AKAI ITO #1 - PURIKURA - [SAGA (Alice Nine) / NAO (ex-Kagrra)]
Title: Purikura
Series: Akai Ito
Author: luna_no_koibito
Genre: AU, Romance, Drama, Introspection
Warnings: None
Rating: PG - 15
Pairing: Saga / Nao
Bands: Alice Nine; Kagrra
Disclaimer: I don't own them, and don't wish I did because I'd be sorry for what could befall them （・＿・；）！
Summary: There is always a first time for everything. (Nao POV).
Dedicated to: 8written74word8 Hope you like it darling. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
“Purikura”
初恋(Hatsukoi) - First Love
made by me
The way I look, the way I carry myself, each time in which I proudly speak, all these traits I know, make me come off as a know-it-all conceited jerk. I've always known, everyone who's ever been around me would always end up thinking as much. Everyone but him. He thinks that I, Yamada Naoki, am cute and nonsensical, actually, he makes me act like a cute nonsensical person, and … I am really glad he does. I am so grateful to every thing that makes him, his eyes, his little ears, his questionable smile. I don't believe I've ever experienced this kind of happiness, actually I am pretty sure that I haven't, and for such reason, I did something completely out of my character, and brought him here. But before I talk about him, before I talk about why we came here, I think it is best I tell you about my past, so that you can understand.
During elementary school I unfortunately turned out to be the one child, who was enthusiast about learning. Thanks to my grandfather, whom raised me, and had always made learning fun for me. He'd always kindly stress the importance of an education for people such as us, whom couldn't reach for a brighter future in any other way. Thus, yet too young to comprehend feelings such as envy and resentment, I eagerly took satisfaction in wanting to answer each and every question that was asked us in class, scrupulously did my homework, never caused unnecessary ruckus, or talked with my classmates during lesson-time. Basically, I did nothing but play by the rules, just as I was taught by my grandfather, who'd raised me. “You are a very good child Naoki, your parents would be so proud and happy of you” he'd always tell me that, and it would make me incredibly happy, yet the cold and mean attitude I began to receive from my classmate in response to my well-behaved-self, seemed to never reflect those endearing words, and that was ironically the same time in which I discovered sadness. Children however, are merely just that, and as such, there were only a certain range of emotions that they could truly own to and manifest. Thus, even though what I perceived from them in those days could truly not be defined as hate, it still hurt nonetheless, in my little child way.
Where a young person's initial life experiences are usually seen as climbing up a hill, mine could be described as rolling down the steepest and roughest of mountains. In middle school, kids that had been with me through elementary school, thought it clever to 'inform' other kids about my know-it-all persona, which intended and successfully got more and more people to distance themselves from me. Once again; it hurt. Thus, where as a child I used to be able to show at least emotions of happiness around my grandfather, the constant exposure to ridicule and hatred from other students, soon made me incapable to show any sort of emotion at all. Successively, it came to a point in which I got a sort of sadistic desire to want to see myself above everyone else in any academic subject, which obviously also quickly fostered my classmates despise; but at that point, I believe I began to stop caring. During that time, I also concluded that being hated for being a smarty pants didn't suit me any longer, if I had to be hated, then I had to be hated thoroughly and properly. Thus, I decided and succeeded to excel in sports as well. And with that, I was finally given the intended to be far from complimenting nick-name Yamada-sama, and the only thing that really got me mad about that; was me feeling even more hurt by such thing, even though I was trying so hard not to care.
Two years ago, I finally entered one of Tokyo's most prestigious high schools, and thanks to my outstanding academic career, I didn't have to pay a cent for it, which was of great help given as to how there would have been no way I could have afford it, especially after my grandfather's death, whom unfortunately had absolutely nothing to his name. As expected, I found myself around some of the people I grew with, an as expected, they brought my unfavorable reputation along, which preceded me quicker than I had thought. During the welcoming ceremony, as we all stood in the gym in an ordinate scheme, I could hear all the vicious whispering, and sense the suspicious stares sent in my direction. But by that time, I wasn't bothered by it anymore; I had successfully stopped caring. Things like friendship, love, any pleasurable emotion an adolescent was meant to have experience, I had already given up to long ago. Along with those, also went the perpetual feeling of pain that kept bothering me during all those years ... all that loneliness ... it was all gone.
In my overall twelve years of comparative solitude, the last two of which turned into complete apathy with the departure of my beloved and only relative, I never envisioned my present self and my future one to be anything other than just that of a walking body with a brain and beating muscle. Obviously, in moments in which a sudden weakness and depression would remind me that I was a mere human being, I had contemplated joining the rest of my family on the other side of life, but I had promised my grandfather to be successful; and that at least I also decided to struggle to achieve, because I owed him at least that much. Thus, at first, I had all the reasons in the world to be disbelieving and mistrustful of his sudden appearance in my life. There simply was absolutely no reason for a person like me, who had nothing and had lost anyone whom he deemed dear, to believe that something good would so suddenly happen, not to talk about miracles. Because that is what he is to me, that's what you are to me Takashi, a miracle, which is mainly why we came here today; so that I could accomplish the impossible.
I still remember the first time we met like it were yesterday.
It was a Wednesday, the only day I didn't have archery practice, so as my usual, I would composedly gather my belongings, hold my head high, and silently go home under everyone's judgmental gaze, malicious whispering, and-or name calling. You would think that after two long years, people would stop finding defamatory things to say about you; not really, apparently there is no limit to people's imagination. That was the everyday me, even though in truth all I really wanted to do was to hurriedly pack my things and get the hell out of the school, it was important for me to keep that cold and indifferent attitude for others to see that I was not affected by their malevolent attitude in my regards. Thus, the process of getting myself ready to go, usually was kind of slow and I would remain the last kid in class. I never had been eager, like all the other students, to maybe go together to a ramen store, to an arcade, or anywhere else, since there never had been a together for me to begin with.
“Ah ...” uttered a male voice, which followed the familiar sound of the class's sliding doors. Completely ignoring whoever's presence, kept on with my business, because even though I was the only person in the classroom, whomever, was obviously not meaning to talk to me; that was just how it worked with me and the rest of the world “... senpai is the only person left uh ...” continued the voice in a rather friendly and confident manner, but I simply got up. Nobody ever spoke to me, not to talk about being referred as senpai, so it kept making sense in my head that the person was most certainly not talking to me “... must be my lucky day, since I get to be here alone with senpai” nonchalantly added the other with a light laughter, in a tone which was clearly playful, but the me of the time was just not used to such manners, and all I could perceive was sarcasm. Thus, I quickly snapped my bag close, got up, and made my way towards the door on the other side of the classroom “ Yamada-senpai wait ...” called out the voice, and a few second later, after I had slide the door open, a hand suddenly reached for my wrist.
I was completely caught off-guard. I didn't know exactly how to react to the fact that not only I had been politely called senpai, and not the spiteful sama, which those who fancied making fun of me used, but the person went as far as to touch me; unless you didn't want an eternal life of loneliness, people were advised not to do so. Swiftly turning around on impulse, I glared at him, and I firmly pulled my wrist away, as I kept staring at the apologetic grin on the his face. Following, all that came out of my mouth was a rather unfriendly and loud “What do you want?”
“So it was right ...” sighed the boy in relief “... I thought I had gotten your last name wrong for a second ...” he then smiled, while scratching the back of his head “... I'm a freshman, my name is Sakamoto Takashi, and I am in 1-A, yoroshiku onegai shimasu ...” he began in excitement, leaving me even more speechlessly confused. All I'd been capable of doing was merely keep glaring at him trying to understand the truth beneath his kindness. Was he going to try and steal something from me? Had he stuck some offensive message on my back? I just truly couldn’t believe that anybody in the world would willingly want to have anything to do with me at all. Then, it dawned on me that as a new student, he probably hadn't been around people enough to hear about me, which was exceptional given that school had been on for a good two weeks, and also given the fact that he was objectively quite handsome, meaning that girls would have been prone to be all over him, praising him, gossiping and what not “... I was told to look for the homeroom teacher's office, but I'm lost, have no idea where I am going ...” he admitted shrugging his shoulders.
“I wouldn't talk to me if I were you ...” I then quickly added, and before I could even turn to walk away, he promptly, grabbed my shoulder, touching me again; getting me more anxious.
“Why is that? ...” he inquired, looking genuinely confused. I newly turned towards him, blinked a few almost managing to look as confused as he was, and for a second there, as I silently stared into his still inquisitive gaze, I really didn't know how to reply to said question. However, a group of girls, whom just happened to pass by, had promptly solved my dilemma.
“Oh no! Saga-kun!” loudly called out one of the girls, glimpsing at me with almost a frightened and disgusted look “... you shouldn't hang out with him” explained the girl, receiving agreeing nods from the other three.
“What? ...” he dryly inquired “... why would you talk to your senpai in such disrespectful manner?” he strongly inquired, keeping himself put, with both his hands in his pockets. He was plainly standing up for me, but darn me if I allowed myself to see it as such, instead allowing myself to only get more anxious and irritated at his behavior.
“But he is the Yamada-sama ...” quickly chirped another one of the girls “... haven't you ... heard? ...” she then added, her voice gradually turning into a whisper, not even daring to look at me, so I smirked in the best cynical way the Yamada-sama would.
“Well there you have it, excuse me” I rudely stated and sped walked away so fast I could have made holes in the tiles, in fact, I think I actually ran, just in order to ignore his voice loudly calling 'Yamada-senpai', while clearly hearing the girls calling 'Saga-kun'.
That night, I went to bed feeling more distraught than I could remember, for some reason, his kindness hurt me much more than all the mean things that had been said an done to me. And I couldn't explain why, all I could say, is that I simply didn't want to believe in such; but my heart must have been in dire need of such treatment because it just wouldn't listen to me.
The next day, and the following, it seemed like all I could see was Sakamoto Takashi's face smiling at me when we'd walk past each other in the corridors, in and out of the bathroom, at the school's entrance, and in each instance he'd try to talk to me, but either I'd just quickly walk away, or his friends would 'help me” keeping him away from me. I t had almost become a nightmare, or so I thought, and I was completely wrong, because the boy just decided to become bolder. He began trying to seat at my table in the cafeteria and I'd stop eating and just leave, or spend some time watching me while I exercised archery, and stopped being so obvious after I accidentally sent an arrow in his direction, from that day he simply looked at me from afar. Then, one day, he decided it wise to start following me home, and as I walked for a few meters, I then stopped, angrily turned around and just aggressively glared at him, whom merely stopped in his one tracks and widely grinned at me.
“Do you need me to call the cops on your ass?!” I angrily bellowed.
“That would be problematic ...” he lightly laughed in response.
“Then leave me the hell alone! Stop looking at me, stop trying to talk to m, stop following me. Leave. Me. Alone!” I yelled, not bothering that I was in the middle of a street with houses everywhere. People started to look out of their windows, but I honestly could care less, whereas Takashi, apologetically looked at all the people, and before I could notice, h grabbed my arm, and began running “Oi! I said leave me alone! Where are we going?! Oi!” I kept screaming, as I tried to free myself, but to my surprise, even though he was two years younger than me, he seemed to have the body structure and strength of someone two years older than me. We ran for a couple of minutes, and suddenly stopped at a park in the neighborhood around the school “Are you crazy?! What is your prob-” I panted out, while still attempting to scream, as he bought stood facing each other, but he instantly and quite loudly cut me off.
“I like you, please go out with me!” firmly yelled Takashi, while bowing at a completely dumbfound me.
“W-w-what … what stupid joke is this?! Are you completely out of your mind?!” I nervously screamed, looking at the still bent figure, which slowly raised up, and widely smiled at me, while scratching the back of his head.
“No ...” he replied with a light laughter “... I am completely serious” he added, then earnestly looking at me.
“You expect me to believe that a handsome guy such as yourself, who probably has the entire first year female student body at his feet, would want to being a relationship with me, a third year male, also number one infamous person in school?” I cynically smirked, reeving a firm nod from the other, which got my head almost hurting and quite frustrated “… just … just … exactly how stupid do you think I am? What is it that you truly want from me? My notes from my previous years? Money? I don't have money, I am as poor as it gets … I just … what do you want from me?” I exasperatedly inquire, at that point, I was seriously at the end of my wits.
“I don't need money, my family already has plenty enough ...” he began, placing his hands in his pockets, and taking a few steps to the side looking a way “... I am number one in my year, so I don't senpai's notes … what I'd like … what I'd like ...” he then paused for a second, as he glimpsed at me, for the first and only time, looking actually shy about something “... is to hold hands with senpai, call senpai by name … have senpai smile at me … because I think senpai has the most beautiful smile in the world” he carefully stated, as I speechlessly allowed myself to be almost hypnotized by said words, while wondering exactly when had this boy seen me smile.
“Where … when did you see me smile? … “ I lowly inquired, darting my gaze to the ground, when he turned his gaze on me.
“I am staying here with my uncle. My family is Korean, but I am half my mother married my father who is a Japanese … well that is a long story but …” he quickly apologized “... my uncle was raised here, and had a best friend, whom died some years ago, and whose grave he regularly gos and visit at least once a year” he resumed explaining “... the day before school started, I went along with him to his friends grave, and … I saw you there” he declared, taking a short pause “... I know it is quite the unappropriated place to begin having certain thoughts, or to be marveled, but I noticed you, and the way you seemed to talk with the person you went to visit … you looked really serene … and I thought … I thought you looked really beautiful, I ...” he then stopped, as if he had reached a block, and didn’t know what more to say “When I then went to school, and noticed you during the opening ceremony, my heart began to beat so fast I thought is would stop … I was just so overwhelmed with joy, and as I heard people talking about you, I picked up your last name, and didn't even bother to listen to whatever else was being said … but I want to talk to you so badly” he informed and admitted, and for some reason, I suddenly began to cry.
Tears just came rolling. No matter how hard I tried to stop them, they just endlessly kept shading “I ...” I then attempted, but I didn't know what to say, and my attempting to say something, made me start sobbing, and almost convulsing. It annoyed me, the fact that I couldn't find a reason to hate him annoyed me. The fact that I had no other choice but to admit that the person standing in front of me genuinely liked me, that he meant no harm, that he was real, wouldn't stop me from crying “I! ...” I newly attempted with more vigor, failing once more, when I suddenly felt arms around me, and just gave up any other attempt. Gave up the struggle, gave up the talking, gave up the mistrust; gave it all up right there and then.
“Even though I ignored what was being said about you, I still heard, and I can only imagine how hard it most have been for you to live with such things been said and done to you, and I am so sorry that you had to bear all of that ...” Takashi began to speak “... they never saw you smile the way I did, I told to myself, because if they had, there would be no way that they could even believe anything they say about you senpai ...” he kindly stated.
“Naoki ...” I mumbled in a whisper, while still being held in his arms “... my name ... is Naoki” I clarified.
“With which characters* ...” he then asked me.
“True and Happiness ...” I readily replied, almost shocked at the fact that my name actual meant true happiness; probably even think about it for the first time in so long. Even though my grandfather would always tell me, always hammer the word happiness, I never actually paid attention. I never realized, even though I knew the meaning of my name, I never truly realized.
“I knew it ...” lightly laughed Takashi “... it only makes sense for your name to mean as much … hehe … I currently conquered true happiness! Yey me!” he then cheerfully exclaimed, as I pushed myself away cleaning my tears.
“Too fast for that ...” I stated, as I resumed walking towards my house, slowly, in a more relaxed manner, and as expected, he resumed following me, and I allowed him.
“Hai... “ he serenely replied, joining me side-by-side, as we walked to my house. He talked the whole way, he wasn't obnoxious, he merely asked me a few personal questions, and I replied with lots of yes, no, nodded and-or shook my head. Once we arrived, he cooked for me, as I told him about my grandfather as requested from him, and as we ate he told me about his family. His grandparents disowned her mother for marrying with a Japanese man, and so he had never seen his grandparents, but his uncle, whom is his mother's elder brother, refused to sever ties with her, thus he was an important figure in his and his two little sisters' life. Takashi was born and lived in Saitama, but then accepted his uncle invitation to come to Tokyo and stay with him, in order to get ready to get into Todai** eventually. That night, as I watched him leave, I remember thanking my grandfather, because I believed that perhaps it was his doing, that perhaps he had sent Takashi to me, and in a way, since in a way he sort of had. As I then went to bed, the part of me that still believed this to merely be a dream, was hoping really hard not to wake up the following day; because once you experience happiness, it is hard to let it go again. It is quite the addicting thing.
But indeed, it hadn't been a dream. The following day Takashi was at my gate ready to walk me to school, and the skeptical me was still quite around and alive, in the fact that I told him he didn’t have to, with quite an annoyed and mistrusting tone, which I truly hadn’t mean to, but I wasn't used to doing things any other way, and he seemed to understand very well. Never once did he act offended, by my attitude, and simply smiled on, as we began to spend more and more time together. Lunch, free periods, I'd wait for him at the end of his karate practice, he'd come and watch me during archery. Students behavior in my regards didn't change, in fact the new rumor was that I had charmed the handsome Sakamoto-kun to a point of no return, and that time around, I truly didn't care a single bit. To say it the way it was, it felt almost too natural, we just fitted in so perfectly that it never even occur to me to have second thought about feeling the way I began to feel for another male. Happiness will act like a good soundproof bubble in those situations; and love will make the bubble stronger.
“Takashi? …” I called out one day as I paused from my studies, vaguely staring at the sky from the spacious balcony at his uncle's house.
“Yes ...” he nonchalantly called, as he kept playing with his PSP.
“Why do some people call you Saga-kun? ...” I then questioned, trying to avoid looking at him. I didn't want whim to sense the slight hint of jealousy in my voice as I asked said question, almost everyone whom knew him somewhat well called him like that, and I couldn't help but feel like maybe, I should have done the same thing as well.
“Oh that ...” calmly answered Takashi, pausing his game and looking at me “... that was a name me and my best friend came up with, his real name is Shinji, but his name became Tora ...” he began to explain “... we kind of were … a mischievous duo” he smirked, looking up at the sky as if remembering the days “... just had so much fun, and I guess I stuck with that name, and when people ask me I just introduce myself as Saga … it kind of is very special to me, I will have to introduce you to him one day” he tenderly smiled as he kept staring up, and I felt incredibly bad and childish for hating said name, and said person that gave him said name; jealousy is such a bad emotions. It was my first time every feeling such burn such unnecessary hatred, and as I immersed myself in said emotion, I didn't realize I had remained silent “... Naoki?” he suddenly called as I blinked back to reality, still remaining quiet “... something wrong?”. I wanted to tell him what my problem was, but words refused to come out. I found myself not wanting him to know that I was bothered by the fact that he never asked me to cal him as much, and even though I knew I should have said something, I merely shook my head, and turned my gaze to my homework. He moved his chairs closer to me “... Naoki? ...” he then tenderly whispered in my ear, as I suddenly dropped my pain, and remained immobile.
“Y-y-y-yes? ...” I lowly stuttered in reply, keeping my gaze fixed on my assignment.
“I love it when you call me Takashi. The way you say it makes me shiver in delight all the time, and I wouldn't want you to call me any other way ...” he informed me, making me impulsively turn to look at him, and as I did that, he leaned further carefully pecking my lips. My heart exploded. It was beating so hard I felt I could truly start bleeding out of my nose, I felt so bashful I wanted to disappear. My face was also so red, and I looked so stupid, that there also was no need in even trying to attempt to say that hadn't been my first kiss “... I love you Naoki ...” he then stated, leaning in to kiss me once more, this time staying longer, bringing me closer “... I love you” he whispered once more, and this time I took the initiative and kissed him. Stronger, longer, and more passionately, so passionately that even the sun felt embarrassed, as it slowly began to set during the dawn of my first kiss.
Things have only gotten better ever since, and I progressively become a happier, and more relaxed person. I ended up meeting with Tora, whom seemed to be a second version of Takashi, only brunette, and they teamed up to make fun of me, which I hated; and loved at the same time. Moreover, I became almost like a second son to his uncle, Miyavi, given as how I keep spending time at their place. The number of people this man know is unimaginable, and the importance of these people, is shocking as well, either them be famous bartenders, like Kouyou Takashima, whom owns Koukishin, or his brother the actor Jin Takashima. Basically my social circle has been slowly expanding, making me realize that the world is in fact much-much bigger than my high school; much bigger. As for the two of us, we regularly spend time with each other, I began to let my guard lower and lower ending up always doing stupid unpredicted things, which produced the following routine: he laughs, so I feel embarrassed, which makes him laugh harder, then I get angry, so he kisses me, and I keep quiet. Something like that. Which takes us to why I brought him here today; a purikura*** booth.
“You are such a cute nonsensical thing seriously ...” he chuckled, as I selected to make twenty copies of the picture we are about to take “... do you really need twenty? … we can keep coming you know?” he then stated, as I dragged him.
“I don't like doing this kind of things …” I stubbornly affirmed.
“So why do it at all? ...” he then inquired, we got ready to pose.
“Because ...” I simply replied in an implying way, as if the reason was supposed to be obvious.
The truth is that I am about to graduate, and Takashi will become a second year; things will change, and it scares me to death. Without any doubt Sakamoto Takashi is my first love, but I have no idea what will become of us once I graduate. I will have to go to university, and he will probably get to spend less time together. My wish would be for him to be my first and last, but I have no idea what he wants, and I don't want to pressure him either; it would be an even greater miracle if he wanted the same though. Thus, purikura. Couples, best friends, strangers … it had always felt to me like people whom had created some particularly strong bond, for whatever reason, get purikura, it somehow feels stronger than a regular picture; but then again, it might just me. Whatever it is, I don't really know what the future reserves for us, but whatever it is, I don't want to forget this happiness, I don't want to forget the way Takashi is right now, and the me of right now.
“Okay okay okay! I just pressed, get ready!” I quickly informed, getting my best smile ready, and expecting him to do the same; but what do you think Sakamoto Takashi, also known as Saga, did? Wrapping his arms around my waist, he got his face closer to mine, and just before the picture snapping began, he whispered in my ear ... let's have sex after this … I got embarrassed, he laughed, I got angry, he kissed me, I kept quiet.
The best set of purikura ever.
♥♥♥ --- End - The Invisible Thread--- ♥♥♥
*Depending on the Japanese character (more spcifically called Kanji … which are actually Chinise called Hanzu, but I digress ..) a Japanese name can have different menaings
**Todai is a combinaiton of Tokyo Daigaku, whihis the presitgious and famous University of Tokyo, the best universtiy in the whole Japan
***Purikura are the typical Japanese picture-boots where you can go and take pictures, and then draw on the pictures → PURIKURA EXAMPLE
AN: HAPPY VALENTINE EVERY BODY!!
So as explained, there should be one love story every day, and you know me … some will be happy … some will not … (Reita Kai is the last of the seven stories~♥) … just read the Akai Ito description to see what the stories will talk about.
So the main topic of this story is Hatsukoi - First Love. We all had one ne? Some had been lucky and still are with him/her some of us (me included) were less lucky, and didn't get the chance to either ever be with them, or remain the them … oh well! No matter what, first times are always very precious and unforgettable ne? Not necessarily the outcome, because some of them end up on a bad note, but just the feeling of being in love for the first time, is confusing, annoying, scary … but darn good.
Next … is the Tangled Thread → Kataomoi - Unrequited Love (Buuuu \(TAT!! \) … )
Much Love -LnK♥(~_^ )/-