Tooru comes over without warning.
They were chilling out in Ryu's room, playing videogames and eating snacks, just enjoying the Sunday afternoon. Chizuru was happy when greeting Tooru, she wanted to know about the baby and Haruka and everything.
"Is the baby ok? How's Haruka-chan? I bet the baby is so big!" Chizuru frenetically asks Tooru.
He laughs at her eagerness, the three of them going to the kitchen to eat some more.
"He's huge, actually! It's terrifying. But he's soooo cute!" He drags the world like a proud dad picking his phone to show her pictures.
"That's good." Ryu says while Chizuru smiles at the pictures in Tooru's phone.
They chatted about Tooru's life, with Chizuru getting super excited about baby news, just as much as the proud dad gushing over them. Ryu smiled at his brother's happiness and Chizuru's curiosity.
When Tooru went to the bathroom Ryu saw Chizuru staring at nothing with a calm smile on her face.
"What is it?" He asks her softly.
"I'm just really glad he's happy. Everything seems to be working for them. The three of them. I'm glad. I hope they make each other very happy."
"Did you doubt it?" Ryu tries to understand the relief on her voice.
"No. I worried. I want him to be happy. Always did."
He frowns. It's not that he didn't want it too, it's just that he felt that maybe, just maybe, she wanted to be part of that happiness in a different way.
Ryu was surprised at his own thoughts. He's never been an insecure person, so he wasn't sure how to deal with this feeling. He realized it was the first time Tooru came after he and Chizuru got together, and she looked so relaxed around him.
He sighs.
"Do you wish it was you?" He asks bluntly. Part of him was dead-sure she was perfectly happy with him, but the other part… And what really didn't sit right with him was why he felt like that. It was an uncommon feeling for him.
Chizuru was at looking at him, and as soon as she hear those words her eyes widen and her face redder, she frowns as anger starts to build within her.
"Wha-"
Tooru comes back.
She stops herself, not knowing if this conversation should happen with Tooru there.
Smart as ever, Tooru looks from Ryu to her, trying to understand the problem. Not being quite sure about it, he tries asking something to stir them up.
"So," He tries to sound nonchalant "how are things between you?"
Chizuru took as an opportunity to settle it.
"Well," She stares directly at Ryu with an angry tone that surprises Tooru "he's my boyfriend so-"
"It's fine." Ryu leaves the kitchen planning to go to his room, not wanting to dwell on the feeling.
"What…?" Tooru was trying to piece everything together to understand his brother's reaction.
"Oh, no you won't!" Chizuru gets up and stops Ryu at the hallway.
"What's going on?" She's straightforward like only she can be.
"Are you sure?" He asks.
"About what?"
He stares at the floor thinking that maybe everything happened a bit too fast. Maybe she was mistaking things. Maybe she was going along with him because she wanted him to be happy. Maybe it was just that. Maybe.
"Us."
"What?!"
He jumps at the shout. It startles him a bit.
"Are you sure it's not him after all?"
He doesn't recognize himself, and he kinda hates it.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Tooru's head emerges from the kitchen's door frame in confusion. Ryu is just shocked.
Maybe it wasn't the best way to deal with your beloved's insecurity, but Chizuru's furious.
"ARE YOU STUPID, STUPID? ARE YOU REALLY ASKING ME THAT?!" Her face red. Ryu starts to get angry. What was she not understanding about this? Was he missing something?
"Breathe" Tooru says from his place, hoping Chizuru will listen to him and calm down a bit, even though he doubts she'd do that.
She doesn't.
"How can you even think that? After everything? Are you serious right now? I spent days thinking about this! Have I ever spent days thinking about anything?" She fumbles with her hair in frustration.
Tooru raises his eyebrows in a she's-got-a-point way.
"It was hard for me, because it's different, but am I the type of person to pretend impulsiveness? Do you think a kissed you without meaning it? DO YOU?"
Ryu has a blank expression. Chizuru moves her hands, like she does when too engrossed in something.
"I wanna support you and your family! I want you to do the things you love and your family to continue it's traditions and I wanna be a part of that!" Ryu stares at her wide eyed now, slowly realizing his mistake. "Do you get that?"
She has him by his collar, strongly holding onto it.
"Do you?!" Her face is close, forcing him against the wall.
Ryu sighs.
He looks into her eyes. I see, he thinks, my mistake.
He relaxes and lets his head fall on her shoulder. He laughs. She's confused.
"I got it."
She doesn't look convinced.
"I love you." is whispered in her ear. Just for her.
She blushes a lot, but holds him, with her arms around his waist.
"I see." Tooru says smiling at them. Her blush darkens. "I see." he says again raising his eyebrows and going back to the kitchen with a fond smile.
She blushes more, now the red spreading all the way down her neck. Ryu gives her a peck on the nose, just to fluster her more, and follows Tooru.
Chizuru appears in the kitchen a few seconds later, acting as if nothing happened.
"Are you ok there, Chi?" Tooru asks innocently.
"Ye-yeah. Yes. Sure." he stutters while opening the fridge, pretending to look for something while trying to cool down. "Yeah."