Prompt 3: We're all about cliques, yo! - Team Future
Title: A Biography in Brief Literary Snapshots
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Kamenashi Kazuya/Matsumoto Jun
Summary: Everybody talks about the OST to their lives, but what about the library list? Matsujun has just gotten a new assignment - to read 100 books and review them on one of Arashi’s shows. But life is not only about books and as he reads on, Jun meets new people, keeps the same old friends and falls into traps that prove hard to get out.
Prompt: We’re all about cliques, yo!
Notes: Thanks to my betas G and A. You’re the fastest betas in the west. I adore you! A lot.
1. The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu
Meetings had gotten tiresome by their tenth year, especially every time they started to blabber about what changes ought to be made to keep them relevant and fresh and cool. Jun ended up paying more attention to the rhythmic tapping of Nino's fingers on the table. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite make it out. He started humming it softly and by the time he realized Nino was putting his new hideous haircut to good use and had in fact been blocking the blabbering with music, he had also realized what the song was.
‘It's the end of the world as we know it...' he sang softly in the worst English he could manage and Nino smiled at him.
He held back his laughter and tried to focus on the meeting again, but they were still following the script regarding Arashi’s new direction. They always said the same and apparently, the verdict was always 'Don't fix what ain't broken'.
'Matsumoto-san, would please give us your opinion?' somebody said and he stared at the window for a while, suddenly feeling like a child caught cheating in class.
'Matsumoto-san, do you agree with the new corner?' they repeated.
'Eh. Yes, yes I do. It's a great idea.'
'Fantastic.'
And that's why he now had to read 100 books before he died and then create a skit so that people would get interested. Arashi, promoting literacy and the bastardization of great literature since 1999.
Maybe he could add some vampires to Don Quixote. That was sure to get people to laugh.
6. King Lear, William Shakespeare
'Where were you when Johnny died?' It would probably become one of those flashbulb memories, the kind of instant everybody added to their personal scrapbooks.
Jun remembered where he was. He was in the middle of King Lear, taking notes while three unread scripts lurked in a nearby desk. Outside, the night engulfed Tokyo and on the TV some comedians buried their faces in flour.
His phone rang and when he picked it up, Aiba's raspy and slightly desperate voice startled him.
'He's dead!'
His book fell off his lap. 'Who?'
'He!'
'OK. Aiba, you're scaring me and this is not a good prank. I thought we were over that.'
'Fuck you, Jun! We need to be ready for tomorrow.'
He breathed in. 'Aiba, I just want to know who the fuck died.'
'Johnny. Johnny died.'
Thousands of questions barged into Jun's mind. How? When? Why? He was old, yes, but nobody had told them anything. Not one rumour.
But he could only ask one thing:
'What are we doing to do?'
Aiba just fell silent.
12. Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller
Anybody who was anybody showed up for the funeral or at least tried to. In the end, it was a quiet matter. For all the sparkles and sequins he had inflicted on the world, Johnny left without a bang, just a quiet whisper.
Johnny had been in an office with a corner view for years now, so nobody was surprised when Julie simply changed her title and kept her office.
She had aged twenty years in a few weeks and she wasn't that young to begin with, Jun thought. She still looked scary and stern, though.
'Matsumoto-kun, please take a sit.'
He complied and didn't say a word.
'I've called you to discuss your new responsibilities.'
'I see.'
'You see, I have observed you for a long time now. I've seen you grow under our guidance and I think it's time you use that experience to guide others.'
But I hate Juniors. 'I'll be pleased to be of help. I'm very grateful to the company.'
Julie smiled. 'That's good. In the past, most of Arashi's concert planning has been your
responsibility, hasn't it? And your concerts have been successful. So we were hoping you could help other bands with your know-how.'
Jun shifted in his seat. 'Junior acts?'
'Oh, no. We have that covered. No, you're going to start with Johnny's finest,' she said.
She pointed at a file on the desk. 'All the information you need is there. Please get
familiar with it before setting a meeting with the group.'
Jun took it and opened it. He should have guessed that ‘Johnny’s finest’ meant 'KAT-TUN'. He glanced through the file. Tour dates, venues, proposed set lists. He winced. Now he had to go and listen to KAT-TUN's albums. And watch the concert footage. And probably even talk to them. 'Thanks for this opportunity, I am truly grateful,' he said.
Julie just pointed at the door.
19. Lord of the Flies, William Goldstein
The first meeting was a disaster. The managers sat at one side of the table, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. The group wasn't much happier to see him there.
'Hm. I have some ideas that could work with your previous aesthetic,' he said. 'Did you have anything planned?'
Kame stared at him. 'Everything.'
Jun was not a brat anymore, but dealing with rooms full of hostile people had never gotten easier. 'I see. Then I hope we can combine my ideas with your plans. I am sure this way we can offer the fans a better experience, don't you think?'
'We have been able to do that in the past.'
'But don't you think that a new person can bring a different perspective? Sometimes, we get stagnant and need a little shaking.'
'We are not stagnant. We are always changing,' Ueda said.
Jun hit the table with the file he had. 'I have seen your concerts. They're a disjointed mess. An over-produced, disjointed mess. I don't know whose fault it is. I don't care about that. I'm here to get some work done and I will, whether you act your age or not. Come on, how many years have you been in this business? Do you think that throwing a tantrum will get you your way? It won't. Not with me.'
'Because you throw tantrums better than us?'
'Exactly,' he said and made a pause. 'Look, it's simple. I like your ideas, guys. But I won't let you do whatever you want. You aren't going to win. We better work together or this will end badly.'
'She sent you, didn't she? To discipline us or something. As if we were teenagers...'
'You're acting like that. And yes, she sent me. I'm not exactly sure why, but...'
'You just follow orders.'
'But I don't care. I like doing this. And you're not about to ruin it for me.'
The second meeting had not been better. Jun showed them some proposed stages and they all got the same disdain. Too colourful. Too rainbowy. Too dark. Too visual-kei. Too kabuki. Too little. Too much. Too anything.
But he couldn't let them win.
The third time, he simply showed up on one of their rehearsals for some TV presentation and invited them for some yakiniku. Maybe beer would make it easier.
By 3 AM, Kame was telling him about his dream concert and Taguchi was thanking him because they hadn't eaten together in ages. Tanaka was snoring loudly in a corner and Nakamaru was just staring off into the distance. Ueda had left hours before.
At 5 AM, Kame was still talking. Jun couldn't help but listen.
22. The Three Musketeers, Alexander Dumas
'Where were you when Yamapi decided to get married to a girl he had known for a week?' More flashbulb memories. Jun remembered that, because he was right besides the guy when it happened.
They weren't in a trendy club. They weren't even in a karaoke booth. They were simply sitting on his sofa. Yamapi was being dramatic, drinking straight from the bottle. ‘We're going to die alone and all wrinkly.’
'I don't know about the wrinkles - cosmetic surgery can do magic these days -, but we'll surely die alone,' Toma added.
Jun looked at the bottom of his glass.
'You don't think we'll find somebody?' he asked.
Toma shook his head and started doing gestures with his hands. 'This... life of ours, it comes with a price. And no, we will stay like this forever, especially you.'
Jun snorted. 'Why? What makes me so special?'
'I doubt most people want to be your skeletons in the closet...'
Jun threw his glass across the room. It smashed on the wall. 'Don't pity me. I choose
what I choose.'
'I know, you do what you have to do. I just hope you're aware of the consequences.'
Yamapi suddenly stood. 'That's it! I'll ask her to marry me.'
Jun was not sure whether or not they had tried to talk him out of it.
26. Love in the Times of Cholera, Gabriel García Marquez
Flowers. Flowers everywhere. Models. Actresses. idols. So many idols. And alcohol. Where there are idols, there is alcohol.
Yamapi's bride was beautiful, even if she was just some cute girl from the make-up department. Jun hadn't been sure about her in the beginning, but when she turned Yamashita Tomohisa down and told him she had been married once and didn't want to make the same mistake twice, he became the main supporter of the couple. She turned out to be perfectly single and just creeped out by Yamapi’s sudden proposal. Yamapi backed off and then invited her to have dinner.
And there they were, two years later, getting married. Jun drank his champagne in one
gulp.
Right across the room, Kame was doing the exact same thing. He waved at him and to his surprise, Kame made his away across the room and sat at his side.
'Hello.'
'Having a good time?'
Kame shrugged. 'Somewhat.'
'But it's the wedding of the century. Didn't you hear Akanishi's speech?'
'It was in English. I didn't get half of it.'
'Trust me on this one, I was sitting next to Sakurai and apparently, we don't want to
know.'
Kame laughed. 'I don't get the guy. She’s just so plain. Does he even know her?’
'Maybe that's the great part. The surprise. Maybe he enjoys picking the unexpected.'
'That's fine for a one-night stand, but I wouldn't base my marriage on surprises.'
'So one-night stands are fine. Interesting.’
Kame laughed again. 'Yes, they are fine but not my thing.'
Jun stared at the ceiling. 'Sometimes there is no other choice.'
'I know... but they feel like a chore in the end. Plus there's always the threat of pictures and stuff.'
'I promise I won't take pictures,' he blurted out.
'I thought you were against intra-agency affairs.'
'I'm out of luck and out of choices.'
'You still have some luck left, trust me.'
Jun grinned. 'So I will get lucky tonight?'
'Blame it on the wine,’ Kame said and stood up.
Jun followed.
33. White Nights, Fyodor Dostoevsky
Lunch in their dressing room. A lull in the midst of filming. Jun was plunging through White Nights when Nino suddenly took the book out of his hands.
The other three were eating and weren’t even paying attention. Some things get to be too familiar.
'You actually read the books?'
'Of course! Most of them are great.' He got the book back and tried to find the page.
'It doesn't matter. You are still wasting your time. I thought an assistant gave you notes
or something.'
'My job is to give my opinions on them. I can't do that if I skip the reading part.'
'So what's your opinion on this one?'
'You have to wait.'
'I'm not playing the girl in the sketch this time, am I?'
Jun grinned. 'Don't worry. You're playing the pitiful main character who feels all alone. Aiba is the innocent girl.'
'Why don't you play him for a change? Does it hit too close too home?'
Nino's seriousness annoyed him. 'I'm not alone. I have you, I have them,' he said, pointing at the rest.
'That's just sad, Jun. That's just sad. Isn't there anybody else?'
Jun closed the book. 'You're not exactly swimming in companionship either.'
Nino patted Jun’s head. 'You guys are enough for me.'
Jun sighed. ‘Then shut up.’
40. The Third Man, Graham Greene
They met in some tiny restaurant that practically screamed 'Less than wholesome affairs'. Jun treasured his privacy and his safety and he was used to surreptitious meetings and mad dashes into the night. He was over feeling guilty when he left a note and nothing else or when he erased phone numbers.
But he still believed he wasn't doing anything wrong. He had been too young to choose and then too loyal to leave. He sighed.
'Do you feel okay?' Kame asked, pure gentleness dripping off his voice.
Jun smiled. 'Oh, perfectly fine.'
'The sarcasm was unwarranted.'
Jun was startled. 'I... wasn't being sarcastic. I feel perfectly fine. It's a date after all.'
Kame glanced to the window. 'So what do you like to do?'
'Does it sound terrible if I say work?'
'Yes, it does... but it's not like I can say anything else.'
'What do you say in interviews?'
'I don't even remember.'
'Me either.'
They fell silent.
'Why did Julie send you?'
Jun bit his lip. 'I'll never know. It's better to just stop asking.'
'I guess. But I can't help the feeling you're a spy.'
'Feel whatever you want, because I think I'm just an ordinary guy who met the wrong
people at the wrong time.'
'I doubt you were ever an ordinary man.'
Jun doubted it too. ‘You are not that ordinary either.’
47. The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
When he entered the room, Julie was staring at the window. Just that. She didn't seem to be in this world any more. The phone kept ringing and every step he took was like walking on shattered glass.
'Matsumoto-kun,' she said without even glancing at him.
'Hm. I received your assistant's call. Is there a reason...?'
'Don't have dates on public places. That's all.'
'I am very sorry if I have...'
'Kamenashi has excused himself enough for the both of you. Now, just don't have dates
in public places. I am sure you know how to avoid detection. Please do so.'
55. Rashomon, Akutagawa Ryunosuke
Our first date was a disaster, but I'm willing to give you another chance.
Kame’s message had been terse and Jun was not sure why he took the chance, but he had to admit that watching old movies at home felt better than eating overpriced food. Age had taken a toll on his good taste.
'Explain again why we are watching Rashomon.'
Jun grabbed Kame by the arm, pulling him closer. 'Because I was reading the book and felt curious. Plus I need ideas for the skit.'
Kame let Jun caress him with a satisfied smile. 'You actually plan those? I thought an assistant did it.'
'Who the fuck does this world think I am? Of course I do them!'
Kame started tickling him. 'You like to showcase your talent as a scriptwriter that much?'
Jun tried to push him away, to no avail. 'Yes, I do. It's fun and I get to torture the guys.'
'I hadn't seen that angle. It does sound fun.'
'You could try it.'
Kame laughed. 'They would kill me.'
60. The Sign of the Four, Arthur Conan Doyle
Jun set the table and served the food with all the arrogance in the world.
‘Behold my greatest creation.’
Toma didn’t even answer and instead changed the subject. 'So I heard you're dating someone,' said Toma with the devious smile of a six year-old. He was spending way too much time with Yamapi's kid.
'You know who I'm dating, drop the farce.'
Toma stroked his chin. 'So it is serious then. I thought you had given up on that.'
'I guess it's serious.'
'You guess? You mean you haven't... talked or anything?'
'Why should we talk? We meet, we have fun. It's all I need right now.'
'It's all you can deal with right now. It's not the same.'
Jun hit the table. 'Look, I don't see any wedding ring on your finger, so shut up.'
'You do have a point there, but at least I try.'
Toma looked hurt and Jun felt guilty, but he was trying as well
64. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brönte
Jun was laying limp on top on Kame, sadly fully dressed but planning on rectifying that. The first part of his master plan was to start licking Kame's earlobe with as much subtlety as he could.
'You're creeping me out.,' Kame said, giving him a rather annoyed punch.
'No, I'm not. You're loving it,' Jun replied. 'And I can tell.'
Kame giggled when Jun started softly biting his neck. 'You have the weirdest vampire
fetish ever.'
Jun unbuttoned Kame's shirt slowly and then took it off. 'You like it. Because your fetishes are weird as Hell too.'
He started to undo Kame's pants as well, only to be greeted with an exasperated huff.
'Not fair. Why I always end up naked first?'
'Because you're always so drunk you can't get me out of my pants.'
'I'm not that drunk that often. You just like taking advantage of me.'
'It's extremely tempting, yes. But I wish you would kindly shut up now, I'm busy here.
Do jeans really need so many buttons?'
'I promise you I will start wearing sweatpants every time I drop by.'
'You mean every day? Success!'
Kame laughed as he saw his jeans fly over the sofa. 'And you're still fully clothed, you bastard.'
'Senpai privileges, dear.'
'Senpai, my ass. Catch me if you can, you asshole.'
Jun was too old to be chasing half-naked guys around his house, but every flirty look Kame gave him over his shoulder only made it more of a challenge and Jun was never one to back down.
67. Twenty Poems of Love and One Song of Despair, Pablo Neruda
Nino was strumming his guitar with the air of an absent-minded Zen monk in his hotel room. Jun was sitting in the bed, trying to read. Every tiny bit of him felt tired but he soldiered on.
'Nino, stop that.'
'Hey, I'm composing our next album here. Please give me my space.'
'I don't even know how you convinced them to let you do that.'
Nino shrugged. 'Maybe it's cheaper.'
Jun left the book on the bed. 'So how you're doing?'
'Quite well. I have three songs already, but I'm stuck on this one.'
'What is it? A feel-good song?'
Nino shook his head. 'I want to do a silly love song. You know, the kind people use at weddings.'
Jun hugged Nino from behind. 'That's way too straightforward for you.'
'It might be, yes. I can't seem to find the right words.'
'Find a twist! You're good at twisting.'
'I don't want to. I want it to be a nice, sweet love song. I used to write those.'
'Define love. Love is like a stampede of butterflies or something like that.'
Nino laughed. 'While thematically fitting, I don't like that verse. It's too idealistic, don't
you think? The last time I felt like that I was fifteen.'
Jun nodded and let go of Nino. 'I know. Why do you feel the need to add yet another love song to the history of pop music?' he said, while letting all his weight fall onto the bed.
'I just do.'
Jun closed his eyes. The bed was fluffy and comfy, just like Nino. Well, Nino wasn’t exactly fluffy but... 'Start with that, then. That you just feel like telling her you love her.'
'No anguished declarations of love, then? I like those.'
'No. You just woke up, saw her tangled in the sheets and felt the sun coming in and wow, you wanted to write a song!'
'No, the sun came with her. When I saw her, there was the sun, all high and mighty. And I don't give a damn if people think there are too many love songs, they don't know what they're talking about if they've never spent the night in her sunny arms.'
Jun smiled and wondered who the hell Nino was talking about. He also wondered who the hell he was talking about. 'There you go. That's your song.'
'No, Jun, it's ours. We’re in this together, remember?'
71. Madame Bováry, Gustave Flaubert
Jun was sitting in Kame's kitchen, watching him wash the dishes wearing just his jeans.
'Is it necessary? The half-nakedness, I mean,' Jun asked.
'No, it's not. I thought you enjoyed it.'
'Well, I do but... do you like doing it?'
'Yes, I do. Chalk it up to childhood trauma, but clothes make me feel uncomfortable.'
Jun laughed. 'You're such a weird guy.'
'And what does that say about you, then?'
'That I like weird guys, nothing more.'
'Because you're so normal.'
'I am! I am a bastion of normalcy and sanity.'
'Yes, right. You're such an Every Man.'
'But I am one, don't you think? Hard-working, honest and earnest.'
'If anything, you're the broody, moody and handsome lead in a shoujo manga. You're an asshole most of the time, except when the heroine needs saving, but even then you're an asshole about it. Troubled but cute. Arrogant but deep down, just a scared kid. Honestly, some days, all it's missing is the sparkles.'
'Then I got a really lousy heroine.'
Kame just huffed and went back to the dishes. 'I was complimenting you, idiot.'
Jun hugged him and kissed his shoulders. 'I was complimenting you as well. Heroines need saving and I don't have time to save anybody.'
Kame nodded, but said nothing.
74. Kokoro, Natsume Soseki
When Julie called him to her office again, he knew perfectly well what he was going to hear.
The ultimatum of a lifetime. Maybe some pictures had been leaked, maybe that random visit to Kame's dorama's set was too much, maybe people had started to notice he never missed a KAT-TUN concert. He wanted what they had, but at what price?
Maybe Julie enjoyed pulling the rug from under his feet, because he never expected the concerned face.
'Please tell him that we can only cover up so many drunken brawls.'
'It's not my place to tell him that,' he answered.
'It's not mine either.'
79. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
'Fuck him. Fuck him,' Jun chanted as he drove through empty streets.
He reached his destination easily enough and stopped when he saw Nakamaru with the world's weariest expression. Jun hopped out of his car and helped carry the almost unconscious Kame to it.
Nakamaru grabbed him by the arm. 'I didn't want to call you, but he insisted.'
Jun nodded. Of course he would, because he was just some hero in some fantasy.
'Thanks for taking care of him. Maybe next time you can make sure he doesn't drink the bar dry.'
Nakamaru lifted his hands in the air. 'He's an adult.'
'So are you,' said Jun, seconds before closing his car and leaving without saying goodbye.
He spent the rest of the night smoking right next to the bed where Kame slept as if everything was okay.
Dawn came quickly enough but Kame didn't wake up until noon. Jun saw him open his eyes and look scared for a moment. 'Good morning,' he said, voice coarse, eyes dark.
'Good morning. It's the last time I do this.'
'I'm not in the mood for an argument. I just got drunk.'
'It's not an argument, I'm just telling you it's the last time I do this.'
'Don't worry, Jun, next time I won't call you.'
‘I don’t have time for this. I can’t be always there.’
Kame threw him a pillow. ‘Then who else is going to be there?’
‘I don’t know. I can’t be what you need. I want out.’
82. Little Women, Louise Marie Alcott
Some things couldn't be fixed. Not even with the smiles and the screams of thousand of fans. Jun took off his costume and carefully hung it.
Sho put a hand on Jun's shoulders. 'What's wrong?'
'Nothing. I'm just tired.'
'Do you even remember the first time you gave me that excuse?'
'Sometimes it's the truth.'
'Not this time.'
Jun put on his shirt. He didn’t feel like showering. 'It's over.'
'I see.'
'Should've known it was too perfect too last.'
'Nothing is perfect, Jun.'
He turned to face Sho. 'This was... for a while, it was.'
Sho pressed his forehead against Jun's. 'Do you think I'm perfect?'
Jun could feel Aiba’s presence right behind them. 'Yeah, right. I know you too well to think that.'
'How do you know me that well?'
'Because I've working with you for ages.'
'Do you still like me?'
'Of course.'
'Even if I'm not perfect?'
Jun suddenly saw Sho’s strategy. 'There are some kinds of imperfect you just can't accept. Sometimes... all you can do is run away.'
'And sometimes, you need to stay. I hope you can make the right call.'
When he saw Ohno walking towards them, Jun dreaded that he was going to give him a sermon too, but he just patted him on the back with a sad smile.
‘Good luck,’ Ohno said and then Aiba barged in and gave him the hug of the century. Jun couldn’t say he was angry about it.
88. Persuasion, Jane Austen
Countdown rehearsals were complicated enough without break-ups involved. Jun avoided eye contact with his now ex and tried to suppress any thoughts akin to 'He sure is looking fine now'.
He was prepared for the nostalgia. He had expected the sudden urge to touch him, to hug him and to grovel for forgiveness he knew he didn't need.
He didn't expect to still feel that butterfly stampede that hit him on New Year's Eve when he saw Kame on stage again. At his best. With that soaring energy he had when he forgot to think and just was.
By the time they were singing old songs of great idols of the past - he wondered when, exactly, Arashi songs would become that - he was decided to run away as soon as possible, because he knew how easily it was to become trapped again.
Seeing Kame walk towards him after the concert had ended made him rethink his decision.
'Jun...' he heard. 'I know it's not the best time, but it will never be. I just want to say that I'm sorry. I'm better now, you know? You gave me perspective. I thank you for that.'
Kame bowed.
'I'm glad... you're doing better. I'm really happy for you.'
'I'm probably intruding, so I better leave.'
As he saw Kame walk away, Jun decided that this was his chance to stay. 'Hey, want to have dinner?'
Kame's eyes went wide. 'What?'
'That. Dinner. If it's okay with you.'
Kame nodded and Jun realized that sometimes traps can be Heaven.
92. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
As he saw Nagase imitate a condor, Jun couldn't help but admire the guy's enthusiasm. They have been acting together for three months and Nagase's role - a quirky mentor - was perfect. Jun's character was not what he had been used too, however.
Gussan - who had shown up uninvited to the wrap-up party - elbowed him. 'I heard you guys are back together.'
'No. I'm not having this conversation, not with you.'
'Come on! You two are my surfing pals. Let me be happy for you.'
Surfing. He hadn't done that in ages. In fact, he hadn't been to the sea in months. Maybe years.
'Be happy, just don't ask.'
'You're too boring. Where's the enthusiasm of young love?'
'I'm not young.'
'You're not old either.'
'I'd disagree.'
Nagase sat on the table just in front of them. 'You're sounding like your character.'
Jun laughed. 'So I need a lesson?'
'Yes. Go have some fun, kid. You're not dead until you're bored.'
Gussan nodded. 'Exactly! Do something new every once in a while. Or do something old but fun. Basically, have fun.'
Nagase hit Gussan in the head. 'I've already said that.'
Jun smiled. 'I guess it's important enough to bear repeating.'
93. The Sounds of Waves, Mishima Yukio
Kame eyed the beach carefully. 'It seems to be empty.'
'Whatever,' Jun said and got out of the car.
The summer breeze was cool, the sun warmed the sand and the sea looked mighty and mysterious.
'Hey, Jun, do you remember where I put my cellphone?'
'Why do you care about that?'
'Because maybe...'
'Fuck maybe. I'll race you to the sea.'
'I'm not five.'
'No, you're a loser,' Jun said and started running.
Kame followed.
97. 1984, George Orwell
This time, Jun entered Julie's office out of his own volition. 'Look, I know they have pictures. It won't happen again.'
'They only caught you surfing and lazing around in the beach. But' Julie gave her pause all the ominousness she could. 'I advise you to be more careful in the future. If there is a future, that is.'
'There is. There is a future. I hope it's not much of a problem.'
Julie shook her head. 'Who knows. We have never tried to get a law approved.' Jun looked at her in confusion and her smile only made it worse. 'Maybe gay marriage can be our first.'
100. The Odyssey, Homer
Jun stood in front of his door like an idiot. Outside, a storm raged and inside his mind, one thousand possible futures whirled. Years later, he now understood why Yamapi had proposed to a girl he barely knew, because in each one of those futures, there was a Kame.
But he didn't know what he was offering or what he wanted. 'Please be part of my Really Gay Lifestyle'? Or just simply 'Hey, my favourite days include waking up next to you. Can we make every day my favourite day?' Or maybe to dance in the rain like two crazy people.
All in all, he wanted Kame and he was old enough to realize some trains show up only
once - or twice -, so hop on or stay behind.
He opened his door and saw Kame asleep on his couch.
He approached him silently and knelt besides him. 'Hi,' he whispered.
Kame opened his eyes and smiled. 'I thought you'd never get here.'
Jun laughed. 'So did I.'
Poll Team Future
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Kamenashi Kazuya/Matsumoto Jun
Summary: Everybody talks about the OST to their lives, but what about the library list? Matsujun has just gotten a new assignment - to read 100 books and review them on one of Arashi’s shows. But life is not only about books and as he reads on, Jun meets new people, keeps the same old friends and falls into traps that prove hard to get out.
Prompt: We’re all about cliques, yo!
Notes: Thanks to my betas G and A. You’re the fastest betas in the west. I adore you! A lot.
1. The Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu
Meetings had gotten tiresome by their tenth year, especially every time they started to blabber about what changes ought to be made to keep them relevant and fresh and cool. Jun ended up paying more attention to the rhythmic tapping of Nino's fingers on the table. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite make it out. He started humming it softly and by the time he realized Nino was putting his new hideous haircut to good use and had in fact been blocking the blabbering with music, he had also realized what the song was.
‘It's the end of the world as we know it...' he sang softly in the worst English he could manage and Nino smiled at him.
He held back his laughter and tried to focus on the meeting again, but they were still following the script regarding Arashi’s new direction. They always said the same and apparently, the verdict was always 'Don't fix what ain't broken'.
'Matsumoto-san, would please give us your opinion?' somebody said and he stared at the window for a while, suddenly feeling like a child caught cheating in class.
'Matsumoto-san, do you agree with the new corner?' they repeated.
'Eh. Yes, yes I do. It's a great idea.'
'Fantastic.'
And that's why he now had to read 100 books before he died and then create a skit so that people would get interested. Arashi, promoting literacy and the bastardization of great literature since 1999.
Maybe he could add some vampires to Don Quixote. That was sure to get people to laugh.
6. King Lear, William Shakespeare
'Where were you when Johnny died?' It would probably become one of those flashbulb memories, the kind of instant everybody added to their personal scrapbooks.
Jun remembered where he was. He was in the middle of King Lear, taking notes while three unread scripts lurked in a nearby desk. Outside, the night engulfed Tokyo and on the TV some comedians buried their faces in flour.
His phone rang and when he picked it up, Aiba's raspy and slightly desperate voice startled him.
'He's dead!'
His book fell off his lap. 'Who?'
'He!'
'OK. Aiba, you're scaring me and this is not a good prank. I thought we were over that.'
'Fuck you, Jun! We need to be ready for tomorrow.'
He breathed in. 'Aiba, I just want to know who the fuck died.'
'Johnny. Johnny died.'
Thousands of questions barged into Jun's mind. How? When? Why? He was old, yes, but nobody had told them anything. Not one rumour.
But he could only ask one thing:
'What are we doing to do?'
Aiba just fell silent.
12. Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller
Anybody who was anybody showed up for the funeral or at least tried to. In the end, it was a quiet matter. For all the sparkles and sequins he had inflicted on the world, Johnny left without a bang, just a quiet whisper.
Johnny had been in an office with a corner view for years now, so nobody was surprised when Julie simply changed her title and kept her office.
She had aged twenty years in a few weeks and she wasn't that young to begin with, Jun thought. She still looked scary and stern, though.
'Matsumoto-kun, please take a sit.'
He complied and didn't say a word.
'I've called you to discuss your new responsibilities.'
'I see.'
'You see, I have observed you for a long time now. I've seen you grow under our guidance and I think it's time you use that experience to guide others.'
But I hate Juniors. 'I'll be pleased to be of help. I'm very grateful to the company.'
Julie smiled. 'That's good. In the past, most of Arashi's concert planning has been your
responsibility, hasn't it? And your concerts have been successful. So we were hoping you could help other bands with your know-how.'
Jun shifted in his seat. 'Junior acts?'
'Oh, no. We have that covered. No, you're going to start with Johnny's finest,' she said.
She pointed at a file on the desk. 'All the information you need is there. Please get
familiar with it before setting a meeting with the group.'
Jun took it and opened it. He should have guessed that ‘Johnny’s finest’ meant 'KAT-TUN'. He glanced through the file. Tour dates, venues, proposed set lists. He winced. Now he had to go and listen to KAT-TUN's albums. And watch the concert footage. And probably even talk to them. 'Thanks for this opportunity, I am truly grateful,' he said.
Julie just pointed at the door.
19. Lord of the Flies, William Goldstein
The first meeting was a disaster. The managers sat at one side of the table, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. The group wasn't much happier to see him there.
'Hm. I have some ideas that could work with your previous aesthetic,' he said. 'Did you have anything planned?'
Kame stared at him. 'Everything.'
Jun was not a brat anymore, but dealing with rooms full of hostile people had never gotten easier. 'I see. Then I hope we can combine my ideas with your plans. I am sure this way we can offer the fans a better experience, don't you think?'
'We have been able to do that in the past.'
'But don't you think that a new person can bring a different perspective? Sometimes, we get stagnant and need a little shaking.'
'We are not stagnant. We are always changing,' Ueda said.
Jun hit the table with the file he had. 'I have seen your concerts. They're a disjointed mess. An over-produced, disjointed mess. I don't know whose fault it is. I don't care about that. I'm here to get some work done and I will, whether you act your age or not. Come on, how many years have you been in this business? Do you think that throwing a tantrum will get you your way? It won't. Not with me.'
'Because you throw tantrums better than us?'
'Exactly,' he said and made a pause. 'Look, it's simple. I like your ideas, guys. But I won't let you do whatever you want. You aren't going to win. We better work together or this will end badly.'
'She sent you, didn't she? To discipline us or something. As if we were teenagers...'
'You're acting like that. And yes, she sent me. I'm not exactly sure why, but...'
'You just follow orders.'
'But I don't care. I like doing this. And you're not about to ruin it for me.'
The second meeting had not been better. Jun showed them some proposed stages and they all got the same disdain. Too colourful. Too rainbowy. Too dark. Too visual-kei. Too kabuki. Too little. Too much. Too anything.
But he couldn't let them win.
The third time, he simply showed up on one of their rehearsals for some TV presentation and invited them for some yakiniku. Maybe beer would make it easier.
By 3 AM, Kame was telling him about his dream concert and Taguchi was thanking him because they hadn't eaten together in ages. Tanaka was snoring loudly in a corner and Nakamaru was just staring off into the distance. Ueda had left hours before.
At 5 AM, Kame was still talking. Jun couldn't help but listen.
22. The Three Musketeers, Alexander Dumas
'Where were you when Yamapi decided to get married to a girl he had known for a week?' More flashbulb memories. Jun remembered that, because he was right besides the guy when it happened.
They weren't in a trendy club. They weren't even in a karaoke booth. They were simply sitting on his sofa. Yamapi was being dramatic, drinking straight from the bottle. ‘We're going to die alone and all wrinkly.’
'I don't know about the wrinkles - cosmetic surgery can do magic these days -, but we'll surely die alone,' Toma added.
Jun looked at the bottom of his glass.
'You don't think we'll find somebody?' he asked.
Toma shook his head and started doing gestures with his hands. 'This... life of ours, it comes with a price. And no, we will stay like this forever, especially you.'
Jun snorted. 'Why? What makes me so special?'
'I doubt most people want to be your skeletons in the closet...'
Jun threw his glass across the room. It smashed on the wall. 'Don't pity me. I choose
what I choose.'
'I know, you do what you have to do. I just hope you're aware of the consequences.'
Yamapi suddenly stood. 'That's it! I'll ask her to marry me.'
Jun was not sure whether or not they had tried to talk him out of it.
26. Love in the Times of Cholera, Gabriel García Marquez
Flowers. Flowers everywhere. Models. Actresses. idols. So many idols. And alcohol. Where there are idols, there is alcohol.
Yamapi's bride was beautiful, even if she was just some cute girl from the make-up department. Jun hadn't been sure about her in the beginning, but when she turned Yamashita Tomohisa down and told him she had been married once and didn't want to make the same mistake twice, he became the main supporter of the couple. She turned out to be perfectly single and just creeped out by Yamapi’s sudden proposal. Yamapi backed off and then invited her to have dinner.
And there they were, two years later, getting married. Jun drank his champagne in one
gulp.
Right across the room, Kame was doing the exact same thing. He waved at him and to his surprise, Kame made his away across the room and sat at his side.
'Hello.'
'Having a good time?'
Kame shrugged. 'Somewhat.'
'But it's the wedding of the century. Didn't you hear Akanishi's speech?'
'It was in English. I didn't get half of it.'
'Trust me on this one, I was sitting next to Sakurai and apparently, we don't want to
know.'
Kame laughed. 'I don't get the guy. She’s just so plain. Does he even know her?’
'Maybe that's the great part. The surprise. Maybe he enjoys picking the unexpected.'
'That's fine for a one-night stand, but I wouldn't base my marriage on surprises.'
'So one-night stands are fine. Interesting.’
Kame laughed again. 'Yes, they are fine but not my thing.'
Jun stared at the ceiling. 'Sometimes there is no other choice.'
'I know... but they feel like a chore in the end. Plus there's always the threat of pictures and stuff.'
'I promise I won't take pictures,' he blurted out.
'I thought you were against intra-agency affairs.'
'I'm out of luck and out of choices.'
'You still have some luck left, trust me.'
Jun grinned. 'So I will get lucky tonight?'
'Blame it on the wine,’ Kame said and stood up.
Jun followed.
33. White Nights, Fyodor Dostoevsky
Lunch in their dressing room. A lull in the midst of filming. Jun was plunging through White Nights when Nino suddenly took the book out of his hands.
The other three were eating and weren’t even paying attention. Some things get to be too familiar.
'You actually read the books?'
'Of course! Most of them are great.' He got the book back and tried to find the page.
'It doesn't matter. You are still wasting your time. I thought an assistant gave you notes
or something.'
'My job is to give my opinions on them. I can't do that if I skip the reading part.'
'So what's your opinion on this one?'
'You have to wait.'
'I'm not playing the girl in the sketch this time, am I?'
Jun grinned. 'Don't worry. You're playing the pitiful main character who feels all alone. Aiba is the innocent girl.'
'Why don't you play him for a change? Does it hit too close too home?'
Nino's seriousness annoyed him. 'I'm not alone. I have you, I have them,' he said, pointing at the rest.
'That's just sad, Jun. That's just sad. Isn't there anybody else?'
Jun closed the book. 'You're not exactly swimming in companionship either.'
Nino patted Jun’s head. 'You guys are enough for me.'
Jun sighed. ‘Then shut up.’
40. The Third Man, Graham Greene
They met in some tiny restaurant that practically screamed 'Less than wholesome affairs'. Jun treasured his privacy and his safety and he was used to surreptitious meetings and mad dashes into the night. He was over feeling guilty when he left a note and nothing else or when he erased phone numbers.
But he still believed he wasn't doing anything wrong. He had been too young to choose and then too loyal to leave. He sighed.
'Do you feel okay?' Kame asked, pure gentleness dripping off his voice.
Jun smiled. 'Oh, perfectly fine.'
'The sarcasm was unwarranted.'
Jun was startled. 'I... wasn't being sarcastic. I feel perfectly fine. It's a date after all.'
Kame glanced to the window. 'So what do you like to do?'
'Does it sound terrible if I say work?'
'Yes, it does... but it's not like I can say anything else.'
'What do you say in interviews?'
'I don't even remember.'
'Me either.'
They fell silent.
'Why did Julie send you?'
Jun bit his lip. 'I'll never know. It's better to just stop asking.'
'I guess. But I can't help the feeling you're a spy.'
'Feel whatever you want, because I think I'm just an ordinary guy who met the wrong
people at the wrong time.'
'I doubt you were ever an ordinary man.'
Jun doubted it too. ‘You are not that ordinary either.’
47. The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
When he entered the room, Julie was staring at the window. Just that. She didn't seem to be in this world any more. The phone kept ringing and every step he took was like walking on shattered glass.
'Matsumoto-kun,' she said without even glancing at him.
'Hm. I received your assistant's call. Is there a reason...?'
'Don't have dates on public places. That's all.'
'I am very sorry if I have...'
'Kamenashi has excused himself enough for the both of you. Now, just don't have dates
in public places. I am sure you know how to avoid detection. Please do so.'
55. Rashomon, Akutagawa Ryunosuke
Our first date was a disaster, but I'm willing to give you another chance.
Kame’s message had been terse and Jun was not sure why he took the chance, but he had to admit that watching old movies at home felt better than eating overpriced food. Age had taken a toll on his good taste.
'Explain again why we are watching Rashomon.'
Jun grabbed Kame by the arm, pulling him closer. 'Because I was reading the book and felt curious. Plus I need ideas for the skit.'
Kame let Jun caress him with a satisfied smile. 'You actually plan those? I thought an assistant did it.'
'Who the fuck does this world think I am? Of course I do them!'
Kame started tickling him. 'You like to showcase your talent as a scriptwriter that much?'
Jun tried to push him away, to no avail. 'Yes, I do. It's fun and I get to torture the guys.'
'I hadn't seen that angle. It does sound fun.'
'You could try it.'
Kame laughed. 'They would kill me.'
60. The Sign of the Four, Arthur Conan Doyle
Jun set the table and served the food with all the arrogance in the world.
‘Behold my greatest creation.’
Toma didn’t even answer and instead changed the subject. 'So I heard you're dating someone,' said Toma with the devious smile of a six year-old. He was spending way too much time with Yamapi's kid.
'You know who I'm dating, drop the farce.'
Toma stroked his chin. 'So it is serious then. I thought you had given up on that.'
'I guess it's serious.'
'You guess? You mean you haven't... talked or anything?'
'Why should we talk? We meet, we have fun. It's all I need right now.'
'It's all you can deal with right now. It's not the same.'
Jun hit the table. 'Look, I don't see any wedding ring on your finger, so shut up.'
'You do have a point there, but at least I try.'
Toma looked hurt and Jun felt guilty, but he was trying as well
64. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brönte
Jun was laying limp on top on Kame, sadly fully dressed but planning on rectifying that. The first part of his master plan was to start licking Kame's earlobe with as much subtlety as he could.
'You're creeping me out.,' Kame said, giving him a rather annoyed punch.
'No, I'm not. You're loving it,' Jun replied. 'And I can tell.'
Kame giggled when Jun started softly biting his neck. 'You have the weirdest vampire
fetish ever.'
Jun unbuttoned Kame's shirt slowly and then took it off. 'You like it. Because your fetishes are weird as Hell too.'
He started to undo Kame's pants as well, only to be greeted with an exasperated huff.
'Not fair. Why I always end up naked first?'
'Because you're always so drunk you can't get me out of my pants.'
'I'm not that drunk that often. You just like taking advantage of me.'
'It's extremely tempting, yes. But I wish you would kindly shut up now, I'm busy here.
Do jeans really need so many buttons?'
'I promise you I will start wearing sweatpants every time I drop by.'
'You mean every day? Success!'
Kame laughed as he saw his jeans fly over the sofa. 'And you're still fully clothed, you bastard.'
'Senpai privileges, dear.'
'Senpai, my ass. Catch me if you can, you asshole.'
Jun was too old to be chasing half-naked guys around his house, but every flirty look Kame gave him over his shoulder only made it more of a challenge and Jun was never one to back down.
67. Twenty Poems of Love and One Song of Despair, Pablo Neruda
Nino was strumming his guitar with the air of an absent-minded Zen monk in his hotel room. Jun was sitting in the bed, trying to read. Every tiny bit of him felt tired but he soldiered on.
'Nino, stop that.'
'Hey, I'm composing our next album here. Please give me my space.'
'I don't even know how you convinced them to let you do that.'
Nino shrugged. 'Maybe it's cheaper.'
Jun left the book on the bed. 'So how you're doing?'
'Quite well. I have three songs already, but I'm stuck on this one.'
'What is it? A feel-good song?'
Nino shook his head. 'I want to do a silly love song. You know, the kind people use at weddings.'
Jun hugged Nino from behind. 'That's way too straightforward for you.'
'It might be, yes. I can't seem to find the right words.'
'Find a twist! You're good at twisting.'
'I don't want to. I want it to be a nice, sweet love song. I used to write those.'
'Define love. Love is like a stampede of butterflies or something like that.'
Nino laughed. 'While thematically fitting, I don't like that verse. It's too idealistic, don't
you think? The last time I felt like that I was fifteen.'
Jun nodded and let go of Nino. 'I know. Why do you feel the need to add yet another love song to the history of pop music?' he said, while letting all his weight fall onto the bed.
'I just do.'
Jun closed his eyes. The bed was fluffy and comfy, just like Nino. Well, Nino wasn’t exactly fluffy but... 'Start with that, then. That you just feel like telling her you love her.'
'No anguished declarations of love, then? I like those.'
'No. You just woke up, saw her tangled in the sheets and felt the sun coming in and wow, you wanted to write a song!'
'No, the sun came with her. When I saw her, there was the sun, all high and mighty. And I don't give a damn if people think there are too many love songs, they don't know what they're talking about if they've never spent the night in her sunny arms.'
Jun smiled and wondered who the hell Nino was talking about. He also wondered who the hell he was talking about. 'There you go. That's your song.'
'No, Jun, it's ours. We’re in this together, remember?'
71. Madame Bováry, Gustave Flaubert
Jun was sitting in Kame's kitchen, watching him wash the dishes wearing just his jeans.
'Is it necessary? The half-nakedness, I mean,' Jun asked.
'No, it's not. I thought you enjoyed it.'
'Well, I do but... do you like doing it?'
'Yes, I do. Chalk it up to childhood trauma, but clothes make me feel uncomfortable.'
Jun laughed. 'You're such a weird guy.'
'And what does that say about you, then?'
'That I like weird guys, nothing more.'
'Because you're so normal.'
'I am! I am a bastion of normalcy and sanity.'
'Yes, right. You're such an Every Man.'
'But I am one, don't you think? Hard-working, honest and earnest.'
'If anything, you're the broody, moody and handsome lead in a shoujo manga. You're an asshole most of the time, except when the heroine needs saving, but even then you're an asshole about it. Troubled but cute. Arrogant but deep down, just a scared kid. Honestly, some days, all it's missing is the sparkles.'
'Then I got a really lousy heroine.'
Kame just huffed and went back to the dishes. 'I was complimenting you, idiot.'
Jun hugged him and kissed his shoulders. 'I was complimenting you as well. Heroines need saving and I don't have time to save anybody.'
Kame nodded, but said nothing.
74. Kokoro, Natsume Soseki
When Julie called him to her office again, he knew perfectly well what he was going to hear.
The ultimatum of a lifetime. Maybe some pictures had been leaked, maybe that random visit to Kame's dorama's set was too much, maybe people had started to notice he never missed a KAT-TUN concert. He wanted what they had, but at what price?
Maybe Julie enjoyed pulling the rug from under his feet, because he never expected the concerned face.
'Please tell him that we can only cover up so many drunken brawls.'
'It's not my place to tell him that,' he answered.
'It's not mine either.'
79. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
'Fuck him. Fuck him,' Jun chanted as he drove through empty streets.
He reached his destination easily enough and stopped when he saw Nakamaru with the world's weariest expression. Jun hopped out of his car and helped carry the almost unconscious Kame to it.
Nakamaru grabbed him by the arm. 'I didn't want to call you, but he insisted.'
Jun nodded. Of course he would, because he was just some hero in some fantasy.
'Thanks for taking care of him. Maybe next time you can make sure he doesn't drink the bar dry.'
Nakamaru lifted his hands in the air. 'He's an adult.'
'So are you,' said Jun, seconds before closing his car and leaving without saying goodbye.
He spent the rest of the night smoking right next to the bed where Kame slept as if everything was okay.
Dawn came quickly enough but Kame didn't wake up until noon. Jun saw him open his eyes and look scared for a moment. 'Good morning,' he said, voice coarse, eyes dark.
'Good morning. It's the last time I do this.'
'I'm not in the mood for an argument. I just got drunk.'
'It's not an argument, I'm just telling you it's the last time I do this.'
'Don't worry, Jun, next time I won't call you.'
‘I don’t have time for this. I can’t be always there.’
Kame threw him a pillow. ‘Then who else is going to be there?’
‘I don’t know. I can’t be what you need. I want out.’
82. Little Women, Louise Marie Alcott
Some things couldn't be fixed. Not even with the smiles and the screams of thousand of fans. Jun took off his costume and carefully hung it.
Sho put a hand on Jun's shoulders. 'What's wrong?'
'Nothing. I'm just tired.'
'Do you even remember the first time you gave me that excuse?'
'Sometimes it's the truth.'
'Not this time.'
Jun put on his shirt. He didn’t feel like showering. 'It's over.'
'I see.'
'Should've known it was too perfect too last.'
'Nothing is perfect, Jun.'
He turned to face Sho. 'This was... for a while, it was.'
Sho pressed his forehead against Jun's. 'Do you think I'm perfect?'
Jun could feel Aiba’s presence right behind them. 'Yeah, right. I know you too well to think that.'
'How do you know me that well?'
'Because I've working with you for ages.'
'Do you still like me?'
'Of course.'
'Even if I'm not perfect?'
Jun suddenly saw Sho’s strategy. 'There are some kinds of imperfect you just can't accept. Sometimes... all you can do is run away.'
'And sometimes, you need to stay. I hope you can make the right call.'
When he saw Ohno walking towards them, Jun dreaded that he was going to give him a sermon too, but he just patted him on the back with a sad smile.
‘Good luck,’ Ohno said and then Aiba barged in and gave him the hug of the century. Jun couldn’t say he was angry about it.
88. Persuasion, Jane Austen
Countdown rehearsals were complicated enough without break-ups involved. Jun avoided eye contact with his now ex and tried to suppress any thoughts akin to 'He sure is looking fine now'.
He was prepared for the nostalgia. He had expected the sudden urge to touch him, to hug him and to grovel for forgiveness he knew he didn't need.
He didn't expect to still feel that butterfly stampede that hit him on New Year's Eve when he saw Kame on stage again. At his best. With that soaring energy he had when he forgot to think and just was.
By the time they were singing old songs of great idols of the past - he wondered when, exactly, Arashi songs would become that - he was decided to run away as soon as possible, because he knew how easily it was to become trapped again.
Seeing Kame walk towards him after the concert had ended made him rethink his decision.
'Jun...' he heard. 'I know it's not the best time, but it will never be. I just want to say that I'm sorry. I'm better now, you know? You gave me perspective. I thank you for that.'
Kame bowed.
'I'm glad... you're doing better. I'm really happy for you.'
'I'm probably intruding, so I better leave.'
As he saw Kame walk away, Jun decided that this was his chance to stay. 'Hey, want to have dinner?'
Kame's eyes went wide. 'What?'
'That. Dinner. If it's okay with you.'
Kame nodded and Jun realized that sometimes traps can be Heaven.
92. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
As he saw Nagase imitate a condor, Jun couldn't help but admire the guy's enthusiasm. They have been acting together for three months and Nagase's role - a quirky mentor - was perfect. Jun's character was not what he had been used too, however.
Gussan - who had shown up uninvited to the wrap-up party - elbowed him. 'I heard you guys are back together.'
'No. I'm not having this conversation, not with you.'
'Come on! You two are my surfing pals. Let me be happy for you.'
Surfing. He hadn't done that in ages. In fact, he hadn't been to the sea in months. Maybe years.
'Be happy, just don't ask.'
'You're too boring. Where's the enthusiasm of young love?'
'I'm not young.'
'You're not old either.'
'I'd disagree.'
Nagase sat on the table just in front of them. 'You're sounding like your character.'
Jun laughed. 'So I need a lesson?'
'Yes. Go have some fun, kid. You're not dead until you're bored.'
Gussan nodded. 'Exactly! Do something new every once in a while. Or do something old but fun. Basically, have fun.'
Nagase hit Gussan in the head. 'I've already said that.'
Jun smiled. 'I guess it's important enough to bear repeating.'
93. The Sounds of Waves, Mishima Yukio
Kame eyed the beach carefully. 'It seems to be empty.'
'Whatever,' Jun said and got out of the car.
The summer breeze was cool, the sun warmed the sand and the sea looked mighty and mysterious.
'Hey, Jun, do you remember where I put my cellphone?'
'Why do you care about that?'
'Because maybe...'
'Fuck maybe. I'll race you to the sea.'
'I'm not five.'
'No, you're a loser,' Jun said and started running.
Kame followed.
97. 1984, George Orwell
This time, Jun entered Julie's office out of his own volition. 'Look, I know they have pictures. It won't happen again.'
'They only caught you surfing and lazing around in the beach. But' Julie gave her pause all the ominousness she could. 'I advise you to be more careful in the future. If there is a future, that is.'
'There is. There is a future. I hope it's not much of a problem.'
Julie shook her head. 'Who knows. We have never tried to get a law approved.' Jun looked at her in confusion and her smile only made it worse. 'Maybe gay marriage can be our first.'
100. The Odyssey, Homer
Jun stood in front of his door like an idiot. Outside, a storm raged and inside his mind, one thousand possible futures whirled. Years later, he now understood why Yamapi had proposed to a girl he barely knew, because in each one of those futures, there was a Kame.
But he didn't know what he was offering or what he wanted. 'Please be part of my Really Gay Lifestyle'? Or just simply 'Hey, my favourite days include waking up next to you. Can we make every day my favourite day?' Or maybe to dance in the rain like two crazy people.
All in all, he wanted Kame and he was old enough to realize some trains show up only
once - or twice -, so hop on or stay behind.
He opened his door and saw Kame asleep on his couch.
He approached him silently and knelt besides him. 'Hi,' he whispered.
Kame opened his eyes and smiled. 'I thought you'd never get here.'
Jun laughed. 'So did I.'
Poll Team Future