Chapter ● Two

Kosuke

Eric changed a lot. When I first brought him to HOMRA he was very shy and barely talked to anyone. He talks a lot more now. To me and to all the other members. Sometimes I have the feeling that he does not say what he really thinks. He probably thinks I never notice, but I do. Like two days ago when Asuka stayed for the night. I do not know what it is, but he behaves different when she is around.

For today Eric and I decided to spend the day with the other guys in Kusanagi-san's bar. It is summer and it is hot outside. Everyone are just sitting around and do nothing at all. Even Kusanagi-san seems to be more tired than usual today. We sit down on the couch where all the others are sitting as well.

"It's official now!", Akagi suddenly turns to meet my eyes. "Chitose and Maria. He just admitted that they are dating."

"I know. Who cares anyway?" All I can do is shrug. It is not like that would be great news for me. And it is also not like anyone would be interested in it that much. Well, Akagi seems interested in it a lot.

"I just don't really understand, you know. She was about to kill that dork and now he fell for her?", Akagi tries to start that kind of conversation with me, but I ignore him. I turn around to see what Eric is doing.

"Who the fuck cares?", Eric says more to himself while staring up the ceiling. He looks tired. He hardly got his eyes closed last night. I heard and felt him turning from one side to the other. Something seems to keep his mind busy.

"You look terrible. Are you getting ill?", I ask carefully.

"No, I'm just tired." He turns away from me. I wish I would know what I have done to him. The last few days he barely talks to me. He started to ignore me after Asuka left. He were probably not okay with sleeping on the couch that night. Then the voice of Kusanagi-san begins to interrupt my thoughts.

"I have some business to do. How about you go outside for a little while. King is sleeping upstairs and you guys can be so noisy sometimes." This means that he wants us to go. It is clever to use King and his business as an excuse for leaving him alone so he could take a little nap on the couch.

"Come on, Kusanagi-san. It's too hot outside.", Chitose whines before everyone is leaving the bar. There was no chance for us to stay, anyway. I turn around, waiting for Eric to come outside the door.

"Maybe it's better to go home. You better get some sleep, man." I earned a little growl from him. Nothing more. "Okay, we're definitely going home, Eric. Thanks for that nice answer, though.", I growled back at him. He just follows me without a word.

We did not speak the whole way home. After entering the living room he carelessly lets himself fall down on thecouch. His tiredness makes me rethink if it is really the right time to talk to him. Still it burns inside of me. I want to know what I have done wrong the last days. So I take a seat next to him on the couch.

"Tell me what your problem is. Have I done anything wrong? Did Asuka do anything wrong the day she was here?"

"Kosuke, could we talk about it later, please?", he says, annoyed as usual when I mention my girlfriend's name.

"No, I want to know it now! Not later. What is your fucking problem? I'm tired of your behavior, man."

"It's none of your business.", he says loudly and stands up, heading into the bedroom. I stand up as well to stop him, standing in his way.

"Stop making it my business, then! All you did the last days was bitching around. I'm tired of it." Eric turns his head away from me and tries his best to avoid eye contact. Well, maybe I was a bit too harsh. Seems like it is a big problem he has to deal with. But I just said what needed to be said.

"May I?", he says quietly while looking into my eyes, so I step aside. It is like he did not listen to me. Like he overheard what I just said. On purpose. Actions like this make me angry. But it would be senseless to yell at him or even try to talk calmly to him. Sometimes I have the feeling he is making fun of me because of these little problems we have every once in a while. He probably is laughing behind my back. And that is something that actually hurts me. I do not know if he knows, but he is a very close friend to me. We are living together, we wake up together, we do everything together. And still he treats me like I am just a normal friend to him. Sometimes I wonder if he has forgotten that without me he would already be dead.

Last night I decided to sleep on the couch. I was far too angry to sleep next to him. Eric and I did not talk since our little argument yesterday. And I did not see him this morning. I made sure to be off to work before he wakes up. On my way home I received a message from him.

Eric (6.34pm)

U ok? I'm sorry for yesterday. I hoped you'd wake me up, dork.

A friendly text-message as usual. I am not angry anymore. I never was an unforgiving person. People must do very bad things, for example killing a person I am close with to keep me angry forever. After finally arriving at home I smelled something coming out of the kitchen. I carelessly drop my stuff on the ground to see what it is.

"You cooked?" I stand in the door. I probably look like I've seen a ghost right now.

"Yeah. Well, it was easy, it's nothing big. You're probably hungry."

"Yes, I am. I'm surprised." For some reasons I just can not stop staring. Eric never cooked for me before. We barely cook at all. And it even smells nice and delicious. Then Eric suddenly begins to laugh.

"I wish you could see your face right now. Oh man, it's not even something big. You act like it's a four-course-meal."

"Well, it smells like one. Great!" And so we both forgot about that argument yesterday. This evening we laughed and had fun again. Now I remember what I've missed so much the last few weeks: Seeing Eric smile.

Author's note: Well, I hoped to write a longer chapter this time. Oh well, maybe the next one. =u= Any ideas or improvement suggestions? Feel free to let me know and share your thoughts with me! c: ~