Thinking of You - Chapter Four
~君思う~
~Thinking of You~
Chapter 4: Emotions
“Ryosuke, what the hell!?” Chinen screamed furiously as soon as rehearsal had ended and the members had retreated to the SEVEN dressing room. “I trusted you with my secret and you might as well have just shouted it out to the whole world!”
“Hey! That's not true! I'm sure Daiki realized that I was JUST KIDDING and completely did NOT take my words as suggesting that you like him!”
“Shut up!” Chinen yelled, eyes watering. “You make it sound as if Daiki would never like me back!”
“NO I DIDN'T!” Ryosuke shouted back. “Besides, didn't you just say this morning that you realized it would be impossible for Daiki to return your feelings?!”
“I didn't say THAT!” Chinen cried, practically wailing as tears streamed down his cheeks. “
“Stop it, you guys!” Yuto screamed at the top of his lungs. The two fighters froze and turned to stare at Yuto, who had never looked or sounded so angry before. “You guys, we're all best friends here! Get over yourselves and forget about the past already!” he insisted, stamping his foot in aggravation.
“It's not my fault!” Chinen shouted. “Ryosuke betrayed me!”
“How many times do I have to tell you!? THAT’S NOT TRUE!!” Ryosuke roared, grabbing Chinen by the collar and slamming him against the wall.
Chinen gasped in pain as his spine crashed against the hard cement.
“RYOSUKE!” Yuto yelled, rushing over to pull his friend's grip off of Chinen.
As soon as he let go, Chinen's frail body plummeted to the ground. Staring up at Ryosuke with a look of pure hatred glaring from his eyes, Chinen slowly staggered and picked himself up. Once standing, Chinen gave Ryosuke one final shove. And as Ryosuke staggered back from the impact, he watched his former friend walk out of the room, never stopping to even give a final glance back, as he slammed the door behind him with a deafening crash.
***
I'm so naïve, thinking Daiki would ever want to watch me... Kei Inoo laughed sheepishly at his own foolishness as he slipped on his sneakers and got ready to leave the BEST dressing room.
“Hey, Kei, wait up!” Kota Yabu called from behind.
“Oh, hey,” Kei greeted absentmindedly as he held the door open to let his friend walk out first. Kota gestured for him to go ahead and Kei just shrugged and let go.
“So how are you?” Kota asked, breaking the silence as they walked together.
“I'm fine,” Kei answered curtly. “It's been a while since we’ve… been alone together, just the two of us,” Kei began, not realizing how awkward his words would sound out loud.
Luckily Kota didn't seem to care. Instead, he laughed. “Yeah, a couple years ago, had we been alone, I would've pulled you into my arms and given you a ki-”
“Kota, stop,” Kei ordered, turning to face the older boy with a stern look on his face. “We've been through this before. We're over, Kota. Please tell me you've let go by now,” Kei frowned.
Kota shook his head and took Kei's hands into his own. “But Kei, I still love you. I always have and always will. Nothing you say can change this. I don't know if you ever actually loved me back, but-”
“Kota,” Kei interjected once more. “Don't lie. You know I loved you. I loved you with all my heart. But we were both so young, and the hidden secrecy of it all… I just couldn't take it. I'm sorry, but by now I've moved on, and I can only beg for you to do the same,” Kei insisted with pleading eyes.
Kota groaned, throwing Kei's hands out of his grip in frustration. “Kei, you know I can't stand it when you look at me like that! I can't resist giving in to you… But this time, I have to.”
With that, Kota stalked off, leaving a conflicted Kei behind, regretting his words.
Kota… we were best friends once… why can't you ever let us go back to that time?
***
As soon as Chinen stepped into the elevator, he began sobbing uncontrollably. Why did I get so frustrated with Ryosuke? How will I ever have the dignity to face him now? I lost my best friend… because of this stupid crush on Daiki! This isn't even worth it. Ryosuke's right; Daiki could never possibly like me…
Just as the elevator doors were about to close, Daiki Arioka stepped out of the BEST dressing room and spotted Chinen, tear-stained and red-faced, standing in the elevator.
“Wait, Chinen!” he called.
Chinen looked up and saw Daiki running towards him. Frantically, he tried reaching to push the door close button, but his finger slipped and he accidentally pressed the door open one beside it.
Cursing himself under his breath, Chinen faked a smile as Daiki stepped inside and grinned, “Thanks.”
The doors closed.
“What's wrong, Chinen? You've been crying?” Daiki immediately asked worriedly.
Chinen tried his best to avoid the older boy's eyes as he shrugged.
“I’m okay, though,” he murmured.
“I don’t think so,” Daiki replied, gently turning Chinen’s head to face him straight on. “Tell me,” he whispered.
Chinen’s heartbeat began racing as his faced glowed a deep red. “It’s nothing, really,” he insisted.
Daiki looked crestfallen to have had his request rejected. “I don’t want to force you, Chinen, but I want you to know that I’m here for you if you need me,” Daiki bit his lip, trying to sound as supportive as his heart felt towards Chinen.
Not knowing how to best convey his concern for his hurting friend, Daiki merely pulled Chinen into another warm embrace, hugging the little boy’s head in his chest as he began to cry once more.
The fresh tears traced new paths down Chinen’s cheeks, staining Daiki’s shirt, but Daiki didn’t care. Chinen tightened his grip on Daiki’s shirt in his tiny fists as he began to weep uncontrollably.
Blinking back tears that were beginning to well up in his own eyes from watching his friend having to endure so much pain, Daiki murmured softly, “Who’s doing this to you, Chinen?”
Chinen’s trembling body froze. He slowly lifted his face off out of Daiki’s chest and up to meet the older boy’s gaze.
“Y-You,” he stammered.
~~~
A/N: I realize I'm making Chinen wayy too emo... that probably isn't so great... ^^;; I'M SORRY CHINEN!! >.<
hopefully it's understandable, considering how much he has/will go through over the previous/next few chapters...
Wow, this chapter is so angsty, I don't think I've ever had to use so many CAPS before... XD