasn't supposed to be this way.
By the corner of a thankfully and regrettably only local restaurant sat a lonesome Tiger, whose grip to his cup tightened as he watched a robust Bear and an all-familiar human, feeding each other like a couple of dweebs in the most annoying way possible. The laughs, the giggles, the false threats of breaking up-- all of these ticked him off and continue on building his impending rage.
To begin with, the Tiger wasn't entirely sure on how he fell for such an ignorant dork. Or how he tried to come up and pull-off all these ridiculous antics just to feel him. Or how he desperately wanted to melt in that deep, reverberating bass voice of his. He never realized that he was falling for another person. He never realized he was falling for Juuichi. For he had been numb since this human--Hiroyuki Nishimura--brutally declined his confession at his very birthday. Even the mention of the human's name itself was enough to made him gag with utter disgust.
It's been a couple of years since they started a long-distance relationship. Several months since Hiroyuki finally reside in this subtle village. Countless days since the Tiger began stalking their lunch dates in this very restaurant. An hour since he drank and enjoyed his coffee. Mere minutes for his anger to rose. And less than a second to think countless ways on how to get rid of _this disgusting FEELING _.
No, he shouldn't mind at all. He shouldn't mind that he was falling for someone who's already committed in a relationship. He shouldn't have minded the way this disgusting human held this naive Bear's hands far longer than necessary. Or how he tackled him with a hug, even though the Tiger did that to the bear more than many times. He never should have cared at all.
And yet the Tiger did.
But as nothing more than a creepy stalker with raging hormones.
Time flew by and the Tiger's anger never subsided. He eventually inherited the family business through diligent hard work and perseverance, and he was never the one to lash out his anger to all his co-workers. However, even if his workplace can provide food of its own, it made his daily activities limited by having his brunch at the restaurant, and spent the rest of his days locked up in his office.
Not only his co-workers and subordinates were worried about him, but also his childhood friends. All invitations of whatever the Tanuki could think of in order to have a 'get-together' was rejected. The concert tickets of Musikus were all stashed in a small drawer. Not to mention all the drinking parties with the Midoriya's were politely refused. Even the young heir of the Kodori's went home crying because this Tiger refused to play such childish video games!
Soon after, all the invites became less.
And less.
And less.
Until it eventually stopped.
At last, the Tiger never had to bother saying, "Sorry, I can't come." or "My schedule is preventing me to go this or do that." Nothing else was enough to disturb his work and increase his stress levels other than complaints from one of his customers saying: "The indoor plumbing is not working properly and I cannot properly take a shit!"
However, the Tiger still continued to have brunch in his 'favourite' restaurant to have a peace of mind and an escape from reality by submerging himself with liters of coffee, in which it already became his everyday routine. The pain that he endured for so long was eventually hidden into the depths of his heart. He miraculously learned how to deal with them. He later became numb to his surroundings and cannot feel any empathy whenever someone got into an accident or whomever died, whether if it's a close relative or one of his workers. He cannot feel sorrow anymore, and he thought it was a good thing.
But it's not.
Another year passed by and everything was still the same. Except that one summer noon, the couple he despised the most showed up once again in the very same spot where the Tiger had first saw them together. But this time, the unusual and the unexpected happened. The liquid inside the cup formed concentric ripples inside as the Tiger's hand quivered and fingers clenched tighter to the cup, watching the maturely aged Bear knelt in front of the equally aged human whose hands are now cupped within his mouth. The Bear then took out a small navy blue box from the inside pocket of his indigo jacket, revealing a golden ring with a Peridot stone encrusted on top. The other people who were originally eating in silence are now clapping at the sudden proposal with cheers and joy. However, the Tiger felt the opposite. The pain that was once hidden inside of him and endured for so long had bloomed and sent jolts of panging pain spreading all throughout starting from his chest, consuming up to his--
How long has it been since the Tiger's wrath awakened?
The following morning, in a small quaint house, Hiroyuki's words were not enough to comfort the trembling hands of Juuichi, as he tried to think of what cruel fate had caused for the Tiger to do such a selfish action. Juuichi's mind was fogged as he tried to register to his mind more than a thousand times about the devastating news.
"H-Honey... He-... He's no longer with us anymore..."
No, it wasn't supposed to be this way. He shouldn't be listening to the Human's hollow words, let alone the false tears that rolled down his cheeks and a faux frown on his face as a sign of grieving over a man that he once rejected.
"...The funeral *sniff* will be next week. The least we can do is to give him a proper send-off..."
But Juuichi just sat there. With eyes dead, distant, and hollow; he stared aimlessly on the blank beige wall. He was awe struck. He wasn't sure what to do, let alone what to say. It almost felt like it was some sort of a sick, cruel joke.
"I'm calling off the wedding."
Hiroyuki's eyes went wide in disbelief once he heard all of the sudden of an unexpected decision, especially a week before the wedding. "... y-you're kidding, right? Please tell me you're joking... H-honey-"
"Don't fucking call me that! I'm breaking up with you and that's final!" The bear finally snapped. He was willing to lose everything they've established. He didn't mind losing all the remains of their- no, HIS savings over these silly preparations. He didn't mind the pointless begging for another chance. He didn't mind the tears that rolled on the human's cheeks. He didn't mind the harsh words that came out of the Human's mouth. He didn't mind the pain that he felt when Hiroyuki hit him square in the jaw.
But what did he mind was regret.
Regret that he wasn't entirely honest with himself.
Regret that he pushed himself on someone he never loved.
Regret that he cannot express himself in person to the Tiger when he was still living.
Juuichi knelt towards the stone grave with a bouquet of well-preserved Glads, the very same flowers that was going to be used on the 'wedding', cradled on his arm. Carefully removing the blanket of snow that formed on top, a small white candle and a pair of incense was lit beside the framed picture of a once ever-successful heir of the Ooshima's. His head tilted so that his gaze was affixed to the sky, then a single snowflake dropped on his lower eyelid and immediately melted to the Bear's flustered face. After a moment of silence, the Bear faced back to the grave stone and finally let out a deep, raspy soft voice.
"I never love him. I-... I only loved you, Torahiko.
It... It wasn't supposed to be this way."
Hot droplets soon seared the white blanket as long howls of pain echoed throughout.