.(Oneshot) The Foolish Tale
Title: (Oneshot) The Foolish Tale
Author le_chocolats
Pairing: Hikanoo
Rating: PG-13
Genre: romance, angst
Warning: enjoy reading :)
Summary: Do you want to hear a story?
"Do you know why people say 'Bless you' when you sneeze?"
It might have been a mistake, a terrible, terrible decision to agreed on Inoo's persistent plead to accompany him composing stuffs for their upcoming album materials on his apartment tonight. The idea, Hikaru first thought would help him concentrates on his work more and boost his working spirit. But, having his boyfriend there with him has turned into a complete disaster for the only thing Inoo keeps doing ever since the second he first got there is distracting him from his work with his constant random questions.
"No," he gave Inoo, whom sitting next to him on his living room's couch, his brief answer while his attention's still fully fixated on some melodies he had composed so far on his nth music sheets as he's strumming some tunes on his guitar.
"Don't you feel curious why?"
"Why?" he asked him without having his eyes diverted from his music sheet.
"Because it stops…" And as Hikaru's scribbling down on his music sheet, he sort of got the feeling Inoo left his words hanging on purpose, that the latter's waiting for him to react to the conversation. He can even feel the stare Inoo currently directed on him right now.
"Won't you want to know what stop?" Inoo finally asked after some moments passed getting no reaction from him.
"What stop?" he gave in and asked along, slight irritation vaguely lacing the tone of his voice.
"Your heart stops, for a mili-second."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, they also said when you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib," and Hikaru wondered in his mind, what was the point of these sneeze-fun-fact, again? How did they even get to this conversation in the first place?
"Heee…," Hikaru mindlessly responded, in his heart praying Inoo would end his trivia fun-facts session after this. But, of course…
"It's also said that if you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, you'd produced enough gas to create atomic bomb."
… he wouldn't. Because after the sneeze-fun-fact now came the farted-fun-fact…
"And did you know a pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes?" … and then this thing about pig's orgasm which is the last thing Hikaru cares about in this world, right at this moment, because all he can think of and really want to do is getting things done for their upcoming album. "Also…," by the first word Inoo spoke after that, Hikaru started to feel a beating pain inside his head. Unlike their previous albums where he was only responsible for his individually created song, in this album aside from 2 songs he's composing and a song he was in charge for the lyrics, Hikaru also got 2 songs where he and Yabu collaborates on composing it, there's also this song he created with Daiki. So, there's actually so much to do and he feels like he barely get anywhere on each of them although he has spent over a month working on it. And with the way Inoo insisted on shoving him those random facts that Inoo seemed so well-informed of, Hikaru can feel his patience nearly ticking its low point.
"Kei, are you sleepy?" he cut off and for a mere seconds Hikaru thought he saw one quick glints of surprised that dissolved into disappointment reflected on Inoo's eyes, but Hikaru's already too tired and sleepy right there that he thought his eyes must've fooled him because in a matter of another second he saw Inoo's smiling at him.
"No, are you?"
"I am, but I really have to get this done and it's getting late so if you feel sleepy you can come to bed first. Didn't you say you have a piano lesson with your cousin tomorrow morning?" Indeed Inoo has a piano lesson with his cousin tomorrow, after graduating from university he agreed on teaching his cousin piano to fill up some time-off between work and indeed he has to get there in the morning tomorrow, yet Inoo shook his head.
"I'm not sleepy yet."
Hikaru had his eyes on him for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders with a sigh, "Okay…," and he went back to his works. He was inside sigh in relief when finally some peace and quietude pervaded until…
"Do you want to hear history of the tea? It is said to be discovered by the Chinese emperor on-"
"Can we talk about this later? Please?"
"Ah, you have something else you want to talk about?"
"Nothing, I-"
"Or are you hungry? Should we eat the ramen now?"
"No, Kei, I really have to get these songs done by next week."
"And you've done it already even from a week a go."
"Yeah, but I need to revise them, they're still not good enough."
"But, they're good. They really are. Have you not listen to them properly? They're really good, your songs, and I've been telling you that for this past week. Have you not listen to the words I've said too?"
"I have but-"
"Would it do any different if Yabu or Dai-chan who said it to you? That you've done them greatly, your songs?"
"And why are they even involve in this?" Hikaru had his frowned formed when their other member mates were being mentioned.
"I don't know, maybe because they're not the one whom got their song rejected," Inoo's answer voiced out so low. And now between his too tired and sleepy mind, Hikaru was sure his eyes didn't deceive him when tinge of disappointment shadowing Inoo's shady eyes as the latter looking at him. Yet, he was too tired, too tired…
"God, what are you saying?" Hikaru mumbled, massaging the bridge of his nose with his eyes close, his head aching and he really couldn't deal with this thing any longer. "Look, why don't you come to bed first, okay? You need to get up early tomorrow, right? So go take some rest now and let me finish this," Hikaru offered the idea, adjourning the conversation before it went further and got out of hands.
It came a bit as a surprise when Inoo didn't retort back this time, he just nodded his head before getting up of the couch and make his way to Hikaru's bedroom. There was guilt seeping in, Hikaru knew it was undoubtedly obvious he was shoving the latter away. But time is not something he can waste away right now after all. He heaved a long sigh and focussing himself back to papers of music sheets in front of him. It wasn't until 30 minutes later Hikaru felt a soft tap on his right shoulder, he turned back and saw Inoo's standing behind the couch.
"Can we at least talk for awhile until I fall asleep?" Inoo asked.
"Kei, I can't, I have-"
"It's just for awhile, you don't even have to wait if it takes more than 15 minutes for me to fall asleep. Just for a little while," the request came nearly as a desperate plead. A beg. "I know, I know you've got stuffs to do and that it has to be done soon, but did you even notice that this is the first time we met ever since last month? And I just… I don't know, maybe, I missed talking to you…"
"I know, I'm sorry, but I really need you to understand that this is important for me. I promise, I'll make it up to you once I got this done."
"Does that mean us is nothing when it's compare to your work?"
"It's not what I'm saying-"
"Then, can I tell you a story instead?" And this time, Inoo didn't give Hikaru a chance to say any words of refusal. "It's about this guy," so he started his story, drifting Hikaru off the limit of his patience.
"Kei," he sternly warned the other guy. But Inoo's ears both shut close and he went on with his story.
"Who once went stars picking and caught a star. The brightest one among all of the stars. This guy was graced by a blissful, blissful happiness and joy knowing that the star's now his and that his sky would never be so dark now. But although the star is his, it's still so far away from him because it belongs in the sky with all of the other stars. While this guy could only stare at his star shining so enchantingly from the earth down below," the sadness tracing Inoo's voice and the way his jaded eyes just simply looking at his, everything… it stunned Hikaru. He no longer overpowered by the thought of having so many works to do because in his mind, the only thing that's now going around is the question, why the sadness is there? In Inoo's eyes, it was there in his voice… Was it already there when Inoo first got here? Was it there too with the disappointment he caught earlier? Why did he just notice it now?
"And this guy's only dream is to someday be able to be with his star in the sky. To shine for his star too, just like how his star always shines his sky. To shine together. But the guy is only ordinary human being, he's no one, no one… nothing… And this only ordinary human being guy, he doesn't belong in the sky, he doesn't granted the place beside his star which was the only place he ever wanted to be," Inoo ended his story with a smile so bitter and it squeezed Hikaru's heart so tight. He can see clearly the brimming tears in Inoo's eyes behind all of those smiles Inoo tried to pull.
"Is it alright… if I go home now?" Inoo asked then.
"W-what? But it's late…"
"Yeah, I just remember that I forgot the piano book I've prepared for my cousin at home. It'd be too much of a hassle if I grab it tomorrow, so I guess I better go home now." They aren't together all these years for nothing because Hikaru could straightly tell that Inoo's lying right now. "It's okay, Dai-chan said he's around the neighborhood and he's about to go home too. He said he'd pick me up at the konbini nearby," Inoo assured after seeing the concerned look etched Hikaru's worn out face.
He might not know what was really going on with Inoo but Hikaru can sense there's something wrong. Has he gone too far somewhere over this past month and hurt the latter without him realizing it?
"Then let me… I-I'll-"
"And I'm okay walking to the konbini by myself. Don't worry," Inoo's words halted Hikaru from getting off the couch. When Inoo once again smiling at him, Hikaru's heart grew even more worried. "Get some proper rest when you're done and don't skip your meal again, Hika," Inoo said to him. He gave a light peck on Hikaru's cheek and grab his bag before walking out of the apartment.
Hikaru sighed though strangely the weight filled his chest won't seem to lessen, not a bit. The smile Inoo last gave him before he went home, the sadness clouded his eyes, and the story…
Hikaru then decided to grab a glass of water from the kitchen when he spotted the 2 bowls of ramen that still wrapped perfectly on his dining table.
"I bought us ramen take away. Let's eat it together~" And Hikaru ends up cursing himself as he remembers the time Inoo showed him a paper bag with 2 bowls of ramen inside it that he purposely bought for them earlier.
…and Hikaru's too tired, too tired, he failed to realize that it's not only him who had skipped his meal tonight, because Inoo also hasn't touch his ramen, he skipped his dinner too. Too tired to remember how long has it been since they met each other after the chaotic and hectic schedule due to their newest album coming up. Too tired to recognize the sadness he might've caused his boyfriend all this while. Too tired to sense that there's something wrong and odd when Inoo said about not being the one with his song getting rejected, the words that now had Hikaru's mind wandering in ponder if something has happened to Inoo. It all dawned on him now. But, yeah, he was too tired, he failed on knowing all of them even to see how much he's actually been missing Inoo too…
------
"So? How?" Inoo waited both in anxiety and excitement as he waits for his producer's comment after they've listened to the demo of the song he composed that he intended to submit at their new album meeting next week. After it was announced that JUMP would release another album soon, all of the members has been working hard to gather some materials and submitted songs they created. Some of them even working as partner arranging and composing the song, like Takaki and Daiki, Keito and Yamada. While Inoo is looking forward to partner up with Hikaru on doing some arrangements on this song he's composing. Although it's still raw and lacking here and there since he's not that experience on song making process, but as soon as he got their producer's approval, he's already planning on asking Hikaru to work on this song together.
He heard Hikaru has been partnered with Yabu and Daiki and their songs have been approved by their producer. But Inoo has no doubts that the song they'd be creating together won't lose to the other song, includes to the song Hikaru currently working on with Yabu and Daiki. It'll be fun working together and Inoo has confidence that both of them would create something great.
"It's not bad," his producer started his comment, Inoo looked at his producer's face that shown eeriness, as if he's contemplating on what to say. "But it's also… not that good. I don't think this song would sell good in your album."
"I understand, it's still raw, but I'm planning to fix it, I also intend to partner up with Hikaru to work on this song-"
Inoo let out a long deep sigh and he looked down at the music sheets on his hands. After the piano lesson at his cousin's house, he decided to whiling away on a little bridge nearby his cousin's house, gathering up all of his courage to throw his music sheets off to a little river below the bridge.
"Yaotome-kun? Ah, I don't think that'd do. Yaotome-kun already in charge of 3 personal songs and 3 partnered songs. I appreciate your eagerness on participating about this album material, Inoo-chan. But this song just won't do and the last meeting to submit your work only a week from now-"
"Fine then, I'll come up with another one," Inoo insisted, hoping their producer would give him another chance.
"But, still… Look, why don't you now learn about song composing by seeing how your friends work? You can come and see how Yaotome-kun, Yabu-kun, Arioka-kun, or your other team member work. Learn from them and on the next album practice what you have learned. How about that?"
He should've known not to get his hopes high too far above when he first submitted the song. Who was he anyway compare to Yabu, Daiki, Keito, Takaki, or even Hikaru? He shouldn't been so surprise when their producer refused to approve his song. Another sigh and Inoo was ready to loosen his grip on his music sheets, and right before the music sheets starts to slip out of his hands, a pair of hands suddenly gripped his hands so tightly. The warmth emitting from those hands sent an immediate familiarity and once Inoo turned to look, Hikaru's already standing beside him. Panting hard for what it seems he's been running around a lot.
"Hika?" Inoo has to admit that he was surprised upon seeing Hikaru there. "H-how… What are you doing here?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you… what?"
"The song. Your song. Why didn't you tell me?" Though it came as another surprise, that Hikaru knew, but Inoo's disappointment and helpless crestfallen heart were way bigger than his astonishment.
"How did you find out?"
"I asked our producer this morning." he told him. "Why didn't you tell me?" Hikaru asked him then.
"What was there to tell? How our producer thought the song simply won't sell good in our album? That he said it might be the best option now for me to just learn from the other member while waiting for my chance to come around again the next time?"
"No, why didn't you tell me, you have that song in the first place? He said you told him you want to work the song together with me, is that true?" Inoo's lips curved a slight smile as he moved his gaze to Hikaru beside him.
"It's true," his answer came nearly in a whisper and his head slowly stooped. Hikaru's shoulders fell down gradually upon the confession, wave of disappointment barely conceal on his face right now as he's looking at Inoo.
"Then, why didn't you come to me first instead of going alone, asking our producer's opinion before telling me anything about it??"
"Our producer is still the one who gets to decide which song can be included in the album after all, right? And… and I don't know, maybe, I needed it, to go to him and earn his approval about my own ability so then, I would feel confident enough to face you and ask you to work on the song with me!" And the sudden revelation left Hikaru astounded.
"I don't… get it," and he doesn't. Hikaru simply couldn't get it why Inoo felt the necessity to gather his confidence to such length only to work on a song together with him.
"Whenever I see you working on a song together with someone else, I always wonder how it will feel like if I'm the one doing it with you? I wonder what kind of song we would create together. I just thought maybe it'll be fun if we can do it one day. A song, you and me. But, I realize that those who've worked with you, they share this great ability and talent, the same as what you own. And I always get a little jealous, knowing there's this world of you that I can't be a part of, that thought always had me feeling so far from you. That's why I want to do a song with you this time. But, what I have, they might not be half of what you or the others have, that's why I just want to make sure that I won't be a bother instead once I get the chance to do a song with you. That I'm compatible enough…," words by words Inoo's voice running low. "To make sure… I have enough lights of my own that maybe can grant me a place beside my star…"
"Kei, do you want to hear the truth about the story you told me last night?" Hikaru asked after they let some silence prevailed. "That guy, the one you said has caught a star when he went stars picking, he actually never really have the star he thought he owns. He is an ordinary human being just like you said and no, he's not granted a place beside a star in the sky because this guy belong to someone else's side. Another ordinary human being too, who never leave his side ever since the day he decides to be by his side, he would never leave him. And this another ordinary human being would love to have this guy to look at him instead rather than the star, he would love to have this guy holds his hand instead because it's right beside him rather than reaching out for the star," when Inoo finally raised his face, his eyes were locked by the warmth presents behind the gaze Hikaru had on him and the endearment colored his smile. Each time he saw it, it always tell him everything will be alright, it will be alright now. It's the same warmth and endearment that always give him assurance ever since he met Hikaru years a go.
"You don't own a star, Kei, but me." Hikaru tightened his hand securely around Inoo's and pull the latter into his embrace. "And you don't belong anywhere else but my side," and Hikaru instinctively drawing him even closer when he felt Inoo's arms slowly answering his embrace. "And I'm sorry for being a jerk this past month to you…"
"And for ruining my story," the statement sent Hikaru chuckling softly.
"No, actually, I just turned the story into a much better one, I believe. Kei, promise me?"
"What?"
"We'll do a song together the next time?"
There was a long pause before Inoo spoke, " Will that be really okay?" uncertainties was clear on his words.
"It will. It will be and I'm sure we'll do it great together. You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say it, that you want to do a song with me."
"You have?"
"Yeah, ever since we had our first album back then. I always want to do a song with you. Together."
A/N: So, this fic actually carries a purpose on being a special birthday treat~ Despite its lacking here and there, but it's still a treat that I hope would be enjoyable still~
Author le_chocolats
Pairing: Hikanoo
Rating: PG-13
Genre: romance, angst
Warning: enjoy reading :)
Summary: Do you want to hear a story?
"Do you know why people say 'Bless you' when you sneeze?"
It might have been a mistake, a terrible, terrible decision to agreed on Inoo's persistent plead to accompany him composing stuffs for their upcoming album materials on his apartment tonight. The idea, Hikaru first thought would help him concentrates on his work more and boost his working spirit. But, having his boyfriend there with him has turned into a complete disaster for the only thing Inoo keeps doing ever since the second he first got there is distracting him from his work with his constant random questions.
"No," he gave Inoo, whom sitting next to him on his living room's couch, his brief answer while his attention's still fully fixated on some melodies he had composed so far on his nth music sheets as he's strumming some tunes on his guitar.
"Don't you feel curious why?"
"Why?" he asked him without having his eyes diverted from his music sheet.
"Because it stops…" And as Hikaru's scribbling down on his music sheet, he sort of got the feeling Inoo left his words hanging on purpose, that the latter's waiting for him to react to the conversation. He can even feel the stare Inoo currently directed on him right now.
"Won't you want to know what stop?" Inoo finally asked after some moments passed getting no reaction from him.
"What stop?" he gave in and asked along, slight irritation vaguely lacing the tone of his voice.
"Your heart stops, for a mili-second."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, they also said when you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib," and Hikaru wondered in his mind, what was the point of these sneeze-fun-fact, again? How did they even get to this conversation in the first place?
"Heee…," Hikaru mindlessly responded, in his heart praying Inoo would end his trivia fun-facts session after this. But, of course…
"It's also said that if you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, you'd produced enough gas to create atomic bomb."
… he wouldn't. Because after the sneeze-fun-fact now came the farted-fun-fact…
"And did you know a pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes?" … and then this thing about pig's orgasm which is the last thing Hikaru cares about in this world, right at this moment, because all he can think of and really want to do is getting things done for their upcoming album. "Also…," by the first word Inoo spoke after that, Hikaru started to feel a beating pain inside his head. Unlike their previous albums where he was only responsible for his individually created song, in this album aside from 2 songs he's composing and a song he was in charge for the lyrics, Hikaru also got 2 songs where he and Yabu collaborates on composing it, there's also this song he created with Daiki. So, there's actually so much to do and he feels like he barely get anywhere on each of them although he has spent over a month working on it. And with the way Inoo insisted on shoving him those random facts that Inoo seemed so well-informed of, Hikaru can feel his patience nearly ticking its low point.
"Kei, are you sleepy?" he cut off and for a mere seconds Hikaru thought he saw one quick glints of surprised that dissolved into disappointment reflected on Inoo's eyes, but Hikaru's already too tired and sleepy right there that he thought his eyes must've fooled him because in a matter of another second he saw Inoo's smiling at him.
"No, are you?"
"I am, but I really have to get this done and it's getting late so if you feel sleepy you can come to bed first. Didn't you say you have a piano lesson with your cousin tomorrow morning?" Indeed Inoo has a piano lesson with his cousin tomorrow, after graduating from university he agreed on teaching his cousin piano to fill up some time-off between work and indeed he has to get there in the morning tomorrow, yet Inoo shook his head.
"I'm not sleepy yet."
Hikaru had his eyes on him for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders with a sigh, "Okay…," and he went back to his works. He was inside sigh in relief when finally some peace and quietude pervaded until…
"Do you want to hear history of the tea? It is said to be discovered by the Chinese emperor on-"
"Can we talk about this later? Please?"
"Ah, you have something else you want to talk about?"
"Nothing, I-"
"Or are you hungry? Should we eat the ramen now?"
"No, Kei, I really have to get these songs done by next week."
"And you've done it already even from a week a go."
"Yeah, but I need to revise them, they're still not good enough."
"But, they're good. They really are. Have you not listen to them properly? They're really good, your songs, and I've been telling you that for this past week. Have you not listen to the words I've said too?"
"I have but-"
"Would it do any different if Yabu or Dai-chan who said it to you? That you've done them greatly, your songs?"
"And why are they even involve in this?" Hikaru had his frowned formed when their other member mates were being mentioned.
"I don't know, maybe because they're not the one whom got their song rejected," Inoo's answer voiced out so low. And now between his too tired and sleepy mind, Hikaru was sure his eyes didn't deceive him when tinge of disappointment shadowing Inoo's shady eyes as the latter looking at him. Yet, he was too tired, too tired…
"God, what are you saying?" Hikaru mumbled, massaging the bridge of his nose with his eyes close, his head aching and he really couldn't deal with this thing any longer. "Look, why don't you come to bed first, okay? You need to get up early tomorrow, right? So go take some rest now and let me finish this," Hikaru offered the idea, adjourning the conversation before it went further and got out of hands.
It came a bit as a surprise when Inoo didn't retort back this time, he just nodded his head before getting up of the couch and make his way to Hikaru's bedroom. There was guilt seeping in, Hikaru knew it was undoubtedly obvious he was shoving the latter away. But time is not something he can waste away right now after all. He heaved a long sigh and focussing himself back to papers of music sheets in front of him. It wasn't until 30 minutes later Hikaru felt a soft tap on his right shoulder, he turned back and saw Inoo's standing behind the couch.
"Can we at least talk for awhile until I fall asleep?" Inoo asked.
"Kei, I can't, I have-"
"It's just for awhile, you don't even have to wait if it takes more than 15 minutes for me to fall asleep. Just for a little while," the request came nearly as a desperate plead. A beg. "I know, I know you've got stuffs to do and that it has to be done soon, but did you even notice that this is the first time we met ever since last month? And I just… I don't know, maybe, I missed talking to you…"
"I know, I'm sorry, but I really need you to understand that this is important for me. I promise, I'll make it up to you once I got this done."
"Does that mean us is nothing when it's compare to your work?"
"It's not what I'm saying-"
"Then, can I tell you a story instead?" And this time, Inoo didn't give Hikaru a chance to say any words of refusal. "It's about this guy," so he started his story, drifting Hikaru off the limit of his patience.
"Kei," he sternly warned the other guy. But Inoo's ears both shut close and he went on with his story.
"Who once went stars picking and caught a star. The brightest one among all of the stars. This guy was graced by a blissful, blissful happiness and joy knowing that the star's now his and that his sky would never be so dark now. But although the star is his, it's still so far away from him because it belongs in the sky with all of the other stars. While this guy could only stare at his star shining so enchantingly from the earth down below," the sadness tracing Inoo's voice and the way his jaded eyes just simply looking at his, everything… it stunned Hikaru. He no longer overpowered by the thought of having so many works to do because in his mind, the only thing that's now going around is the question, why the sadness is there? In Inoo's eyes, it was there in his voice… Was it already there when Inoo first got here? Was it there too with the disappointment he caught earlier? Why did he just notice it now?
"And this guy's only dream is to someday be able to be with his star in the sky. To shine for his star too, just like how his star always shines his sky. To shine together. But the guy is only ordinary human being, he's no one, no one… nothing… And this only ordinary human being guy, he doesn't belong in the sky, he doesn't granted the place beside his star which was the only place he ever wanted to be," Inoo ended his story with a smile so bitter and it squeezed Hikaru's heart so tight. He can see clearly the brimming tears in Inoo's eyes behind all of those smiles Inoo tried to pull.
"Is it alright… if I go home now?" Inoo asked then.
"W-what? But it's late…"
"Yeah, I just remember that I forgot the piano book I've prepared for my cousin at home. It'd be too much of a hassle if I grab it tomorrow, so I guess I better go home now." They aren't together all these years for nothing because Hikaru could straightly tell that Inoo's lying right now. "It's okay, Dai-chan said he's around the neighborhood and he's about to go home too. He said he'd pick me up at the konbini nearby," Inoo assured after seeing the concerned look etched Hikaru's worn out face.
He might not know what was really going on with Inoo but Hikaru can sense there's something wrong. Has he gone too far somewhere over this past month and hurt the latter without him realizing it?
"Then let me… I-I'll-"
"And I'm okay walking to the konbini by myself. Don't worry," Inoo's words halted Hikaru from getting off the couch. When Inoo once again smiling at him, Hikaru's heart grew even more worried. "Get some proper rest when you're done and don't skip your meal again, Hika," Inoo said to him. He gave a light peck on Hikaru's cheek and grab his bag before walking out of the apartment.
Hikaru sighed though strangely the weight filled his chest won't seem to lessen, not a bit. The smile Inoo last gave him before he went home, the sadness clouded his eyes, and the story…
Hikaru then decided to grab a glass of water from the kitchen when he spotted the 2 bowls of ramen that still wrapped perfectly on his dining table.
"I bought us ramen take away. Let's eat it together~" And Hikaru ends up cursing himself as he remembers the time Inoo showed him a paper bag with 2 bowls of ramen inside it that he purposely bought for them earlier.
…and Hikaru's too tired, too tired, he failed to realize that it's not only him who had skipped his meal tonight, because Inoo also hasn't touch his ramen, he skipped his dinner too. Too tired to remember how long has it been since they met each other after the chaotic and hectic schedule due to their newest album coming up. Too tired to recognize the sadness he might've caused his boyfriend all this while. Too tired to sense that there's something wrong and odd when Inoo said about not being the one with his song getting rejected, the words that now had Hikaru's mind wandering in ponder if something has happened to Inoo. It all dawned on him now. But, yeah, he was too tired, he failed on knowing all of them even to see how much he's actually been missing Inoo too…
------
"So? How?" Inoo waited both in anxiety and excitement as he waits for his producer's comment after they've listened to the demo of the song he composed that he intended to submit at their new album meeting next week. After it was announced that JUMP would release another album soon, all of the members has been working hard to gather some materials and submitted songs they created. Some of them even working as partner arranging and composing the song, like Takaki and Daiki, Keito and Yamada. While Inoo is looking forward to partner up with Hikaru on doing some arrangements on this song he's composing. Although it's still raw and lacking here and there since he's not that experience on song making process, but as soon as he got their producer's approval, he's already planning on asking Hikaru to work on this song together.
He heard Hikaru has been partnered with Yabu and Daiki and their songs have been approved by their producer. But Inoo has no doubts that the song they'd be creating together won't lose to the other song, includes to the song Hikaru currently working on with Yabu and Daiki. It'll be fun working together and Inoo has confidence that both of them would create something great.
"It's not bad," his producer started his comment, Inoo looked at his producer's face that shown eeriness, as if he's contemplating on what to say. "But it's also… not that good. I don't think this song would sell good in your album."
"I understand, it's still raw, but I'm planning to fix it, I also intend to partner up with Hikaru to work on this song-"
Inoo let out a long deep sigh and he looked down at the music sheets on his hands. After the piano lesson at his cousin's house, he decided to whiling away on a little bridge nearby his cousin's house, gathering up all of his courage to throw his music sheets off to a little river below the bridge.
"Yaotome-kun? Ah, I don't think that'd do. Yaotome-kun already in charge of 3 personal songs and 3 partnered songs. I appreciate your eagerness on participating about this album material, Inoo-chan. But this song just won't do and the last meeting to submit your work only a week from now-"
"Fine then, I'll come up with another one," Inoo insisted, hoping their producer would give him another chance.
"But, still… Look, why don't you now learn about song composing by seeing how your friends work? You can come and see how Yaotome-kun, Yabu-kun, Arioka-kun, or your other team member work. Learn from them and on the next album practice what you have learned. How about that?"
He should've known not to get his hopes high too far above when he first submitted the song. Who was he anyway compare to Yabu, Daiki, Keito, Takaki, or even Hikaru? He shouldn't been so surprise when their producer refused to approve his song. Another sigh and Inoo was ready to loosen his grip on his music sheets, and right before the music sheets starts to slip out of his hands, a pair of hands suddenly gripped his hands so tightly. The warmth emitting from those hands sent an immediate familiarity and once Inoo turned to look, Hikaru's already standing beside him. Panting hard for what it seems he's been running around a lot.
"Hika?" Inoo has to admit that he was surprised upon seeing Hikaru there. "H-how… What are you doing here?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you… what?"
"The song. Your song. Why didn't you tell me?" Though it came as another surprise, that Hikaru knew, but Inoo's disappointment and helpless crestfallen heart were way bigger than his astonishment.
"How did you find out?"
"I asked our producer this morning." he told him. "Why didn't you tell me?" Hikaru asked him then.
"What was there to tell? How our producer thought the song simply won't sell good in our album? That he said it might be the best option now for me to just learn from the other member while waiting for my chance to come around again the next time?"
"No, why didn't you tell me, you have that song in the first place? He said you told him you want to work the song together with me, is that true?" Inoo's lips curved a slight smile as he moved his gaze to Hikaru beside him.
"It's true," his answer came nearly in a whisper and his head slowly stooped. Hikaru's shoulders fell down gradually upon the confession, wave of disappointment barely conceal on his face right now as he's looking at Inoo.
"Then, why didn't you come to me first instead of going alone, asking our producer's opinion before telling me anything about it??"
"Our producer is still the one who gets to decide which song can be included in the album after all, right? And… and I don't know, maybe, I needed it, to go to him and earn his approval about my own ability so then, I would feel confident enough to face you and ask you to work on the song with me!" And the sudden revelation left Hikaru astounded.
"I don't… get it," and he doesn't. Hikaru simply couldn't get it why Inoo felt the necessity to gather his confidence to such length only to work on a song together with him.
"Whenever I see you working on a song together with someone else, I always wonder how it will feel like if I'm the one doing it with you? I wonder what kind of song we would create together. I just thought maybe it'll be fun if we can do it one day. A song, you and me. But, I realize that those who've worked with you, they share this great ability and talent, the same as what you own. And I always get a little jealous, knowing there's this world of you that I can't be a part of, that thought always had me feeling so far from you. That's why I want to do a song with you this time. But, what I have, they might not be half of what you or the others have, that's why I just want to make sure that I won't be a bother instead once I get the chance to do a song with you. That I'm compatible enough…," words by words Inoo's voice running low. "To make sure… I have enough lights of my own that maybe can grant me a place beside my star…"
"Kei, do you want to hear the truth about the story you told me last night?" Hikaru asked after they let some silence prevailed. "That guy, the one you said has caught a star when he went stars picking, he actually never really have the star he thought he owns. He is an ordinary human being just like you said and no, he's not granted a place beside a star in the sky because this guy belong to someone else's side. Another ordinary human being too, who never leave his side ever since the day he decides to be by his side, he would never leave him. And this another ordinary human being would love to have this guy to look at him instead rather than the star, he would love to have this guy holds his hand instead because it's right beside him rather than reaching out for the star," when Inoo finally raised his face, his eyes were locked by the warmth presents behind the gaze Hikaru had on him and the endearment colored his smile. Each time he saw it, it always tell him everything will be alright, it will be alright now. It's the same warmth and endearment that always give him assurance ever since he met Hikaru years a go.
"You don't own a star, Kei, but me." Hikaru tightened his hand securely around Inoo's and pull the latter into his embrace. "And you don't belong anywhere else but my side," and Hikaru instinctively drawing him even closer when he felt Inoo's arms slowly answering his embrace. "And I'm sorry for being a jerk this past month to you…"
"And for ruining my story," the statement sent Hikaru chuckling softly.
"No, actually, I just turned the story into a much better one, I believe. Kei, promise me?"
"What?"
"We'll do a song together the next time?"
There was a long pause before Inoo spoke, " Will that be really okay?" uncertainties was clear on his words.
"It will. It will be and I'm sure we'll do it great together. You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say it, that you want to do a song with me."
"You have?"
"Yeah, ever since we had our first album back then. I always want to do a song with you. Together."
A/N: So, this fic actually carries a purpose on being a special birthday treat~ Despite its lacking here and there, but it's still a treat that I hope would be enjoyable still~