ChroNoir: The Two Who Won't Be Dyed Black - A Premonition of Loss and Runaway Emotions —A Childhood Friend's Confession, a Partner's Secret—

The afterglow of the stream still lingered deep in his body. Kanae sat on the sofa in his apartment, staring up at the ceiling. Yesterday's four-person simultaneous collab stream. That chaos. Lumina's whisper. Shion's loaded words. And the argument with Kuzuha after the stream. "What am I to you, anyway?" Kuzuha's voice wouldn't leave his ears. Kanae closed his eyes. He hadn't been able to answer. No—he hadn't tried to answer. He was afraid of knowing the answer. His phone buzzed. It was a message from Shion. "Kanae-kun, are you home today? Can I come over and make dinner?" Kanae stared at the screen. His fingers wouldn't move. (Shion...) He remembered what Shion had said during yesterday's stream. "Kanae-kun, was last night's dinner good?" Was that deliberate, in front of the camera? Or was it just something a childhood friend would say? Kanae slowly typed a reply. "I'm here. Do whatever you want." Send. Then, Kanae looked around the room. Gaming equipment scattered everywhere. Empty plastic bottles. Stream materials. The usual scene. But today, it felt strangely quiet. (Being alone really doesn't work for me.) Kanae let out a small breath. He had always masked his loneliness. With games, with streams, with time spent with Kuzuha. But at night, the silence of this room always seeped into him, no matter what. The intercom rang. Kanae stood up and opened the door. "Good evening, Kanae-kun." There stood a girl with long, straight black hair woven into a careful braid, deep purple eyes gazing at him. Not her St. Lilienne Academy uniform, but a white blouse and a pale pink cardigan. A supermarket bag dangled from her hand. On her left wrist, the usual white handkerchief. "I was thinking of making hamburg steak tonight, since it's your favorite. I found some good meat." Shion smiled brightly. Her eyes curved into crescent moons. The same smile she'd shown only to Kanae since they were children. "Ah, thanks. Come in." Shion entered his apartment with practiced ease and stood in the kitchen. She put on an apron, washed her hands, and laid out the ingredients. The whole sequence was something she'd repeated for years. Kanae sat on the sofa, watching Shion's back. (This kind of time used to be normal.) Shion would come over uninvited to make dinner. Kanae would simply accept it. He'd assumed, somewhere in his mind, that their childhood friend relationship would last forever. But after yesterday's stream, something felt different. No—maybe it had been changing for much longer. "Kanae-kun." Shion spoke without turning around. "I watched yesterday's stream. ...Kanae-kun, did something happen with Kuzuha-san?" Kanae held his breath for just a moment. "Nothing. Same as always." "Same as always, huh." Shion's voice dropped slightly. "Kanae-kun, you brush me off like that, don't you." Kanae couldn't say anything. Shion began chopping onions. Only the sound of the knife echoed through the room. Chop, chop, chop. A steady rhythm. But her hands were trembling, just a little. "...Shion, if you have something to say, just say it." Kanae stood up from the sofa. Shion's hands stopped. "...Yeah. I have something I want to tell you today, Kanae-kun." Shion slowly turned around. Her deep purple eyes looked straight at Kanae. They were more serious than he'd ever seen them, and slightly moist. "So, I want you to listen while we eat." Kanae nodded. Something stirred in his chest. (What is this. I have a bad feeling.) Kanae began setting the table, as if to shake off that premonition. —— Dinner time. The table was set with Shion's homemade hamburg steak, warm miso soup, and salad. Steam rose, filling the room with a delicious aroma. "Thank you for the meal." "Thank you for the meal." The two sat facing each other and began eating. The hamburg steak was topped with a slightly sweet sauce, tailored to Kanae's taste. Shion knew every flavor he liked. "Is it good?" "Yeah, it's delicious. Thanks, as always." "Good. You haven't been eating properly lately, have you? Your fridge was empty." Shion smiled happily. But that smile was just a little stiffer than usual. Kanae set down his chopsticks. "Shion, what you wanted to talk about." Shion slowly set down her chopsticks. Then she folded her hands on her lap and took a deep breath. "Kanae-kun." Shion's voice was trembling. "I like you, Kanae-kun." Kanae couldn't move. "Since middle school, always. Being by your side was so natural that I couldn't say it. But lately, there are so many more people around you—Lumina-san, Kuzuha-san, so many. I thought if I didn't say anything, I wouldn't be able to stay by your side anymore." Shion's words fell one by one into Kanae's chest. "So I decided to tell you today. I like you, Kanae-kun. ...What do you think of me?" Shion's deep purple eyes were fixed on Kanae. Kanae looked back into those eyes. And in that moment, what surfaced in Kanae's mind— Was not Shion's face. Sunset-colored red eyes. A black knit cap. Sharp fangs. The face of the one who was always by his side. Kuzuha's face floated up. Kanae felt his heart make an unpleasant sound. (Why, now, of all times, Kuzuha's face—) Kanae bit his lip. And then he said it. "I'm sorry, Shion. You're important to me, but not in that way." It was an immediate answer. Before he could even think, the words had come out. Shion's expression froze. Then, slowly, she smiled. "...Yeah. I knew." Shion said that and began clearing the dishes. "I knew. You only ever saw me like a little sister. ...But I felt like if I didn't say it, I couldn't move forward." Shion started washing the dishes in the kitchen. Her hands were shaking. Kanae watched. He could only watch. "Shion, I—" "It's fine. Don't apologize. I'm the one who fell for you on my own." Shion's voice was cheerful. But the trembling in her hands as she washed the dishes wouldn't stop. Kanae watched her back, his chest tightening. —— When the cleanup was done, Shion headed for the entrance. "Thanks for the meal. Thank you for today. I'm glad I got to see your face, Kanae-kun." Shion smiled back at him as she put on her shoes. "I'll walk you." "It's fine. The station's close." Shion put her hand on the doorknob. And then her hand stopped. "...Kanae-kun." Shion's voice shook. "I've been holding it in all this time. Since elementary school, I've always been by your side. I thought I was the one closest to you. And yet, why... why do you only ever look at Kuzuha-san!" Shion's cry echoed through the room. Kanae was speechless. "I know everything about you. What you like to eat, what you don't, your gaming habits. But the one you always look at most is Kuzuha-san. I've been watching that. I could only watch!" Tears spilled from Shion's eyes. "I just wanted to be by your side. That was all I wanted. Why isn't it enough for me to be the one? Why Kuzuha-san?" Kanae tried to take a step forward. But his legs wouldn't move. Like roots had grown from the floor, he couldn't move. "...Sorry. I said something strange. I'm going home." Shion flung the door open. The slam echoed through the room. Kanae was left alone. (Only ever look at Kuzuha-san.) Shion's words stabbed into his heart. (Was I unconsciously treating Kuzuha as special?) Kanae crouched down on the spot. (That's right. I only feel safe when I'm by Kuzuha's side. When I hear Kuzuha's voice, I calm down. When Kuzuha laughs with someone else, my chest stirs.) (What is this.) Kanae clutched his chest tightly. (I don't want to admit it. But this is—) Kanae let out a deep breath. He had lost the safe relationship called childhood friendship. Shion's tears left a deep wound in Kanae's heart. And that wound was forcing Kanae to face his own feelings. —— The next morning. Kanae greeted the morning having barely slept. There was no contact from Shion on his phone. Of course. After a farewell like that, there was no way she'd reach out right away. Kanae got out of bed and washed his face at the sink. The face in the mirror looked terribly exhausted. (I'm seeing Kuzuha today.) Today, an emergency collab stream was scheduled at the ChroNoir Studio. Under Kagurazaka Rei's direction, it was titled "ChroNoir + Preparation Stream"—a four-person simultaneous broadcast. Kanae thought of Kuzuha's face. (What kind of face should I show Kuzuha?) No answer came. —— The intercom rang. Kanae opened the door. "...Kuzuha?" There stood Kuzuha, wearing a black knit cap and a black hoodie. His sunset-colored red eyes gazed at Kanae. "Yo. Came to pick you up. Come on, let's go." Kuzuha said that and started heading for the studio. Then, from deep inside Kanae's apartment, a voice came. "Kanae-kun, I made breakfast. ...Oh my." Kanae turned around. Shion came out of the kitchen wearing an apron. The traces of yesterday's tears were already gone. With a perfect smile, Shion looked at Kuzuha. "So you're Kuzuha-san... Kanae-kun talks about you all the time." Shion's voice was refined and soft. But her eyes weren't smiling. Kuzuha looked at Shion too. "Ah, nice to meet you. I'm Kuzuha." Kuzuha's voice was also low and brief. A tense atmosphere flowed between them. Kanae hurriedly stepped in. "Shion, it's fine today. Thanks for breakfast." Shion looked at Kanae and smiled brightly. "I see. Then I'll come again tonight." Shion deliberately declared that in front of Kuzuha. Then, Shion bowed to Kuzuha and left the room. Kuzuha stared at Shion's retreating figure. "...Hey, Kanae." Kuzuha's voice was low and cold. "What." "Does she come every day?" Kanae looked at Kuzuha's face. Kuzuha's red eyes narrowed slightly. "Well, she's my childhood friend. She's been coming over a lot since way back." When Kanae answered that, Kuzuha fell silent. He bit his lip as if wanting to say something. But Kuzuha didn't say anything more. "...Let's go." Kuzuha said that and walked ahead. Kanae followed behind him. (Kuzuha, are you angry?) Kanae thought that as he watched Kuzuha's back. He didn't know why. But he could tell that Kuzuha held clear hostility toward Shion. —— ChroNoir Studio. When Kanae and Kuzuha arrived, Lumina was already there. "Senpai, good morning! Let's do our best again today." Lumina ran over with a smile, her silver long hair swaying. The red at the tips of her hair, illuminated by the lighting, looked like blood. Her large red eyes, today again, were fixed only on Kuzuha. "You're early again. What time did you get here?" "I wanted to see you, Senpai, so I came on the first train." "Hah!? First train!? What were you thinking!" Kuzuha shouted, his face red. Kanae watched the scene from a slight distance. (Lumina's as clingy with Kuzuha as ever.) Something stirred in Kanae's chest again. "Kanae-san, good morning to you too. I wonder what kind of stream today will be. I'm looking forward to it." Lumina turned her smile to Kanae as well. "Ah, morning. ...Go easy on us." "Go easy, you say. That depends on my behavior." Lumina tilted her head and laughed. Behind that smile, Kanae sensed something cold, and a chill ran down his spine. —— Shion also arrived at the studio on time. "Good morning. Let's do our best today." Shion greeted Kanae and Kuzuha with a perfect smile. When Kuzuha saw Shion, he grimaced slightly. "...Yeah." "Kanae-kun, did you eat breakfast? You can't focus on the stream if you don't eat properly." Shion spoke kindly only to Kanae. "Yeah, I ate. Thanks." "Good. What do you want for dinner tonight? If you have a request, I'll make it." Shion gently tugged at Kanae's sleeve. "Huh, you're coming tonight too? I'll be tired from the stream, it's fine." "That's exactly when you need a good meal. I won't lose." Shion whispered that into Kanae's ear. Kanae kept his smile while breaking into a cold sweat. Kuzuha was watching the whole thing. His red eyes narrowed vertically, just slightly, with

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Episode 5

Name: ChroNoir: The Two Who Won't Be Dyed Black
Author: Novelia

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