[one-shot] The Pretenders; or, How Tegoshi Got Himself a Boyfriend
Title: The Pretenders; or, How Tegoshi Got Himself a Boyfriend
Type: One-shot
Word count: 3,526
Rating: PG
Pairing: Shige/Tegoshi
Summary: Tegoshi asks Shige to pretend they’re dating. College AU. I had been planning this for a while and then saw the TegoShige 4-koma manga, which provided further inspiration. >.> Thanks to sanjihan for beta-ing.
“You want me to do what?” Shige asked, straining forward to make sure he hadn’t heard Tegoshi wrongly. That brat couldn’t possibly have just said...
“I said let’s pretend we’re dating!” said Tegoshi while flashing his sweetest smile, one that had the knack to conquer the hearts of many.
“And why would I want to do that?” asked Shige, annoyed by the way Tegoshi said it, like it was an amusing pastime that people do to while away a free weekend. It wasn’t as if Shige had nothing to do on a weekend - he had regular fishing trips with his senior Ohno-kun, which was a very healthy and enriching activity, by the way.
Tegoshi chuckled. “Sorry, I should’ve phrased it differently. What I mean is would you mind pretending that we’re dating so I can fend off a stalker?”
He proceeded to explain the matter over lunch, for which he was paying to further sweet-talk Shige into the idea. It turned out that some girl in their campus named Imoto Ayako had become besotted with Tegoshi. She was adamant in her belief that they were meant to be together although he had in many occasions refused her advances.
Shige raised an eyebrow at Tegoshi’s flowery language. “Besotted?” he repeated incredulously. “Advances?”
“Let me finish. This girl started doing creepy things, like sticking notes to my locker door, sending me multiple mails at crazy hours or waiting for me outside the futsal court. She refuses to believe I’m not interested in her. Even when I try going out with girls, she says they don’t deserve me and that she can do much better. So my idea is to pretend I’m dating a guy, which is my last resort to make her back off.”
“But it doesn’t have to be me, right? Why not Massu, or Koyama? Koyama’s perfect for this, he treats you like a girlfriend already.”
Tegoshi laughed a bit but quickly turned serious again. “Koyama would overreact and be too doting it wouldn’t look genuine. Massu would be too awkward, plus he can’t tell a lie to save his life. But you, Shige-” he nodded brightly at Shige’s direction, “you have this kind of balance between earnestness and restraint. You’re perfect for this.”
There is something rather flattering about making a perfect score as a potential pretend-boyfriend, but this wasn’t the time to be distracted. Shige said, “I do want to help you, but don’t you think this is a bit much? Everybody will misunderstand.”
“But it’s just a one time thing! When this is over I will personally explain the truth to everyone we know. Come on, please, Shige?”
Shige was still squirming uncomfortably in his seat, but Tegoshi gave him a solemn look and said, “You do owe me a favor, you know.”
Unfortunately he was right. Back in high school Shige had been in a photography club and when he couldn’t find a female model for a compulsory photo shoot with a prearranged theme, he had begged Tegoshi to pose for him. Tegoshi had graciously assented and donned a wig, a puffy gown and heavy make-up for the outdoor photo shoot.
“I went through a photo shoot at a public park in broad daylight dressed as Marie Antoinette,” he said quietly. “People were watching and laughing and pointing at me but I went on with it for you, Shige.”
Man, he really knew how to make someone feel guilty. Shige sighed and said, “All right, I’ll do it.”
Tegoshi squealed in delight and clapped his hands excitedly. “Thank you so much, Shige! I knew I could count on you.”
Already Shige was starting to predict how long it would take before he regretted making this decision.
It took less than 24 hours. At 6 AM the following morning Shige was woken by a loud noise from his nightstand. He groped blindly to turn off the alarm clock but soon realized it was his cell phone that was ringing. Eyes still half-closed, he picked it up and mumbled, “Huh-llo...?”
Tegoshi’s voice was like bubble rising from a tall glass of soda. “Rise and shine, baby!”
Shige groaned something that sounded a lot like an expletive but Tegoshi let it pass and went on, “You have a class in the morning, right? You don’t want to be late! Am I a good boyfriend or what, making sure you wake up on time?”
“Good boyfriend my ass-”
“Your ass is lovely, darling. I expect to see it on campus, yes? I want all our friends to hear the wonderful news! See you then.”
That remark about his rear end sidetracked him and Tegoshi hung up before he had a chance to reply. Shige rolled over and buried his head under the pillow. Today was going to be a long day.
“So let me get this straight. You two are together?” The disbelief in Yamapi’s voice was mirrored in the other guys’ faces. Well, everybody except Koyama, he had that misty-eyed look that he got whenever he saw tearjerker movies, especially those involving small animals.
Their little group was sitting at their usual table at the cafeteria for lunch when Tegoshi announced that he and Shige had secretly been crushing on each other for years and only recently had gotten together. “Yes, we’re dating. Right, sweetie?” he nudged Shige, who simple nodded his assent while trying to keep a straight face.
Yamapi and Massu still look unconvinced while Ryo’s half-smirk made Shige fear he could see through the whole charade. But Koyama was holding one hand to his heart and gushing, “How come I don’t know about this? Oh you guys-” He got up and proceeded to crush the happy couple in an all-encompassing embrace.
“I didn’t even know Shige was into boys,” said Massu.
“Yeah, while we all know Tegoshi can play for both teams,” Ryo said with a sneer, but Tegoshi was too busy receiving Koyama’s effusive flow of attention to hear him.
Yamapi put a hand on Shige’s shoulder and said, “Well, whatever it is, I’m happy for you guys.”
Shige smiled weakly. Theirs was a small, modest circle of friends but with Yamapi and Ryo, two guys with considerable popularity in campus, within the group, the others often found themselves attracting more attention than they expected. Already a number of students passing by were casting curious looks at the way Tegoshi’s fingers were interlocking with Shige’s on the table, and those sitting at nearby tables must have overheard Tegoshi’s little announcement, judging from the way some of the less tactful ones were straining their heads to get a look at the new gay couple on campus. Shige had to hand it to Tegoshi, this was one effective way to spread the news.
It seemed like it wasn’t enough for Tegoshi, though. While Massu was telling the others about a particularly annoying professor he had this semester, Tegoshi leaned over to Shige and whispered, “I’m gonna kiss you when I go. Just play along, all right?”
“Oi- you can’t just spring something like this on me,” Shige hissed. “I’m not prepared!”
“Don’t worry Shige, you’ll be fine.” Tapping one finger on Shige’s cheek, Tegoshi winked and got to his feet before declaring to the others, “Sorry guys, I gotta run to futsal practice.”
“So soon?” Koyama said, probably disappointed on Shige’s behalf.
Tegoshi took his jacket from the back of the chair and bent to Shige, a radiant smile on his face. “Don’t miss me too much, yeah?”
It then clicked to Shige what this was about. Their table was situated near the staircase where anybody walking in or out of the cafeteria could easily see. Tegoshi wasn’t just aiming for a kiss; he was doing a publicity stunt.
Tegoshi was already moving nearer but Shige surprised him by pushing his chair back and rising to his full height, several inches above Tegoshi. The latter looked up at him, at first confused but quickly shifting back into character. The damn kid was way too experienced in this, Shige realized, because the next thing Tegoshi did was to close his eyes and tilt his head in anticipation.
What the hell, Shige thought. Two could play at this game.
He could feel the eyes of his friends and probably dozens of other people on him as he laid his hands firmly on Tegoshi’s shoulder. The sudden intake of breath told him Tegoshi clearly wasn’t expecting that, and the sense of control it gave Shige emboldened him, made him forget to be self-conscious as he joined their lips together. Tegoshi tasted sweet, smelled that way too, and when Shige pulled away he was surprised to see Tegoshi’s cheeks reddening - actually blushing - his eyes open wide, mouth parted with the corners rising to a smile. He squeezed Shige’s arm and went on his way with the smile still plastered on his face.
“It’s okay Massu, you can open your eyes now,” Koyama said.
Yamapi whistled. “Well, that was...”
“Kinda hot,” Ryo said, grinning.
Life as Tegoshi’s boyfriend felt a little more fast-paced, a little louder than Shige was used to. The guy never seemed to run out of energy, leaping from one activity to the next with undiminished zeal and hauling Shige along with him. Suddenly Shige’s days were filled with shopping trips and eating out, picking up Tegoshi from the futsal court and walking their dogs together.
In public they made the effort to look affectionate, trading endearments and maintaining physical contact one way or another (although the first time Tegoshi rested his hand on Shige’s thigh he flinched visibly). But when they were alone Tegoshi was the same old friend Shige knew from back in high school, the guy with the never-say-die attitude. They just happened to spend a lot more time together now, which wasn’t entirely unwelcome to Shige.
In fact, he was enjoying this whole fake-dating thing way more than he was supposed to. Sure, Tegoshi could grate on his nerves sometimes, but he slowly grew to like having someone who called him up every morning to ensure he got to classes on time, sat down with him through long artsy movies in a foreign language, or prepared bento lunches for him.
Sometimes Shige had to remind himself they were only pretending. He didn’t even like boys to begin with - though Tegoshi wasn’t half bad, rather good-looking actually, with a fine nose and smooth skin and that little birthmark just outside his upper lip...
“Shige?” Tegoshi waved a hand in front of his face. “Your mind wandering or something?”
Shige gazed at Tegoshi sitting beside him under a tree on the campus green. “Nah, I’m just tired, I guess,” he muttered, trying to rid his head of weird thoughts.
“You look like you are. You haven’t moved from that page for 20 minutes.”
Glancing at the thick textbook in his hand, Shige flipped it shut in annoyance. “I’m never gonna finish this anyway. The author takes like a whole chapter to explain a single legal term.” He yawned and wiped his eyes. “God, I’m sleepy.”
“So get some shut-eye.” Tegoshi folded his jacket, put it on his lap and patted it, smiling at Shige. “I’m feeling generous today so I’ll lend you my lap.”
Shige laughed to cover his embarrassment. “Sleeping on your lap? No way.” Tegoshi’s lap was way too close to a private part of his body, not that Shige ever thought about Tegoshi’s privates. Anyway that’s beside the point.
“I have a class in an hour,” he said.
“Then I’ll wake you up before then.” Tegoshi tugged at his arm, his voice turning gentler. “Come on, Shige.”
He didn’t know how Tegoshi did it, but Shige always ended up doing what he wanted. Slowly lowering himself, he hesitated before Tegoshi tenderly pushed him so that his head was resting on the makeshift pillow on his lap. Tegoshi’s face was darkened by the shade but Shige thought he caught the shadow of a smile on his lips.
“Go to sleep,” Tegoshi whispered. Shige closed his eyes to the comforting feeling of Tegoshi’s fingers in his hair, coaxing him into peaceful slumber.
He never could say no to Tegoshi anyhow.
They had gone on several dates already but Tegoshi pointed out a serious gap in their record. “We’ve never gone to karaoke!” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. So one Friday night they strolled to a karaoke parlor near Shige’s place, loosely holding hands as they were lately so accustomed of doing. Shige noted that Tegoshi looked especially fine today; wavy hair freshly dyed a darker shade, giving him a cool stylish look.
“The color looks nice on you,” said Shige.
Tegoshi’s face broke into a smile. “Really? I’m glad. Everybody said it’s good but I wanted to know your opinion.”
The glow in his eyes looked too much like adoration, and Shige felt a sudden awkwardness. He quickly switched the subject, remembering something that had crossed his mind recently. “Hey, how’s the situation going with that Imoto girl? Is she still bugging you?”
Tegoshi licked his lips, averted his eyes. “Well, you know. I think she’s... slowly catching on.”
“Is that so? I don’t think I’ve ever met her.” Tegoshi made references to her sometimes, pointing vaguely at the cafeteria crowd where she was supposedly standing, or saying she was sitting at the back of the auditorium during a public lecture. But Shige had never actually seen her.
Tegoshi was walking slower, dragging his feet on the pavement, and Shige had a weird sinking feeling in his stomach. “Tegoshi?”
“Uh huh?”
“There is no stalker, isn’t there?”
They stopped walking altogether, Shige letting go of Tegoshi’s hand. It was surprising how empty his hand felt without Tegoshi’s in it. The other boy finally met his eyes and said quietly, “I’m sorry.”
“But why did you... fuck, Tegoshi, you actually made up all of this?”
Tegoshi put his head in his hands. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.”
“Why? Why the hell would you do that?”
Letting his hands fall to his sides, Tegoshi gave him a desperate look. “Isn’t it obvious? I like you, Shige.”
Shige took two steps backward as he tried to get his mind around it. Like. Tegoshi liked him. He created an elaborate lie in order to be his boyfriend. “That’s impossible,” Shige shook his head, laughing a little. Tegoshi, his old high school friend, liking him?
Tegoshi just smiled sadly. “Why did you think I dressed up as Marie Antoinette for you?”
He thought Tegoshi just enjoyed cross-dressing, but he refrained from saying that. Tegoshi stepped a little to the side and leant against a brick wall, hands shoved in his pockets. “I’ve been dropping boulder-sized hints at you but you just never see it. So I thought... no, I wasn’t thinking. I went a little crazy, I guess.”
“But you... you said you like me?”
“Yes, Shige, since the second year of high school. You give off this incredibly sexy vibe without even realizing it. Remember when you joined the judo club and girls were all over you? Those girls knew something good when they saw it.” He let out a low chuckle. “You looked really hot in that judo outfit, you know.”
Shige hoped what was creeping on his face was not a blush, and that the street lights above them weren’t bright enough to let Tegoshi notice it. But the latter was directing his eyes downward. “I get that you’re mad, I just- I’m sorry. I was only going to keep at it for a while but I was enjoying things too much.”
Shige couldn’t say the opposite about himself because he also had been enjoying having Tegoshi as a boyfriend, make-believe as it was. He had known there was something not quite right about the arrangement, but he was always putting off asking Tegoshi about it.
“Shige,” asked Tegoshi, his voice tiny, “am I still your friend?”
Shige knew he could never say no, not to Tegoshi. “Yes.”
Tegoshi glanced up at him, the reflection of the street lights dancing in his eyes. “Thank you.” He stood up straighter and lifted both hands in a gesture of surrender. “You know what? No more of this pretending crap. You’re officially single again. I will sort out this mess and tell everybody and this will all be over.”
Over? Shige was hit by a pang of gloom. No more walking home hand in hand at sunset, or cramming together before exams in Tegoshi’s dorm room. He would have to watch movies on his own again and remember to set his alarm clock at night, because nobody was going to call and wake him up now. Nobody was going to kiss him good night and whisper in his ear, breath hot and ticklish, wishing him to have sweet dreams.
He stepped forward and took Tegoshi’s hand. “Tegoshi,” his voice was scratchy so he cleared his throat, “Listen, I...”
But Tegoshi was staring at a distance over his shoulder, and he murmured under his breath. “Shit. It’s her.”
“What? Who?”
Turning around, Shige caught sight of a dark-haired girl waving enthusiastically at Tegoshi from across the road. There was nothing extraordinary about the way she looked save her striking eyebrows, thickly drawn in a garish manner. She was shouting “Tegoshi-kun” repeatedly over the sound of traffic, eager for the light to turn green and allow her to cross over.
“Imoto-san,” Tegoshi announced resignedly.
Shige spun back to him in confusion. “I thought you said there is no stalker.”
“There isn’t,” said Tegoshi between gritted teeth. “There is, however, an Imoto Ayako. She’s really into me; I just exaggerated the situation a bit.”
No time for Shige to question further; the girl had already crossed the road to their side. Tegoshi set a plastic smile in place and greeted, “Why Imoto-san, fancy seeing you here!”
The girl, seeming a bit older than Tegoshi at a closer look, laughed in utter delight, her infatuation with him apparent through every glance, every gesture. “A wonderful coincidence, isn’t it? I was just walking around and then bam! There you are!”
She yammered on for a while about what she was doing before Tegoshi managed to put a word in. “How nice, I’ve also been taking a walk with my b-” Shige saw him literally bite back the word and corrected, “...with Shige here.”
Imoto nodded politely at Shige. “Ah, is this your friend?”
All the time he spent with Tegoshi must have affected him or something because Shige felt a sudden boldness coursing through his veins. He put a hand on the small of Tegoshi’s back while telling Imoto, “Boyfriend, actually.”
He felt Tegoshi start a bit, perhaps from his touch or his words or both, and he turned to the younger boy with a smile. “We have a karaoke date all planned out, right, babe? You were already listing all the songs.” His hand shifted easily to Tegoshi’s waist, resting there like it was where it belonged.
Tegoshi’s lips curled into a smile, a genuine one unlike that which he had just presented to Imoto. “Yeah,” he said, a hand slipping around Shige’s shoulder, “I have a long list ready for you so we won’t run out of stuff to sing.”
If infatuated Imoto wasn’t stupid; she saw how the boys were behaving and the change in her expression showed she understood. “Well then,” her disappointment was evident and for a second Shige felt a little sorry for her, “I won’t disturb you two any longer. I guess... see you on campus, Tegoshi-kun?”
They exchanged courteous farewells and the boys walked away with arms draped around each other. Tegoshi moved ever so slightly closer to Shige as they walked, murmuring a quiet “Thanks”, and Shige’s heart swelled in his chest.
Tegoshi was singing his third L’Arc~en~Ciel song while Shige sat back watching him. He was pouring all he had into the song like he always did for everything in his life. The same way he had been looking at Shige all these years, but Shige just never noticed it.
The song faded to a close and without any signs of exhaustion Tegoshi began flipping the songbook for another. “Next song, Shige! How about another duet? KinKi Kids, what do you say?”
Shige put a hand over Tegoshi’s and their eyes met. How Tegoshi was able to contain those feelings inside that small body all this time was still a mystery to Shige, but tonight he was only beginning to understand some things.
His free hand made its way behind Tegoshi’s neck as he leant across to kiss him, slow but sure. Tegoshi was making delicious little noises against his mouth, and Shige used his hand behind Tegoshi’s head to angle him even deeper into a kiss more intense, more romantic than any they ever had. They broke apart and gazed at each other; Shige and Tegoshi, Tegoshi and Shige, old friends with brand new feelings.
“So,” Shige said, “Marie Antoinette. That was just because you like me?”
Tegoshi smiled. “You wanna try it again?”
Type: One-shot
Word count: 3,526
Rating: PG
Pairing: Shige/Tegoshi
Summary: Tegoshi asks Shige to pretend they’re dating. College AU. I had been planning this for a while and then saw the TegoShige 4-koma manga, which provided further inspiration. >.> Thanks to sanjihan for beta-ing.
“You want me to do what?” Shige asked, straining forward to make sure he hadn’t heard Tegoshi wrongly. That brat couldn’t possibly have just said...
“I said let’s pretend we’re dating!” said Tegoshi while flashing his sweetest smile, one that had the knack to conquer the hearts of many.
“And why would I want to do that?” asked Shige, annoyed by the way Tegoshi said it, like it was an amusing pastime that people do to while away a free weekend. It wasn’t as if Shige had nothing to do on a weekend - he had regular fishing trips with his senior Ohno-kun, which was a very healthy and enriching activity, by the way.
Tegoshi chuckled. “Sorry, I should’ve phrased it differently. What I mean is would you mind pretending that we’re dating so I can fend off a stalker?”
He proceeded to explain the matter over lunch, for which he was paying to further sweet-talk Shige into the idea. It turned out that some girl in their campus named Imoto Ayako had become besotted with Tegoshi. She was adamant in her belief that they were meant to be together although he had in many occasions refused her advances.
Shige raised an eyebrow at Tegoshi’s flowery language. “Besotted?” he repeated incredulously. “Advances?”
“Let me finish. This girl started doing creepy things, like sticking notes to my locker door, sending me multiple mails at crazy hours or waiting for me outside the futsal court. She refuses to believe I’m not interested in her. Even when I try going out with girls, she says they don’t deserve me and that she can do much better. So my idea is to pretend I’m dating a guy, which is my last resort to make her back off.”
“But it doesn’t have to be me, right? Why not Massu, or Koyama? Koyama’s perfect for this, he treats you like a girlfriend already.”
Tegoshi laughed a bit but quickly turned serious again. “Koyama would overreact and be too doting it wouldn’t look genuine. Massu would be too awkward, plus he can’t tell a lie to save his life. But you, Shige-” he nodded brightly at Shige’s direction, “you have this kind of balance between earnestness and restraint. You’re perfect for this.”
There is something rather flattering about making a perfect score as a potential pretend-boyfriend, but this wasn’t the time to be distracted. Shige said, “I do want to help you, but don’t you think this is a bit much? Everybody will misunderstand.”
“But it’s just a one time thing! When this is over I will personally explain the truth to everyone we know. Come on, please, Shige?”
Shige was still squirming uncomfortably in his seat, but Tegoshi gave him a solemn look and said, “You do owe me a favor, you know.”
Unfortunately he was right. Back in high school Shige had been in a photography club and when he couldn’t find a female model for a compulsory photo shoot with a prearranged theme, he had begged Tegoshi to pose for him. Tegoshi had graciously assented and donned a wig, a puffy gown and heavy make-up for the outdoor photo shoot.
“I went through a photo shoot at a public park in broad daylight dressed as Marie Antoinette,” he said quietly. “People were watching and laughing and pointing at me but I went on with it for you, Shige.”
Man, he really knew how to make someone feel guilty. Shige sighed and said, “All right, I’ll do it.”
Tegoshi squealed in delight and clapped his hands excitedly. “Thank you so much, Shige! I knew I could count on you.”
Already Shige was starting to predict how long it would take before he regretted making this decision.
It took less than 24 hours. At 6 AM the following morning Shige was woken by a loud noise from his nightstand. He groped blindly to turn off the alarm clock but soon realized it was his cell phone that was ringing. Eyes still half-closed, he picked it up and mumbled, “Huh-llo...?”
Tegoshi’s voice was like bubble rising from a tall glass of soda. “Rise and shine, baby!”
Shige groaned something that sounded a lot like an expletive but Tegoshi let it pass and went on, “You have a class in the morning, right? You don’t want to be late! Am I a good boyfriend or what, making sure you wake up on time?”
“Good boyfriend my ass-”
“Your ass is lovely, darling. I expect to see it on campus, yes? I want all our friends to hear the wonderful news! See you then.”
That remark about his rear end sidetracked him and Tegoshi hung up before he had a chance to reply. Shige rolled over and buried his head under the pillow. Today was going to be a long day.
“So let me get this straight. You two are together?” The disbelief in Yamapi’s voice was mirrored in the other guys’ faces. Well, everybody except Koyama, he had that misty-eyed look that he got whenever he saw tearjerker movies, especially those involving small animals.
Their little group was sitting at their usual table at the cafeteria for lunch when Tegoshi announced that he and Shige had secretly been crushing on each other for years and only recently had gotten together. “Yes, we’re dating. Right, sweetie?” he nudged Shige, who simple nodded his assent while trying to keep a straight face.
Yamapi and Massu still look unconvinced while Ryo’s half-smirk made Shige fear he could see through the whole charade. But Koyama was holding one hand to his heart and gushing, “How come I don’t know about this? Oh you guys-” He got up and proceeded to crush the happy couple in an all-encompassing embrace.
“I didn’t even know Shige was into boys,” said Massu.
“Yeah, while we all know Tegoshi can play for both teams,” Ryo said with a sneer, but Tegoshi was too busy receiving Koyama’s effusive flow of attention to hear him.
Yamapi put a hand on Shige’s shoulder and said, “Well, whatever it is, I’m happy for you guys.”
Shige smiled weakly. Theirs was a small, modest circle of friends but with Yamapi and Ryo, two guys with considerable popularity in campus, within the group, the others often found themselves attracting more attention than they expected. Already a number of students passing by were casting curious looks at the way Tegoshi’s fingers were interlocking with Shige’s on the table, and those sitting at nearby tables must have overheard Tegoshi’s little announcement, judging from the way some of the less tactful ones were straining their heads to get a look at the new gay couple on campus. Shige had to hand it to Tegoshi, this was one effective way to spread the news.
It seemed like it wasn’t enough for Tegoshi, though. While Massu was telling the others about a particularly annoying professor he had this semester, Tegoshi leaned over to Shige and whispered, “I’m gonna kiss you when I go. Just play along, all right?”
“Oi- you can’t just spring something like this on me,” Shige hissed. “I’m not prepared!”
“Don’t worry Shige, you’ll be fine.” Tapping one finger on Shige’s cheek, Tegoshi winked and got to his feet before declaring to the others, “Sorry guys, I gotta run to futsal practice.”
“So soon?” Koyama said, probably disappointed on Shige’s behalf.
Tegoshi took his jacket from the back of the chair and bent to Shige, a radiant smile on his face. “Don’t miss me too much, yeah?”
It then clicked to Shige what this was about. Their table was situated near the staircase where anybody walking in or out of the cafeteria could easily see. Tegoshi wasn’t just aiming for a kiss; he was doing a publicity stunt.
Tegoshi was already moving nearer but Shige surprised him by pushing his chair back and rising to his full height, several inches above Tegoshi. The latter looked up at him, at first confused but quickly shifting back into character. The damn kid was way too experienced in this, Shige realized, because the next thing Tegoshi did was to close his eyes and tilt his head in anticipation.
What the hell, Shige thought. Two could play at this game.
He could feel the eyes of his friends and probably dozens of other people on him as he laid his hands firmly on Tegoshi’s shoulder. The sudden intake of breath told him Tegoshi clearly wasn’t expecting that, and the sense of control it gave Shige emboldened him, made him forget to be self-conscious as he joined their lips together. Tegoshi tasted sweet, smelled that way too, and when Shige pulled away he was surprised to see Tegoshi’s cheeks reddening - actually blushing - his eyes open wide, mouth parted with the corners rising to a smile. He squeezed Shige’s arm and went on his way with the smile still plastered on his face.
“It’s okay Massu, you can open your eyes now,” Koyama said.
Yamapi whistled. “Well, that was...”
“Kinda hot,” Ryo said, grinning.
Life as Tegoshi’s boyfriend felt a little more fast-paced, a little louder than Shige was used to. The guy never seemed to run out of energy, leaping from one activity to the next with undiminished zeal and hauling Shige along with him. Suddenly Shige’s days were filled with shopping trips and eating out, picking up Tegoshi from the futsal court and walking their dogs together.
In public they made the effort to look affectionate, trading endearments and maintaining physical contact one way or another (although the first time Tegoshi rested his hand on Shige’s thigh he flinched visibly). But when they were alone Tegoshi was the same old friend Shige knew from back in high school, the guy with the never-say-die attitude. They just happened to spend a lot more time together now, which wasn’t entirely unwelcome to Shige.
In fact, he was enjoying this whole fake-dating thing way more than he was supposed to. Sure, Tegoshi could grate on his nerves sometimes, but he slowly grew to like having someone who called him up every morning to ensure he got to classes on time, sat down with him through long artsy movies in a foreign language, or prepared bento lunches for him.
Sometimes Shige had to remind himself they were only pretending. He didn’t even like boys to begin with - though Tegoshi wasn’t half bad, rather good-looking actually, with a fine nose and smooth skin and that little birthmark just outside his upper lip...
“Shige?” Tegoshi waved a hand in front of his face. “Your mind wandering or something?”
Shige gazed at Tegoshi sitting beside him under a tree on the campus green. “Nah, I’m just tired, I guess,” he muttered, trying to rid his head of weird thoughts.
“You look like you are. You haven’t moved from that page for 20 minutes.”
Glancing at the thick textbook in his hand, Shige flipped it shut in annoyance. “I’m never gonna finish this anyway. The author takes like a whole chapter to explain a single legal term.” He yawned and wiped his eyes. “God, I’m sleepy.”
“So get some shut-eye.” Tegoshi folded his jacket, put it on his lap and patted it, smiling at Shige. “I’m feeling generous today so I’ll lend you my lap.”
Shige laughed to cover his embarrassment. “Sleeping on your lap? No way.” Tegoshi’s lap was way too close to a private part of his body, not that Shige ever thought about Tegoshi’s privates. Anyway that’s beside the point.
“I have a class in an hour,” he said.
“Then I’ll wake you up before then.” Tegoshi tugged at his arm, his voice turning gentler. “Come on, Shige.”
He didn’t know how Tegoshi did it, but Shige always ended up doing what he wanted. Slowly lowering himself, he hesitated before Tegoshi tenderly pushed him so that his head was resting on the makeshift pillow on his lap. Tegoshi’s face was darkened by the shade but Shige thought he caught the shadow of a smile on his lips.
“Go to sleep,” Tegoshi whispered. Shige closed his eyes to the comforting feeling of Tegoshi’s fingers in his hair, coaxing him into peaceful slumber.
He never could say no to Tegoshi anyhow.
They had gone on several dates already but Tegoshi pointed out a serious gap in their record. “We’ve never gone to karaoke!” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. So one Friday night they strolled to a karaoke parlor near Shige’s place, loosely holding hands as they were lately so accustomed of doing. Shige noted that Tegoshi looked especially fine today; wavy hair freshly dyed a darker shade, giving him a cool stylish look.
“The color looks nice on you,” said Shige.
Tegoshi’s face broke into a smile. “Really? I’m glad. Everybody said it’s good but I wanted to know your opinion.”
The glow in his eyes looked too much like adoration, and Shige felt a sudden awkwardness. He quickly switched the subject, remembering something that had crossed his mind recently. “Hey, how’s the situation going with that Imoto girl? Is she still bugging you?”
Tegoshi licked his lips, averted his eyes. “Well, you know. I think she’s... slowly catching on.”
“Is that so? I don’t think I’ve ever met her.” Tegoshi made references to her sometimes, pointing vaguely at the cafeteria crowd where she was supposedly standing, or saying she was sitting at the back of the auditorium during a public lecture. But Shige had never actually seen her.
Tegoshi was walking slower, dragging his feet on the pavement, and Shige had a weird sinking feeling in his stomach. “Tegoshi?”
“Uh huh?”
“There is no stalker, isn’t there?”
They stopped walking altogether, Shige letting go of Tegoshi’s hand. It was surprising how empty his hand felt without Tegoshi’s in it. The other boy finally met his eyes and said quietly, “I’m sorry.”
“But why did you... fuck, Tegoshi, you actually made up all of this?”
Tegoshi put his head in his hands. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.”
“Why? Why the hell would you do that?”
Letting his hands fall to his sides, Tegoshi gave him a desperate look. “Isn’t it obvious? I like you, Shige.”
Shige took two steps backward as he tried to get his mind around it. Like. Tegoshi liked him. He created an elaborate lie in order to be his boyfriend. “That’s impossible,” Shige shook his head, laughing a little. Tegoshi, his old high school friend, liking him?
Tegoshi just smiled sadly. “Why did you think I dressed up as Marie Antoinette for you?”
He thought Tegoshi just enjoyed cross-dressing, but he refrained from saying that. Tegoshi stepped a little to the side and leant against a brick wall, hands shoved in his pockets. “I’ve been dropping boulder-sized hints at you but you just never see it. So I thought... no, I wasn’t thinking. I went a little crazy, I guess.”
“But you... you said you like me?”
“Yes, Shige, since the second year of high school. You give off this incredibly sexy vibe without even realizing it. Remember when you joined the judo club and girls were all over you? Those girls knew something good when they saw it.” He let out a low chuckle. “You looked really hot in that judo outfit, you know.”
Shige hoped what was creeping on his face was not a blush, and that the street lights above them weren’t bright enough to let Tegoshi notice it. But the latter was directing his eyes downward. “I get that you’re mad, I just- I’m sorry. I was only going to keep at it for a while but I was enjoying things too much.”
Shige couldn’t say the opposite about himself because he also had been enjoying having Tegoshi as a boyfriend, make-believe as it was. He had known there was something not quite right about the arrangement, but he was always putting off asking Tegoshi about it.
“Shige,” asked Tegoshi, his voice tiny, “am I still your friend?”
Shige knew he could never say no, not to Tegoshi. “Yes.”
Tegoshi glanced up at him, the reflection of the street lights dancing in his eyes. “Thank you.” He stood up straighter and lifted both hands in a gesture of surrender. “You know what? No more of this pretending crap. You’re officially single again. I will sort out this mess and tell everybody and this will all be over.”
Over? Shige was hit by a pang of gloom. No more walking home hand in hand at sunset, or cramming together before exams in Tegoshi’s dorm room. He would have to watch movies on his own again and remember to set his alarm clock at night, because nobody was going to call and wake him up now. Nobody was going to kiss him good night and whisper in his ear, breath hot and ticklish, wishing him to have sweet dreams.
He stepped forward and took Tegoshi’s hand. “Tegoshi,” his voice was scratchy so he cleared his throat, “Listen, I...”
But Tegoshi was staring at a distance over his shoulder, and he murmured under his breath. “Shit. It’s her.”
“What? Who?”
Turning around, Shige caught sight of a dark-haired girl waving enthusiastically at Tegoshi from across the road. There was nothing extraordinary about the way she looked save her striking eyebrows, thickly drawn in a garish manner. She was shouting “Tegoshi-kun” repeatedly over the sound of traffic, eager for the light to turn green and allow her to cross over.
“Imoto-san,” Tegoshi announced resignedly.
Shige spun back to him in confusion. “I thought you said there is no stalker.”
“There isn’t,” said Tegoshi between gritted teeth. “There is, however, an Imoto Ayako. She’s really into me; I just exaggerated the situation a bit.”
No time for Shige to question further; the girl had already crossed the road to their side. Tegoshi set a plastic smile in place and greeted, “Why Imoto-san, fancy seeing you here!”
The girl, seeming a bit older than Tegoshi at a closer look, laughed in utter delight, her infatuation with him apparent through every glance, every gesture. “A wonderful coincidence, isn’t it? I was just walking around and then bam! There you are!”
She yammered on for a while about what she was doing before Tegoshi managed to put a word in. “How nice, I’ve also been taking a walk with my b-” Shige saw him literally bite back the word and corrected, “...with Shige here.”
Imoto nodded politely at Shige. “Ah, is this your friend?”
All the time he spent with Tegoshi must have affected him or something because Shige felt a sudden boldness coursing through his veins. He put a hand on the small of Tegoshi’s back while telling Imoto, “Boyfriend, actually.”
He felt Tegoshi start a bit, perhaps from his touch or his words or both, and he turned to the younger boy with a smile. “We have a karaoke date all planned out, right, babe? You were already listing all the songs.” His hand shifted easily to Tegoshi’s waist, resting there like it was where it belonged.
Tegoshi’s lips curled into a smile, a genuine one unlike that which he had just presented to Imoto. “Yeah,” he said, a hand slipping around Shige’s shoulder, “I have a long list ready for you so we won’t run out of stuff to sing.”
If infatuated Imoto wasn’t stupid; she saw how the boys were behaving and the change in her expression showed she understood. “Well then,” her disappointment was evident and for a second Shige felt a little sorry for her, “I won’t disturb you two any longer. I guess... see you on campus, Tegoshi-kun?”
They exchanged courteous farewells and the boys walked away with arms draped around each other. Tegoshi moved ever so slightly closer to Shige as they walked, murmuring a quiet “Thanks”, and Shige’s heart swelled in his chest.
Tegoshi was singing his third L’Arc~en~Ciel song while Shige sat back watching him. He was pouring all he had into the song like he always did for everything in his life. The same way he had been looking at Shige all these years, but Shige just never noticed it.
The song faded to a close and without any signs of exhaustion Tegoshi began flipping the songbook for another. “Next song, Shige! How about another duet? KinKi Kids, what do you say?”
Shige put a hand over Tegoshi’s and their eyes met. How Tegoshi was able to contain those feelings inside that small body all this time was still a mystery to Shige, but tonight he was only beginning to understand some things.
His free hand made its way behind Tegoshi’s neck as he leant across to kiss him, slow but sure. Tegoshi was making delicious little noises against his mouth, and Shige used his hand behind Tegoshi’s head to angle him even deeper into a kiss more intense, more romantic than any they ever had. They broke apart and gazed at each other; Shige and Tegoshi, Tegoshi and Shige, old friends with brand new feelings.
“So,” Shige said, “Marie Antoinette. That was just because you like me?”
Tegoshi smiled. “You wanna try it again?”