The Past Is The Past

Rom wasn't in his best mood, really. It wasn't even because of any specific occurance. But it was hard to be in a good mood when a bunch of certain band members had been so loud the previous night that he couldn't sleep. He was just thankful that he somehow managed to still keep a good impression at work.

But it wasn't hard to notice his state once he arrived at Angelica's bar, sighing the moment he sat down at one of the seats by the counter and asking for a beer.

The only other person around, aside from Angelica, was Chuchu, who was sitting just a few seats away from him at the counter, leaning over a music sheet and poking her lips with her pen.

The TV was turned on, but Rom didn't pay much mind to whatever the people on it were saying.

That was, until his voice came along. It was just some commercial, with a song playing in the background. But it was enough to get just a little bit on Rom's nerves and make him hold the beer bottle with almost too much force.

Meanwhile, Chuchu tapped her foot in rhythm with the song, and started mumbling. "That is some pretty nice music."

Rom heard her, and couldn't stop himself from groaning. “You call that music?”

Chuchu jumped as she looked at him. Had she even seen him come in at all? Either way, she shrugged. "To each their own, you know?"

He sighed. "You're right, sorry. I'm just… Not in a very good mood."

She smiled. "Don't worry about it. You seem a little grumpy, so I don't blame you. But… " But then, her smile faded. "I've always wondered about something… Do you and Shuuzo know each other?"

He coughed, almost choking on his drink from the shock. "What makes you say that?"

"Well… You always seem to get angry whenever he shows up or even when we just talk about him, and I also remember you calling him 'Shu'." She gave him a moment to respond, but when all he did was look down, she sighed. "I won't force you to say everything, or even anything at all. I was just curious. But if you feel like that is a little too private, that's fine. I won't be offended."

Rom was still silent for a moment. There wouldn't be much of a point in saying nothing or lying, since his previous reaction was already enough to make it obvious that she had gotten at least something right. "We… We have history, to say the least."

"Okay, then." She nodded before turning back to her music sheet and scribbling something down.

Rom gave his beer one last, big gulp before setting it down on the counter with a loud thud. There were far too many things no one else knew about them. Things Chuchu probably couldn't even imagine.

Anger wasn't the only thing that he felt whenever he saw Shu. No. It was also… Some sort of pain. As well as longing for something that was already gone.

Chuchu and the others knew 'Shuuzo', but they didn't know 'Shu'. They didn't know the man who had been by his side for a very long time, who had been a much more pleasant source of sleepless nights. They didn't know the man he had loved.

And that man was already gone.

He sighed as he got off his seat, thanking Angelica for her service and saying goodbye to Chuchu as left. Perhaps taking a shower and maybe even a nap would help him relax a little. There was no longer any use to dwelling in the past, after all. Thinking more about it wouldn't make anything change.