[FIC] Distance
Title: Distance
Fandom/Pairing: Gokusen2/HayatoRyu
Rating: PG
Notes: this was written months back, when i first rewatched Gokusen2. i hold this fic dear, and is honestly one of my most favorites among the ones i have written. no beta, i do not own gokusen2 nor do i own hayato or ryu.
aren't you happy? procrastination for my exam = fics for you guys! :D :D
--
Their graduation was short but pleasant. All the teachers were half-relieved that their section was gone and half-proud that all of them have come this far. Yabuki Hayato held the diploma for the class and it felt good in his hands. It promised him hope and dreams, and Hayato thought that they're stupid but he enjoyed the feeling anyway.
He looked at the faces of his classmates, and he saw tears in their eyes. He could feel tears in his eyes too, but he held the diploma and smiled at the cheer the class gave. There was a bright future ahead of them, and he decided to let the tears fall, if only just this once.
--
They were going their separate ways. Hayato's little group was going to be disbanded. Each of them was going to a different path. Tsuchi was going to look for work somewhere near his parents' hometown; Hyuuga wanted to keep trying with the food service job; Takeda wanted a job that would make his mother ridiculously proud and he believed he had to take up a vocational course to get one; Hayato is aiming for a position in Kuma's ramen shop and Ryu is planning to go to college.
"What you are taking up?" Hayato asked, leaning back on the cool grass.
"I'm not sure yet. My parents want me to become a doctor."
Hayato snorted and Ryu gave him a look. At his friend's piercing glare, Hayato shrugged and told Ryu that he is hardly the doctor type. Ryu thought about it, then laughed as he agreed.
--
Hayato landed the job at Kuma's ramen place. Ryu was going to a bigshot college Hayato can only dream of. In the end, Ryu was taking up medicine; Hayato told him he'd be better off as something else, but neither of them know what that something else was so Ryu stuck with his parents' plan for the meantime.
Hayato's shifts at the ramen place were demanding, since they were not so big on the workforce and the place was gaining more popularity. Ryu's class schedule was insane as well. He has classes until seven in the evening and when Ryu has the time, he passed by the ramen shop to eat (and partly to tease Hayato).
Hayato doesn't mind that Ryu ordered him to do a gazillion things (he doesn't let it show since Ryu is a customer after all), he was just glad to see him.
Ryu told him about medical school, the things they were made to do, the intense pressure in every class and--Hayato's personal favorite--the women. Hayato was interested in Ryu's biology teacher, after he saw her in Ryu's pamphlet.
"Ask her out for me," Hayato grinned and Ryu rolled his eyes.
--
They get together sometimes, the five of them, but at times Hayato felt that it wasn't enough. Everyone seemed so far away and though he may want to act cool about it, a part of him still wanted to cling to those bonds that they have left. But then he saw everyone working hard, and he thought that it was time to grow up.
--
Hayato still got into fist fights. It's going to be a part of him forever, he thought. Though he knew he was strong, he was most of the time doing it because he saw himself as a sad crimefighter of sorts. It was stupid, but Hayato liked feeling that way. He never told anyone though. Most of the time, he got into fights with random bullies. Kuma asked him where he got those bruises and Hayato told him tall tales. Both of them knew that it was a lie, but Kuma's been on that road before and Kuma understood.
One time, Hayato spotted a young student being cornered in a dark alley. He just finished his shift and was on his way home when the commotion caught his attention. The student has the same uniform he had on not too long ago and it was nostalgic. Hayato approached the group, and one of them recognized him.
"Yabuki Hayato, leader of Kurogin's 3D."
Hayato told them to stop, and a fist landed on his face for it. As much as he wanted to punch the insufferable brat back, Hayato resisted. Beating up children wasn't Hayato's thing at all. The teenager laughed and mocked Hayato before throwing another punch.
He blindy accepted the punches and kicks. They sting, but Hayato thought that it is during these times that he felt the most alive. The punches stopped when Hayato tasted blood on his lip. He opened his swollen eye by a fraction, wincing as he realized how badly they had beaten him up. He saw a white blur punching those guys away, anyway. The young man squinted but he couldn't make out who it was.
"Are you all right, you idiot?"
"Ryu?" Hayato called out uncertainly.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"What are you doing?" Hayato croaked out. "You can get in trouble for this! What would the people in your college say?"
Hayato heard him sigh and Ryu told him they should get home.
--
Home was Hayato's house, which was really just an apartment. Getting a new place--for privacy, like what Ryu has done--was too expensive so Hayato never bothered. His brother was only home at night and his father was usually out. Hayato thought that was more than enough privacy. The place was dark when they arrived. Hayato's arm hurt but other than that, his face was the only thing damaged.
No one came to check on them. His father must've been asleep or out (it was always either one or the other) and his brother was probably sleeping. Ryu helped Hayato to his room, and he found the banages and the closest thing to a first aid kit in an unused cabinet in the kitchen.
Ryu tended Hayato's wounds.
"This is hilarious, my father will scold me again like I'm in high school." Hayato smiled grimly, as Ryu dabbed a cotton on his bruised cheek.
"That was stupid of you."
"I didn't plan for it that way." the Yabuki retorted, feeling the need to justify himself to Ryu.
"What was your plan then?" Ryu asked calmly, moving on to attend to Hayato's lip.
"I was supposed to defend the Kurogin student but then they started punching me and it reminded me of how we used to be and you know I don't hit children,"
"That is messed up."
"Yeah." there was a comfotable silence for awhile then Hayato continued, "What were you doing there?"
"I was just passing by." came the delayed reply.
Hayato knew that there was more to it. Ryu knew that Hayato knew. But neither wanted to destroy the equilibrium that was present. And so nothing is resolved that way. Hayato preferred that though; he respected Ryu and he wouldn't prod at things Ryu didn't want him to prod into. Over the past years, they came to be content with such an arrangement.
"I felt so alone in that fight." when he said it, Hayato felt pathetic. He missed them--he missed Ryu--but he would never admit that, on normal circumstances. He hoped Ryu missed it completely but to his dismay, Ryu paused, the band-aid positioned on top of Hayato's bruise.
"I'll always have your back," Ryu's voice was thick, Hayato almost didn't recognize it. "Always."
Somehow, both of them knew that things would change and promises can be broken. But at that moment, it seemed so appropriate to just believe.
Hayato closed his eyes and smiled before mumbling a thank you. Ryu continued to patch him up.
--end
Fandom/Pairing: Gokusen2/HayatoRyu
Rating: PG
Notes: this was written months back, when i first rewatched Gokusen2. i hold this fic dear, and is honestly one of my most favorites among the ones i have written. no beta, i do not own gokusen2 nor do i own hayato or ryu.
aren't you happy? procrastination for my exam = fics for you guys! :D :D
--
Their graduation was short but pleasant. All the teachers were half-relieved that their section was gone and half-proud that all of them have come this far. Yabuki Hayato held the diploma for the class and it felt good in his hands. It promised him hope and dreams, and Hayato thought that they're stupid but he enjoyed the feeling anyway.
He looked at the faces of his classmates, and he saw tears in their eyes. He could feel tears in his eyes too, but he held the diploma and smiled at the cheer the class gave. There was a bright future ahead of them, and he decided to let the tears fall, if only just this once.
--
They were going their separate ways. Hayato's little group was going to be disbanded. Each of them was going to a different path. Tsuchi was going to look for work somewhere near his parents' hometown; Hyuuga wanted to keep trying with the food service job; Takeda wanted a job that would make his mother ridiculously proud and he believed he had to take up a vocational course to get one; Hayato is aiming for a position in Kuma's ramen shop and Ryu is planning to go to college.
"What you are taking up?" Hayato asked, leaning back on the cool grass.
"I'm not sure yet. My parents want me to become a doctor."
Hayato snorted and Ryu gave him a look. At his friend's piercing glare, Hayato shrugged and told Ryu that he is hardly the doctor type. Ryu thought about it, then laughed as he agreed.
--
Hayato landed the job at Kuma's ramen place. Ryu was going to a bigshot college Hayato can only dream of. In the end, Ryu was taking up medicine; Hayato told him he'd be better off as something else, but neither of them know what that something else was so Ryu stuck with his parents' plan for the meantime.
Hayato's shifts at the ramen place were demanding, since they were not so big on the workforce and the place was gaining more popularity. Ryu's class schedule was insane as well. He has classes until seven in the evening and when Ryu has the time, he passed by the ramen shop to eat (and partly to tease Hayato).
Hayato doesn't mind that Ryu ordered him to do a gazillion things (he doesn't let it show since Ryu is a customer after all), he was just glad to see him.
Ryu told him about medical school, the things they were made to do, the intense pressure in every class and--Hayato's personal favorite--the women. Hayato was interested in Ryu's biology teacher, after he saw her in Ryu's pamphlet.
"Ask her out for me," Hayato grinned and Ryu rolled his eyes.
--
They get together sometimes, the five of them, but at times Hayato felt that it wasn't enough. Everyone seemed so far away and though he may want to act cool about it, a part of him still wanted to cling to those bonds that they have left. But then he saw everyone working hard, and he thought that it was time to grow up.
--
Hayato still got into fist fights. It's going to be a part of him forever, he thought. Though he knew he was strong, he was most of the time doing it because he saw himself as a sad crimefighter of sorts. It was stupid, but Hayato liked feeling that way. He never told anyone though. Most of the time, he got into fights with random bullies. Kuma asked him where he got those bruises and Hayato told him tall tales. Both of them knew that it was a lie, but Kuma's been on that road before and Kuma understood.
One time, Hayato spotted a young student being cornered in a dark alley. He just finished his shift and was on his way home when the commotion caught his attention. The student has the same uniform he had on not too long ago and it was nostalgic. Hayato approached the group, and one of them recognized him.
"Yabuki Hayato, leader of Kurogin's 3D."
Hayato told them to stop, and a fist landed on his face for it. As much as he wanted to punch the insufferable brat back, Hayato resisted. Beating up children wasn't Hayato's thing at all. The teenager laughed and mocked Hayato before throwing another punch.
He blindy accepted the punches and kicks. They sting, but Hayato thought that it is during these times that he felt the most alive. The punches stopped when Hayato tasted blood on his lip. He opened his swollen eye by a fraction, wincing as he realized how badly they had beaten him up. He saw a white blur punching those guys away, anyway. The young man squinted but he couldn't make out who it was.
"Are you all right, you idiot?"
"Ryu?" Hayato called out uncertainly.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"What are you doing?" Hayato croaked out. "You can get in trouble for this! What would the people in your college say?"
Hayato heard him sigh and Ryu told him they should get home.
--
Home was Hayato's house, which was really just an apartment. Getting a new place--for privacy, like what Ryu has done--was too expensive so Hayato never bothered. His brother was only home at night and his father was usually out. Hayato thought that was more than enough privacy. The place was dark when they arrived. Hayato's arm hurt but other than that, his face was the only thing damaged.
No one came to check on them. His father must've been asleep or out (it was always either one or the other) and his brother was probably sleeping. Ryu helped Hayato to his room, and he found the banages and the closest thing to a first aid kit in an unused cabinet in the kitchen.
Ryu tended Hayato's wounds.
"This is hilarious, my father will scold me again like I'm in high school." Hayato smiled grimly, as Ryu dabbed a cotton on his bruised cheek.
"That was stupid of you."
"I didn't plan for it that way." the Yabuki retorted, feeling the need to justify himself to Ryu.
"What was your plan then?" Ryu asked calmly, moving on to attend to Hayato's lip.
"I was supposed to defend the Kurogin student but then they started punching me and it reminded me of how we used to be and you know I don't hit children,"
"That is messed up."
"Yeah." there was a comfotable silence for awhile then Hayato continued, "What were you doing there?"
"I was just passing by." came the delayed reply.
Hayato knew that there was more to it. Ryu knew that Hayato knew. But neither wanted to destroy the equilibrium that was present. And so nothing is resolved that way. Hayato preferred that though; he respected Ryu and he wouldn't prod at things Ryu didn't want him to prod into. Over the past years, they came to be content with such an arrangement.
"I felt so alone in that fight." when he said it, Hayato felt pathetic. He missed them--he missed Ryu--but he would never admit that, on normal circumstances. He hoped Ryu missed it completely but to his dismay, Ryu paused, the band-aid positioned on top of Hayato's bruise.
"I'll always have your back," Ryu's voice was thick, Hayato almost didn't recognize it. "Always."
Somehow, both of them knew that things would change and promises can be broken. But at that moment, it seemed so appropriate to just believe.
Hayato closed his eyes and smiled before mumbling a thank you. Ryu continued to patch him up.
--end