Title: Ha ga itiai
Characters: SMAP
Rating: G
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me
SMAP members react when Shingo has a toothache
いたい! Shingo hadn’t expected it to hurt so much. He’d taken the medicine the dentist had given him hours ago, yet it was still too soon for another dose. He was glad the director had called for a break.
“You ok?” Nakai had asked before walking away, cigarette already poised at his lips. Shingo had nodded. What could he say? He didn’t want to hold filming up because his jaw was currently the approximate size of Tokyo Dome, or felt like it anyway.
Shingo headed for the guest dressing room, the one with the comfy couch. He sat heavily and poked his right cheek with his finger. いたい! Even his face hurt. Shingo knew there must a joke hiding somewhere around the border of the pain and fatigue he was feeling, but he couldn’t be bothered search for it. He just wanted to lie down.
“Shingo kun, I brought you something.” Goro’s voice seemed to precede him and yet he was already hovering over Shingo, holding out two small plastic bottles.
“These are natural remedies. There’s nothing in these that can harm you and I think…”
“I have the medicine that the dentist gave me, “interrupted Shingo.
“Well, yes, but this is completely different. These don’t have any harsh narcotics. This one, “Goro held out the smaller of the two bottles,” is to help reduce the swelling, which obviously then will help to reduce the pain. You know what I mean? This one,” he held out the other larger bottle, “is a sort of cleanser. It promotes healing by cleaning all the toxins out of your system. They take longer to work…”
“Longer to work,” muttered Shingo.
“So they might not be as effective right away…”
“Right away,” repeated Shingo.
“But in the long run…”
“What are you doing?” called Kimura from the doorway, his query obviously directed at Goro.
“Giving Shingo kun some herbal remedies. You know they’re better for him than those capsules full of chemicals.”
“Come on, let’s go.” Kimura urged Goro and then turned to Shingo,
“We’re going to get something to eat. You want anything?”
Shingo shook his head. Goro continued with his prescriptions. “Now this one should be taken on an empty stomach…”
“Can’t you see he doesn’t want that stuff?”
Goro breathed an impatient sigh and then… continued. “And this one…”
“Come on, let’s go!” Kimura tugged at Goro’s arm, pulling him towards the door.
“It’s all on the labels. You only have to read it, or call me if you have questions.”
Shingo could hear his fellow members as they walked away down the hall.
“Can’t you see he just wants to be left alone?”
“I’m trying to help him.”
“I know you are.”
Shingo picked up one of the bottles Goro had left and squinted at the label, then setting it down again, laid back on the couch. Comfy as it was he doubted he could sleep. He thought he heard someone enter the room but didn’t bother to open his eyes.
The black rabbit was visiting the dentist’s office and the dentist was Tsuyopon, dressed in the white doctor coat from his new drama. Tsu smiled and said, “You’re fine! Have a mochi,” and handed Shingo, not the black rabbit now, a mochi.
Shingo opened his eyes. Turning his head he saw Tsu sitting in a chair opposite - not reading, not using his phone, but just sitting with his feet up on the table.
“You’re awake.”
“Yeah.”
“Still hurts.”
“Yeah…”
Shingo sat up. On the table was a covered bowl, a plastic straw lying across it.
“What’s this?”
“Kimura kun brought you some soup.”
“That’s nice.”
The door opened suddenly. Nakai stuck his head in.
“You ok?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“Sure? Because if you’re feeling badly we can re-arrange things.”
“I’m ok. Really.”
“Good. Good…”
Nakai disappeared behind the shut door. Shingo looked over to Tsu again. “You’ve just been sitting here this whole time without eating.”
“Yeah.”
“Idiot.”
Tsu nodded, smiling and then glanced at the bowl on the table. “Want me to heat this up?”
“Thanks.”
Shingo watched Tsu go to the door.
“You don’t have any mochi, do you?”
“Mochi?”
Tsu shook his head, muttering to himself as he walked away, “Idiot.”
Shingo, laughing for the first time that day, echoed, “Idiot.”