[Chaptered] just vanilla (Chapter Two)
Title: just vanilla
Author: Annie
Pairing: Juri x Taiga, Yasui x Taiga, Keigo x Juri (friendship), Hokuto x Taiga (friendship)
Genre: Fluff, Romance
Rating: PG
Summary: When Taiga finds himself falling in love with the boy behind the counter of an ice cream store, he can't help but feel his heart being torn in hesitancy as another boy steps in between them, intent on claiming Taiga's heart for his own. Taiga must then choose whether to follow his heart or to give in to the other boy, whose confession he just can't bring himself to reject.
A/N: Partially inspired by the juniors' Baskin Robbins CM! :) It sort of explains the cast, being Taiga, Juri, Yasui, Keigo, and Hokuto (hahaha but not the last one, sorry Jesse! xD) I am actually done writing this fic already, so I can tell you it will be 12 chapters long :D (some shorter and some longer than others.. xD) I'm still in the process of editing it, but I will hopefully post the entirety of this fic very soon! ^_^ (because I want to finish it before school starts again and my life becomes crazily busy ^^;;) I am currently now brainstorming my next taiga/juri fic (probably also a multichap^^) and also writing the taiga/juri collab fic with airi-chan, so more taiga/juri love is sure to come! :3
Chapter Two: Meeting you twice
As soon as class let out the next day, Taiga dragged Hokuto out the school gates.
“What? What? Stop it!” Hokuto laughed. “What do you want?” he asked once Taiga finally let go of his arm.
“Hokuto...” Taiga bit his lip, trying to choose his words carefully.
“You want me to take you to the ice cream store again?”
Taiga shrugged his shoulders in defeat, nodding guiltily, knowing Hokuto could see right through him. “Could you?” He clapped his hands together in pleading.
Hokuto grinned, “I would’ve done so even if you hadn’t asked.”
~*~
A jagged sigh of nervousness escaped Taiga’s lips as he walked into the store. Hokuto smiled, “So do you want me to go with you? Or would you rather me stay outside the door and wait for you?”
“I-I’ll go, by myself,” Taiga answered, nodding decidedly.
“Good luck, then,” Hokuto nodded back. “Don’t hurt youself,”
Taiga was about to protest, but Hokuto pushed him forward, towards the counter, effectively shutting his mouth. “Hurry up,” Hokuto urged impatiently, gesturing for Taiga to walk faster.
“Stop it!” Taiga hissed, ignoring the pale pink brushing his cheeks. Taking one last deep breath, Taiga stepped forward, walking to the register where a different boy stood waiting. He seemed younger than Smiling boy. He was smiling, too, but it wasn’t the same.
“Hi, may I take your order?” the new boy asked.
Taiga read Keigo Hagiya off of his name tag out of curiosity, but shook his head slightly. “Sorry, I was just wondering…”
“Yes?” Keigo tilted his head a little, in wondering.
“Is Kentaro here?” Taiga asked hopefully, still noting how strange the name felt, formed by his lips; it just didn’t feel right.
“Oh, okay, he’s in the back. I’ll go get him,” Keigo nodded, smiling kindly.
Taiga couldn’t help but smile back, thanking him as Keigo opened the door to the back room and called out for Kentaro.
Before long, a smiling boy stepped out from the door, and Taiga’s breath caught in his throat.
His eyes widened, realizing it still was not him.
“Hi?” Kentaro Yasui smiled strangely, probably wondering why Taiga had asked for him. “I’m sorry, have we met before?” he asked hesitantly.
Taiga shook his head fervently. “S-Sorry, I think I was mistaken. Sorry to bother you.” His cheeks now glowed a bright red. Turning hastily, thoughts of escape and regret plagued Taiga’s mind. His steps hurried and quick, Taiga didn’t even realize the Kentaro Yasui behind the counter was calling after him; his thoughts were too clouded with questions.
Who is he? What happened to Smiling boy?
Why did I come back to look for him?
Why do I care about him?
Why am I here?
Taiga could only wish he knew the answers.
“Wait!” A strong hand grasped onto Taiga’s arm, pulling him back gently just as he was about to open the door to leave the shop.
Taiga turned abruptly, his gaze uncontrollably drawn downward to his arm to see the hand that had forced him back. It couldn’t be.
Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet the boy’s gaze. A touch of concern glinted in his dark, large eyes. He appeared young, perhaps only a little older than Taiga.
Subconsciously, Taiga told himself to pull back, but Kentaro Yasui wouldn’t release his grip. Taiga looked to him in questioning, but couldn’t resist noticing how beautifully Kentaro’s soft, black hair contrasted with the paleness of his skin, illuminated warmly by the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the shop windows. His cute, rounded features radiated a gentle, mature aura.
Taiga had to force himself to look away.
“Are you all right?” the words slipped from Kentaro’s lips, almost instinctively. He himself wasn’t sure why he felt so worried for this stranger, but here he was, holding the stranger back, unwilling to let go. “Did something happen?” Kentaro asked, trying to illicit some sort of reply. His voice remained gentle, his gaze unwavering.
Taiga shook his head softly, unable to stop himself from looking back into his eyes. “I-I’m fine,” he insisted, breaking loose from his hand. “It’s just...” I was expecting someone else... “Nothing.”
Kentaro blinked, it was obvious the boy was lying to him. “Well, I am, in fact, Kentaro Yasui, if that’s who you were looking for,” he added.
Taiga frowned, realizing for sure that Smiling boy really had been wearing the wrong name tag. “I wasn’t, sorry. It’s just a misunderstanding,” he repeated, his voice lowering to a disheartened mumble.
Kentaro furrowed his brow; he couldn’t understand why he felt so bothered by the boy’s troubled expression. “If you say so...”
Taiga heaved a shallow breath before turning to leave. He was done here.
“Wait,” Kentaro grabbed his hand this time, a little more roughly.
Taiga flinched at his touch, his fingers wrapping around his own.
“Before you go...” Kentaro paused, trying to piece together his last words. “Tell me who you are.”
Taiga turned back around one final time, and replied simply, “Taiga Kyomoto.” He didn’t know why he had answered; he could have easily walked away.
“I’m glad to have met you, Taiga.” Kentaro smiled softly. “Even though… even though I’m still a stranger to you, I feel like... if you’re having any troubles, I want you to tell me. You can trust me.” His words came with a hesitance, himself unsure as to why he was being so forward.
Taiga’s heart pounded, a timid pink coloring his cheeks. “Why?” he murmured. Why are you being so... nice to me?
Kentaro shook his head, laughing sheepishly. “I don’t know, really. I just feel like I want to help you.”
Taiga’s lips relaxed into a gentle smile. “Well, thank you, but I think I’ll be all right.”
Kentaro nodded his understanding, his fingers unraveling from Taiga’s hand. “I hope to see you again, though.”
“Maybe sometime soon, Kentaro,” Taiga nodded back shyly, finally satisfied to match the name to the correct face. With a small wave goodbye, Taiga finally pushed the shop door open and walked out onto the sidewalk.
Hokuto crossed his arms, watching Taiga from outside. “Who was that?” He questioned Taiga after the two of them began walking along the street once more.
“Kentaro Yasui,” Taiga replied casually, the name now drawing a smile to his lips. “The boy we saw yesterday was wearing Kentaro’s name tag.”
“Then what happened to the boy from yesterday?” Hokuto seemed rather annoyed that Taiga hadn’t found the person he had intended him to find.
Taiga shrugged, his words escaping his lips in a sigh, “He wasn’t there today, I guess.”
But just then, back inside the ice cream store, Juri Tanaka stepped out from the storage room.
“Where did Kentaro go?” he asked Keigo curiously.
Keigo giggled, a wide grin spreading on his lips. “Actually, a really pretty boy came in looking for him, but when he tried to leave, Kentaro chased after him and they ended up holding hands like lovers or something.”
Juri laughed, amused by the thought. “Kentaro has a boyfriend? I wonder what he looks like, since you say he’s ‘really pretty’.”
Keigo smiled mischievously, “Are you jealous that you’re single and don’t have a pretty boyfriend?”
Juri elbowed Keigo playfully, irked by his insinuation, “Hey, I happened to have met a really pretty boy yesterday,” Juri beamed proudly. “I got so distracted by his appearance that I even asked him to pay for his ice cream twice!” He shook his head shamefully as Keigo merely laughed.
“Impressive, Juri, I think that’s the first time you’ve ever messed up so badly,” Keigo nudged him teasingly.
Juri rolled his eyes, a reddening warmth touching his cheeks. “Wow, thanks, Keigo,” He mumbled sarcastically. “But to be honest, I think he would’ve eaten lunch with me, too, if his friend hadn’t been waiting for him to leave.”
Keigo raised his eyebrow inquisitively. “You? He liked you?”
Juri pondered for a moment, scrunching his nose. “I don’t know, but...”
“You like him?” Keigo grinned excitedly.
Juri shook his head, but couldn’t resist the smile curling at his lips. “Maybe...?”
Author: Annie
Pairing: Juri x Taiga, Yasui x Taiga, Keigo x Juri (friendship), Hokuto x Taiga (friendship)
Genre: Fluff, Romance
Rating: PG
Summary: When Taiga finds himself falling in love with the boy behind the counter of an ice cream store, he can't help but feel his heart being torn in hesitancy as another boy steps in between them, intent on claiming Taiga's heart for his own. Taiga must then choose whether to follow his heart or to give in to the other boy, whose confession he just can't bring himself to reject.
A/N: Partially inspired by the juniors' Baskin Robbins CM! :) It sort of explains the cast, being Taiga, Juri, Yasui, Keigo, and Hokuto (hahaha but not the last one, sorry Jesse! xD) I am actually done writing this fic already, so I can tell you it will be 12 chapters long :D (some shorter and some longer than others.. xD) I'm still in the process of editing it, but I will hopefully post the entirety of this fic very soon! ^_^ (because I want to finish it before school starts again and my life becomes crazily busy ^^;;) I am currently now brainstorming my next taiga/juri fic (probably also a multichap^^) and also writing the taiga/juri collab fic with airi-chan, so more taiga/juri love is sure to come! :3
Chapter Two: Meeting you twice
As soon as class let out the next day, Taiga dragged Hokuto out the school gates.
“What? What? Stop it!” Hokuto laughed. “What do you want?” he asked once Taiga finally let go of his arm.
“Hokuto...” Taiga bit his lip, trying to choose his words carefully.
“You want me to take you to the ice cream store again?”
Taiga shrugged his shoulders in defeat, nodding guiltily, knowing Hokuto could see right through him. “Could you?” He clapped his hands together in pleading.
Hokuto grinned, “I would’ve done so even if you hadn’t asked.”
~*~
A jagged sigh of nervousness escaped Taiga’s lips as he walked into the store. Hokuto smiled, “So do you want me to go with you? Or would you rather me stay outside the door and wait for you?”
“I-I’ll go, by myself,” Taiga answered, nodding decidedly.
“Good luck, then,” Hokuto nodded back. “Don’t hurt youself,”
Taiga was about to protest, but Hokuto pushed him forward, towards the counter, effectively shutting his mouth. “Hurry up,” Hokuto urged impatiently, gesturing for Taiga to walk faster.
“Stop it!” Taiga hissed, ignoring the pale pink brushing his cheeks. Taking one last deep breath, Taiga stepped forward, walking to the register where a different boy stood waiting. He seemed younger than Smiling boy. He was smiling, too, but it wasn’t the same.
“Hi, may I take your order?” the new boy asked.
Taiga read Keigo Hagiya off of his name tag out of curiosity, but shook his head slightly. “Sorry, I was just wondering…”
“Yes?” Keigo tilted his head a little, in wondering.
“Is Kentaro here?” Taiga asked hopefully, still noting how strange the name felt, formed by his lips; it just didn’t feel right.
“Oh, okay, he’s in the back. I’ll go get him,” Keigo nodded, smiling kindly.
Taiga couldn’t help but smile back, thanking him as Keigo opened the door to the back room and called out for Kentaro.
Before long, a smiling boy stepped out from the door, and Taiga’s breath caught in his throat.
His eyes widened, realizing it still was not him.
“Hi?” Kentaro Yasui smiled strangely, probably wondering why Taiga had asked for him. “I’m sorry, have we met before?” he asked hesitantly.
Taiga shook his head fervently. “S-Sorry, I think I was mistaken. Sorry to bother you.” His cheeks now glowed a bright red. Turning hastily, thoughts of escape and regret plagued Taiga’s mind. His steps hurried and quick, Taiga didn’t even realize the Kentaro Yasui behind the counter was calling after him; his thoughts were too clouded with questions.
Who is he? What happened to Smiling boy?
Why did I come back to look for him?
Why do I care about him?
Why am I here?
Taiga could only wish he knew the answers.
“Wait!” A strong hand grasped onto Taiga’s arm, pulling him back gently just as he was about to open the door to leave the shop.
Taiga turned abruptly, his gaze uncontrollably drawn downward to his arm to see the hand that had forced him back. It couldn’t be.
Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet the boy’s gaze. A touch of concern glinted in his dark, large eyes. He appeared young, perhaps only a little older than Taiga.
Subconsciously, Taiga told himself to pull back, but Kentaro Yasui wouldn’t release his grip. Taiga looked to him in questioning, but couldn’t resist noticing how beautifully Kentaro’s soft, black hair contrasted with the paleness of his skin, illuminated warmly by the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the shop windows. His cute, rounded features radiated a gentle, mature aura.
Taiga had to force himself to look away.
“Are you all right?” the words slipped from Kentaro’s lips, almost instinctively. He himself wasn’t sure why he felt so worried for this stranger, but here he was, holding the stranger back, unwilling to let go. “Did something happen?” Kentaro asked, trying to illicit some sort of reply. His voice remained gentle, his gaze unwavering.
Taiga shook his head softly, unable to stop himself from looking back into his eyes. “I-I’m fine,” he insisted, breaking loose from his hand. “It’s just...” I was expecting someone else... “Nothing.”
Kentaro blinked, it was obvious the boy was lying to him. “Well, I am, in fact, Kentaro Yasui, if that’s who you were looking for,” he added.
Taiga frowned, realizing for sure that Smiling boy really had been wearing the wrong name tag. “I wasn’t, sorry. It’s just a misunderstanding,” he repeated, his voice lowering to a disheartened mumble.
Kentaro furrowed his brow; he couldn’t understand why he felt so bothered by the boy’s troubled expression. “If you say so...”
Taiga heaved a shallow breath before turning to leave. He was done here.
“Wait,” Kentaro grabbed his hand this time, a little more roughly.
Taiga flinched at his touch, his fingers wrapping around his own.
“Before you go...” Kentaro paused, trying to piece together his last words. “Tell me who you are.”
Taiga turned back around one final time, and replied simply, “Taiga Kyomoto.” He didn’t know why he had answered; he could have easily walked away.
“I’m glad to have met you, Taiga.” Kentaro smiled softly. “Even though… even though I’m still a stranger to you, I feel like... if you’re having any troubles, I want you to tell me. You can trust me.” His words came with a hesitance, himself unsure as to why he was being so forward.
Taiga’s heart pounded, a timid pink coloring his cheeks. “Why?” he murmured. Why are you being so... nice to me?
Kentaro shook his head, laughing sheepishly. “I don’t know, really. I just feel like I want to help you.”
Taiga’s lips relaxed into a gentle smile. “Well, thank you, but I think I’ll be all right.”
Kentaro nodded his understanding, his fingers unraveling from Taiga’s hand. “I hope to see you again, though.”
“Maybe sometime soon, Kentaro,” Taiga nodded back shyly, finally satisfied to match the name to the correct face. With a small wave goodbye, Taiga finally pushed the shop door open and walked out onto the sidewalk.
Hokuto crossed his arms, watching Taiga from outside. “Who was that?” He questioned Taiga after the two of them began walking along the street once more.
“Kentaro Yasui,” Taiga replied casually, the name now drawing a smile to his lips. “The boy we saw yesterday was wearing Kentaro’s name tag.”
“Then what happened to the boy from yesterday?” Hokuto seemed rather annoyed that Taiga hadn’t found the person he had intended him to find.
Taiga shrugged, his words escaping his lips in a sigh, “He wasn’t there today, I guess.”
But just then, back inside the ice cream store, Juri Tanaka stepped out from the storage room.
“Where did Kentaro go?” he asked Keigo curiously.
Keigo giggled, a wide grin spreading on his lips. “Actually, a really pretty boy came in looking for him, but when he tried to leave, Kentaro chased after him and they ended up holding hands like lovers or something.”
Juri laughed, amused by the thought. “Kentaro has a boyfriend? I wonder what he looks like, since you say he’s ‘really pretty’.”
Keigo smiled mischievously, “Are you jealous that you’re single and don’t have a pretty boyfriend?”
Juri elbowed Keigo playfully, irked by his insinuation, “Hey, I happened to have met a really pretty boy yesterday,” Juri beamed proudly. “I got so distracted by his appearance that I even asked him to pay for his ice cream twice!” He shook his head shamefully as Keigo merely laughed.
“Impressive, Juri, I think that’s the first time you’ve ever messed up so badly,” Keigo nudged him teasingly.
Juri rolled his eyes, a reddening warmth touching his cheeks. “Wow, thanks, Keigo,” He mumbled sarcastically. “But to be honest, I think he would’ve eaten lunch with me, too, if his friend hadn’t been waiting for him to leave.”
Keigo raised his eyebrow inquisitively. “You? He liked you?”
Juri pondered for a moment, scrunching his nose. “I don’t know, but...”
“You like him?” Keigo grinned excitedly.
Juri shook his head, but couldn’t resist the smile curling at his lips. “Maybe...?”