[Chaptered] All my Roads {3/10}
This is the very confusing third chapter where the situation being described by the summary happens...
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thank you very much.
Enjoy?
THREE
The lights in his parents’ room were turned on when Jun arrived that night. Sho was at his usual spot near the door, ready to greet him and Jun could see yellow lights from the room nearest to the stairs.
“One of them is home early?” He asked Sho who merely smiled at him and nodded, the way he always does. “Who?”
“Your mother, young master,” Sho informed him and Jun raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Is there something wrong, young master?”
“Well…,” Jun cocked his head to one side. “She’s not busy?” He asked and, as if on cue, a petite woman with her hair tied back into a perfect bun appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling fondly at him.
“Jun,” she said, starting to descend from the stairs.
“Mother,” the young master acknowledged, coming closer to his mother for a bit of an obligatory embrace. “You’re home early tonight,” he observed and Madam Matsumoto’s smile grew wider. “Something happened?”
“Hmmm,” she pretended to think for a while and looked at Sho. The servant quickly excused himself, disappearing behind one of the doors to their right. “Is it a crime to want to know how my son’s doing?” She asked, patting Jun on the head as if he was still a little kid.
“Mother…,” Jun protested, taking a step backwards to escape from her.
Madam Matsumoto frowned. “Stop calling me mother and start calling me mom. No need to be so formal with the person who gave birth to you,” she pouted and Jun could hear the silent teasing in her voice. He smiled a little - another one of the few genuine smiles he gives out to people. Jun is never the type to smile or laugh or show his joys to a friend much more to a stranger. If he could count the times he actually smiled - and actually meant it - half of it would probably be because of his mother.
Madam Matsumoto may appear to be an uptight, “high maintenance” social butterfly but when it comes to her son, she’s just like any other mother in the world. The only difference would probably be the performance of necessary household chores that the world associated with motherhood. Madam Matsumoto can’t cook, can’t clean, can’t do the laundry, can’t go to the market… yet for Jun, that doesn’t make her any less of a mother.
If he would exaggerate, in spite of her busy schedule and her time being eaten by socialization instead of being spent with her son… she’s the person Jun loves most in the world. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be for mothers and children?
“I heard your father placed your credit cards on hold, Jun,” Madam Matsumoto asked, leading her son to one of the comfortable chairs in the leaving room. “What about your allowance?”
Jun made a funny face and leaned back, savoring one of the few times they get to sit together and catch up with each other’s lives.
“I’m getting it from Yamada-san and it sucks, mot - I mean mom,” Jun complained and Madam Matsumoto made a funny frown at her son, reaching over and ruffling his hair once again.
“So, what are you hinting?” She asked, smiling knowingly. “Your father will throw a huge fit if I disobey him and give you more than what he instructed to be given to you,” she said and laughed out loud when Jun rolled his eyes. “Sorry, Jun. Just try to follow your father’s orders for now, okay? I’ll try to talk some sense into him,” she promised and Jun had no choice but to rely on it.
There was a necessary pause in their conversation. It’s something that occurs between two comfortable people, something that redirects the conversation into something more serious… more personal.
“It feels like it’s been a long time, Jun,” Madam Matsumoto said, her words accompanied by a huge sigh. “How have you been son? What’s new in your life?” Her voice softened as she asks the question, her gaze lingering over her son’s face.
Jun cleared his throat a little, debating within himself whether to ask his mother certain questions that have been bothering him since he met Ninomiya Kazunari. After a few moments of reckless thinking, he blurted out “Mom, have you ever pitied someone?”
His mother stared at him confusedly for a few long seconds and Jun held her gaze, his eyes reflecting innocence. Rarely does she see a spark of innocence on her son’s face - half of it could probably be credited to her and her husband’s absence in their son’s lives. But that moment, like an unusual strike of luck, she finally sees how her son looks like without all the unnecessary walls he built around himself. And it quickly became one of her very best memories.
Madam Matsumoto smiled, touching Jun’s face.
“Pity is too big of a word, Jun,” she said softly. “Maybe I did feel this strange emotion called pity genuinely just once or twice in my life… other than that… why do you ask , my dear?”
“Mom, did it… make you feel like… like you know… like giving everything you can to that person just to get rid of that sad look on that person’s face? Does it hurt, mom? Like tiny needles pricking your heart? Did it make you feel miserable?”
Confused by her son’s questions, she moved closer and touched him on the shoulder.
“Pity is a deep human emotion, Jun. It’s not something you just feel at the snap of a finger. It’s something given only to those who truly deserves it. Sometimes people interchange pity and “feeling bad for another’s situation”. They are of the same kind but of different levels, my dear. While feeling bad puts you in another’s shoes, pity enables you to move a caring a hand. It pierces your heart and it shakes your conscience awake,” she explained, a little too difficult for her son to understand.
Jun unconsciously looked at his hands, frowning a little. His mother smiled and stood up, stretching her back a little.
“Sometimes though… people mistake attraction for pity,” she said and mumbled something about wanting to sleep. After kissing her son goodnight, she went up to the master’s bedroom, her heart once again filled with gentle memories.
It took a few long minutes before the message got through to Jun and he bolted up from the sofa so suddenly.
“Attraction?! No way in hell!” He shouted, his voice echoing around the now empty room.
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Ninomiya Kazunari sneezed as he looks outside his window, rubbing his bruised hips. His mobile phone was perched innocently on the table near him and the abrupt conversation with Matsumoto Jun still rings in his head.
“Marks on your road, huh…,” he murmured and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face. “If that helps me earn money, why not? Why not, Matsumoto Jun?”
With a little yawn, he moved to the bed and decided to rest his aching body. As sleep starts to claim him, drawing visions of a faraway land, Ninomiya’s decided to forget Matsumoto Jun ever questioned his own take on living well and happiness.
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“Isn’t he annoyingly scary, Nino-chan?” Aiba asked during an early lunch hour as he and Ninomiya looked at the variety of food spread out before them on the school cafeteria.
Ninomiya wrinkled his nose a little, choosing his food and falling in line once again to pay for it.
“Scary? He is annoying but Matsumoto Jun is not scary at all. He’s an idiot,” he commented and Aiba gave a shaky grin, his eyes catching a glimpse of someone glaring near them. “Really, Masaki. No wonder he bullies you into making his reports for him… whatever happened to his report anyway…,” Ninomiya was in the middle of his sentence when it was interrupted by the annoying but not scary Matsumoto Jun marching towards him.
“Oi! Ninomiya. Who are you calling stupid, huh?” Jun asked as he marches towards them and Aiba slightly hid behind Ninomiya on instinct. Ninomiya simply stared with raised eyebrows while holding his tray. He didn’t even give much of a reaction when Jun tripped over empty air, went flying somewhat, nudged Ninomiya’s tray and literally bathed with miso soup and curry.
Eyes were suddenly on them and the world stopped for a moment. Whispers filled a tensed atmosphere and Jun slowly started to realize what happened.
“Are you okay?” Ninomiya asked half-heartedly, standing in front of Jun and looking pitifully at his wasted food. “You just wasted my lunch, if you must know,” he said and Jun stood up so suddenly, his head connecting with Ninomiya’s chin.
“Oi - Ouch!” The annoyingly scary idiot exclaimed. “Your chin is in the way,” he said and Ninomiya glared at him, painfully rubbing his chin. “I didn’t waste…,” he took a look at messy food on the floor then his gaze transferred back to Ninomiya and finally landing on Aiba’s tray which contained the same kind of food. “Is this… is this what you’ll eat for lunch?”
Ninomiya’s eyes were shooting daggers at him.
“Yes. You got a problem with that?”
“Damn,” Jun cursed silently, his nose wrinkling so bad as he looks at his shirt and smelled himself. “Follow me,” he simply instructed and glanced at Aiba. “You too,” he said and started to walk, cursing and cursing, mumbling something about smelling weird.
“Why?! Why should we follow you?” Ninomiya shouted after him.
“Just follow if you want to have lunch!” Jun turned back and nearly stomped his feet when he saw Ninomiya simply standing and glaring at him. “Ninomiya Kazunari!”
“Nino-chan… just… just follow him, please. Everyone’s staring at us,” Aiba whispered, pushing Ninomiya a little.
“What about you?”
Aiba gave him an innocent smile.
“I’m still scared of him so I’ll just… uhhh… stay here?”
“Masaki…” Ninomiya started but paused when he noticed that indeed, everyone was staring at them. “Fine. I’ll make that idiot buy me a very expensive lunch, just you wait and see,” he said and walked after Jun with heavy footsteps.
Ninomiya kept on glaring at Jun’s back as he follows the other through the corridors of the school building, past doors and classrooms as they finally stopped in front of a closed one. Jun simply opened the door without knocking and Ninomiya shook his head as he follows.
“Satoshi, lend me an extra shirt. I’m all dirty and I smell like miso soup because of him,” Jun pointed at Ninomiya, ignoring the surprised look on Satoshi’s face as they barged in on him sleeping and drooling on the swiveling chair, inside one of the school’s club’s office.
“Oi! Don’t you know how to knock?” Satoshi snarled, instantly standing up and wiping his face with a tissue paper he got somewhere. “And what shirt? Do I look like a shopping mall to you? Go buy one.”
“I don’t have any extra money, remember? Father put my credit cards on hold, mom refused to give me more and I need to pay my tutor’s fees…,” Jun complained, his sentence trailing off as he glances at Ninomiya who was sporting a confused expression on his face.
Satoshi snorted.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Ohno Satoshi,” he introduced himself to Ninomiya, ignoring Jun. “Sorry, my kouhai here doesn’t know how to properly introduce people. He’s lacking some sense, you see,” he said, extending his hand to Ninomiya.
“Obviously,” Ninomiya said back and shook Satoshi’s hand. “Ninomiya Kazunari,” he said and frowned when Satoshi gave him an amused look.
“So you’re Ninomiya Kazunari…,” he started but Jun lightly kicked him on the butt.
“An extra shirt. Give me an extra shirt. You keep some in your locker, don’t you? And what kouhai? When did I ever…”
“Okay~! An extra shirt. Wait for me here,” Satoshi glared at the younger man, smiled at Jun before heading outside, towards his locker.
“He has extra shirts?” Ninomiya asked.
“Yeah. His mother imposed it on him,” Jun said, sitting on the table. Ninomiya simply nodded and allowed silence to settle in. He simply stood in front of the closed door, staring at Jun as the other’s gaze darts from the floor to the ceiling. He could see Jun swallowing a little, refusing to look at him.
“Why do you need to spend for a tutor if your father refuses to give you extra money?” Ninomiya asked so suddenly, cutting through the tensed atmosphere between them.
Rubbing his chin a little, Jun got to his feet and turned his back to Ninomiya.
“I need a tutor, remember?” He said, Satoshi’s and his mother’s words swirling inside his brain. “And well… I wanted to see if you’ll make marks on my road.”
“Marks? You’re suddenly using metaphors and all? Wow… you improved a lot,” Ninomiya teased and smiled a little.
Jun turned around just in time to see Ninomiya smiling and, as if on instinct, he swallowed a little. Well… a person like Ninomiya can also look good when they’re smiling, he had to admit that.
And then it started… the way Satoshi said it would. Just like the way it happens in overrated and cheesy movies, Jun felt something inside him start. His heart cheesily skipped a beat then returned to normal after a few painful thumping. A feeling so alien swirls inside him, moving and moving until it felt like it would burst out of him. What was that?
“Stop smiling, it doesn’t suit you,” Jun found himself saying and the swirling feeling suddenly came to a halt as Ninomiya’s smile turned into a glare. Yes, it felt much better that way. No heart thumping, no alien feeling.
“Rude,” Ninomiya commented, just as Satoshi appeared.
“Here’s your shirt. Now leave me alone so I can sleep peacefully,” he said and turned to Ninomiya, smiling. “And nice to meet you Ninomiya Kazunari, I have a feeling we’ll now often see each other,” he said, earning a confused smile from Ninomiya.
“I said stop smiling!” Jun growled behind them, his yellow shirt a bit tight on him and Ninomiya had to bite the urge to laugh. Jun probably noticed for he turned to Satoshi and smacked the other’s shoulder. “And this shirt sucks,” he said before heading out and barking at Ninomiya to follow him.
“It was nice to meet you, Ohno Satoshi-san,” Ninomiya said, giving a little bow before following Jun. Satoshi grinned as he heard the two exchange shouts and banters about spilled lunch, tempers and tight shirts. It felt good to hear… somehow.
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“Didn’t you say you have no extra money? Why eat at this expensive Chinese restaurant?” Ninomiya asked as they were led to a table. Jun had insisted to have lunch on one of the newly opened restaurants near the school and refused to eat alone. Ninomiya had no choice but to follow for Jun almost literally dragged him there.
“It’s not expensive. I might not have extra money but I bet I still have more than what you have so it’s okay,” Jun said arrogantly.
“You suck,” the tutor commented and Jun made a funny face at him. “You be the one to choose the food. I want the expensive one since you‘re so arrogant about paying,” Ninomiya continued and Jun had to kick him from under the table.
“You suck too,” Jun retorted back as soon as the waitress disappeared. “You’re supposed to be nice. That’s how most of the girls in clichéd romantic series are. They’re poor and they’re nice,” he observed and Ninomiya burst out laughing, his eyes crinkling at the sides, watering a little. His laughter came in cute little sounds, rocking his body a little and Jun had no choice but to swallow hard.
And there it was again… the weird feeling swirling inside Jun, making it difficult to breathe. Something inside him seemed to be dancing and he doesn’t like it… especially when his common sense started telling him something so obvious.
“I said stop smiling,” Jun snarled.
“I am not smiling, I’m laughing,” Ninomiya retorted back, patting his stomach. “And for your information, I am not a girl. I’m a man. How can you compare me to those actresses?” He asked, a little amused. “And didn’t I tell you before? I am not a saint. Having less in life didn’t make me a saint, Matsumoto-san. I’m human, just like you, just like everyone else and I want to take every opportunity I can get to have better things,” he said, trying to fake an evil expression, which, Jun found to be annoyingly cute.
“Ah… hey! Stop it!” Jun complained when the usual calm beating of his heart was interrupted by a few annoying thumps. “I’ve been meaning to ask you… are you… you know… do you have a thing for Aiba Masaki?”
Ninomiya’s laughter instantly stopped.
“Ha?”
It was Jun’s turn to laugh at the weird expression on Ninomiya’s face and the other found it amusing to see the usual snarl wiped away from Jun’s face.
“It suits you better if you’re laughing, did you know?” Ninomiya observed innocently and Jun’s laughter slowly died down, his cheeks slowly flushing crimson red. “Oh? You’re capable of blushing! What a discovery!” Ninomiya teased and earned another kick from Jun. “Stop kicking me!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jun dismissed, wishing hard for a fan to suddenly appear in front of him and cool his reddening face. “But seriously… you’re not… you don’t have a thing for men, do you? I mean… you… you won’t fall in love with a man, will you?” He asked and paused, wondering what he was actually trying to ask. So what if Ninomiya chooses to fall in love with a man? So what if he actually has a thing for Aiba Masaki and for men? It’s not like Jun really cared… there was a pause before his heart once again started thumping wildly and Jun panicked a little inside.
Isn’t Ninomiya the one who’s supposed to fall in love first? Wait… what the hell does he mean by first? It’s not like Jun will fall in love too… he looked at Ninomiya who was staring at him and he suddenly wished Ninomiya would declare that liking another man was never in his vocabulary.
“I have no reservations about liking another man,” Ninomiya declared and Jun thought “ah crap”.
“Huh?”
“I’m not someone who gets boxed in by social mores and what other people declares to be right and moral,” Ninomiya said. “I’m someone who follows my own definition of happiness, of love and of friendship. If I fall in love, whether it be a woman or a man, I’m not someone to deprive myself of happiness just because some people deemed it to be wrong,” he explained and Jun could not deny the fact that this man he was talking to suddenly became so cool and amazing.
“So… so if a man falls in love with you…”
“If I like him back, then I’ll give him a chance. If I don’t, then I’ll turn him down the way I usually do,” Ninomiya answered. “Ah, the food’s here. I’m hungry. This is your treat,” he said mandatorily and Jun didn’t answer because he was too busy trying to decipher why Ninomiya was suddenly shining.
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Ninomiya emerged from class that day with a silly grin on his face. He automatically walked towards the gazebo where he usually holds tutorial sessions with Jun yet he paused in his tracks when he noticed himself almost skipping like a teenager.
“What the…,” he murmured, resuming his steps while cocking his head to one side. Was he feeling excited? “Probably because I got a good test result…,” he reasoned with himself and nodded. “Yeah, that’s probably it.”
He arrived five minutes early and sat down, the way he usually does. He’s always the one to arrive early and Jun would soon follow with a complaint and a snarl. That man usually snarls. He was probably born snarling at his own mother. At that thought, Ninomiya found himself laughing, images of Jun filling his mind.
“H-Huh?” Ninomiya asked himself, shaking his head to clear it of such disturbing thoughts. “What the heck is wrong with me?” He asked and decided to keep himself busy by reviewing for an upcoming test but he couldn’t concentrate. He found himself checking his wristwatch every minute, frowning as the seconds ticked by and Jun was already half an hour late.
“That idiot,” Ninomiya murmured, wanting to leave but never really doing it. What was holding him back? Why was he feeling disappointed at the thought of not seeing Jun? He frowned a little, deciphering what the feeling rising within him was. Sure, there was irritation at the fact that Jun is already late but there was something more… where is that idiot? Did he plan on not showing up just when they had a good conversation hours ago?
“I must be going crazy,” Ninomiya decided and raised his feet, bringing his knees closer to his chest. “I really must be going crazy,” he said, feeling the disappointment as the minutes tick by and Jun still did not arrive. What if Jun got into an accident? What if he fell into a manhole?
“What if the ground decided to eat him up for being so annoyingly arrogant?” Ninomiya said loudly, irritation evident in his voice as he found his mind conjuring up disturbing images about Jun and he felt himself worrying by the second.
And then the worry disappeared so suddenly when he saw the man’s silhouette from a distance, running towards him, his tight yellow shirt shining under the pale afternoon sun. Ninomiya didn’t quite understand the relief that flooded him and the joyous feeling of seeing Jun running… running towards him…
It was a strange sensation of wanting to cry from joy and from something else.
“I must really be going crazy…”
Jun came to a halt in front of him, catching his breath and panting hard.
“Sorry. I got caught up by something. The professor’s being such a pain…,” he paused when he noticed Ninomiya’s expression. “You… why do you look like you’re going to cry?” He straightened up, stepping closer to Ninomiya.
“You idiot… I was so worried!” Ninomiya exclaimed and Jun halted.
“W-worried?”
And that was when they both started denying the attraction. While Jun abhorred the thoughts of falling in love when he’s the one who’s supposed to me making Ninomiya fall… Ninomiya denies the fact that someone who’s as arrogant and idiotic as Matsumoto Jun can make him feel something he never wanted to feel.
It was supposed to be a normal relationship of fighting, falling, denying then admitting this weird feeling called love. But normalcy can sometimes be too much to ask for in a world that can slap you with strange things when it feels like doing so.
Their share of strange and queer experiences came once again on a drizzling Saturday evening. A slight rain was once again pouring amidst the twinkling stars and the shining moon and Matsumoto Jun found himself on a bad mood after finding out that he spent all his allowance money for the week.
He drives in his car, intending to go home when he got caught by an early traffic jam. In spite of the music blaring from his car stereo, he still heard angry shouts coming from a dark alley to his right and he turned his head curiously to look at the source of the sound.
Jun’s eyes grew wide when he saw Aiba shouting Ninomiya’s name. Soon, Jun would be regretting the moment emerged from his car to find out what was wrong.
“Aiba,” he called and Aiba sharply whirled around, his eyes fearful. “What’s wrong?”
“Matsumoto-kun!” Aiba exclaimed. “You’ve got to help him! He’s fighting them alone… they’re going to hurt him. They’re going to kill him. It’s my fault… it’s my fault! Help him!” Aiba’s voice was desperate, almost begging, almost kneeling in front of Jun.
“I can’t understand! Who?” Jun asked as an unexplainable sense of panic started to rise within him. “Aiba Masaki!”
“Nino-chan!” Aiba exclaimed. “He tried to defend me from gangsters and they pulled him to that alley! Please, Matsumoto-kun! You’ve got to help him!”
“Crap,” Jun exclaimed and felt himself running towards the alley on instinct, fear rising within him. His feet seemed to have minds of their own as he kept on running, his mind blank and empty. He couldn’t think of anything else except the thought of losing Ninomiya.
“Ninomiya!” Jun shouted, his voice shaking. Jun was never really good in physical fights. In all honesty, he was only good with words and threat and emotional retaliation. Never in his life had he dealt with physical pain… but that does not matter anymore, does it? Because when you’re forced to admit how much you’ve fallen in such an unconventional situation, reality does not matter anymore. You find a new sense of bravery and courage and you’re willing to do anything… anything for that one person your heart is beating for.
“Ninomiya Kazunari!” Jun called once again, louder. And then he heard it, the sounds of metal crashing against something coupled with loud voices. Jun turned to the alley going to his right and found four men kicking and shouting curses at each other.
One of them is Ninomiya.
“Ninomiya!” Jun shouted and the four men stopped for a while and turned to him. The anger inside him was uncontrollable as Jun saw a small trickle of blood running on the side of Ninomiya’s face. “Oi! You assholes! How dare you hurt him!” Jun shouted, moving towards the men, ignoring Ninomiya’s shouts.
“Don’t interfere! You’ll only get hurt, you idiot!” Ninomiya shouted but Jun suddenly turned deaf, ignoring his every word. “Geez.”
It was a fight Jun had never expected to be involved in all his life. He felt every punch, every kick, every painful sensation yet his body didn’t want to stop moving. His only reality at that moment was the thought of keeping Ninomiya safe. He felt his knuckles connecting with someone’s face and he had to bite down the hurt that came after.
Shouts echo amidst the silence of their surroundings, metals crash against the walls and Jun found himself panting hard as the fight suddenly ended with the three men rushing away, mumbling curses and promises of retaliation.
Jun tasted his own blood as he fought hard to catch his breath, taking air in huge gulps. And then he felt a hand on his shoulder, gentle and rough at the same time.
“You idiot,” Ninomiya murmured, instinctively taking Jun in his arms and collapsing against a wall. “You’re really an idiot. Arrogant idiot,” he said but Jun was too tired to argue. He was busy trying to regain his normal senses.
“I thought you’re going to get hurt and die,” Ninomiya said fearfully.
“I thought so too,” Jun mumbled. “I thought you’re going to die. I was so scared… Oi! Ninomiya. Don’t scare me like that again! Don’t scare me like that…” he snarled as he felt relief flooding his very soul.
“Why are you here anyway?” Ninomiya asked, standing up and pulling Jun up with him.
“I saw Aiba…,” Jun was about to continue when his eyes widened and pulled Ninomiya, taking him into a tight hug as he twirls around, wincing as something heavy collided with the back of his head and he collapsed in Ninomiya’s arms.
“Ma-Matsumoto-san!” Ninomiya shouted as he realized what happened. One of the three men stood behind them, holding a baseball bat and shaking. “You assholes…!” Ninomiya screamed, shaking Jun. “Hey, wake up! Wake up! Matsumoto-san! Matsumoto Jun!”
“Let’s go!” The man holding the bat said, throwing it aside as they escaped and bolted into a full run, leaving Ninomiya and Jun alone in that abandoned alley.
Ninomiya’s hands were shaking as he shouts Jun’s name and tears pour from his eyes without him knowing.
“Oi… Matsumoto-san! Matsumoto Jun!” He gathers Jun is his arms, shaking him awake, willing him to open his eyes and flash his usual snarl. “You can’t die like this. Not like this… Matsumoto-san!”
Jun could hear Ninomiya’s voice floating somewhere, as if they were coming from murky waters. It comes in slow syllables, willing him to open his eyes. But his eyelids were heavy and the pain in his head was unbearable that it felt as if his head would split in two.
Was this… how he’s going to die?
It sucks. He hasn’t even told Ninomiya what he realized as he was running in the alley, scared for Ninomiya’s life. He hasn’t even confessed… come to think of it, he has never fallen in love with a person in his life before. Ninomiya was the first… and he wasn’t able to confess.
He felt Ninomiya’s hands on his face and he felt something wet and warm on his cheeks. Surely, it wasn’t the rain. How can the rain be so warm? It was then that he realized Ninomiya must’ve been crying. Jun tried to smile… Ninomiya was… crying for him?
“Good… I love you, by the way,” those were Jun’s last thoughts as darkness ate him, and the sounds of Ninomiya’s sobs were the last thing he heard through his fading senses…
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It was the warm sunlight that brought him back to his senses. Jun winced a little as he opened his eyes, blinking and groaning at the same time.
Sunlight streamed through the window, peeking through the gaps on the blue curtain. Voices drifted in his ears, muffled ones that doesn’t sound familiar at all. Jun pulled himself up groggily and looked around him, frowning as his eyesight registers the features of the room he was in.
The bed is small, just enough for him alone. The windows are small too, covered in pale blue curtains. There’s a wooden side table beside his bed, a small cabinet to his right and a study table with English books is standing near the window to his left. The floor looks as if it would creak is someone steps on it and Jun frowned.
Where is he? And why does the place look a little… worn down?
He was in such a state when the door opened and a familiar person entered the room, holding a white envelope with a grin on his face.
“Ah! Jun, you’re awake. Good. I have news for you.”
Jun frowned.
“Sho?” He asked, standing up. “Why are you here? No wait… where am I?”
Sho looked confused as he halted in his steps. He looked at Jun as if the other has grown horns.
“What are you talking about, Jun?” He asked. “Did… did you hurt your head somehow when you fell down the stairs?”
Jun mouth almost dropped open in confusion. He looked around him once again before his gaze returned to Sho’s face.
“What kind of joke is this Sho?” he asked in irritation as memories came flooding back to him… Ninomiya, the alley… getting hurt… dying… “Where am I?! Where’s Ninomiya?!” His panic was back full force as he realized that Ninomiya was nowhere to be seen. “I have to find Ninomiya!”
Sho looked more confused.
“Jun!” He said loudly as Jun tried to move out. “What are you talking about? Who’s Ninomiya?!”
Losing his patience, Jun took Sho by the collar, glaring at him.
“Stop this joke right now, Sho! Tell me where I am and where’s Ninomiya!” He snarled and Sho looked a little scared. After a long pause, he touched Jun’s hand with his, gently making the other release his hold on him.
“Why…why are you suddenly calling me Sho instead of Sho-chan? And I really don’t know who this Ninomiya is,” he explained gently, sounding a bit exhausted. After swallowing lightly, Sho said the words that almost shattered what was left of Jun’s sanity.
“And you kept on asking where you are. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you recognize your own home? This is the place we both grew up in…” he said and Jun stared at him in shock.
“W-What?”
TBC
-------------------------1. Moohoo. I know it got confusing towards the end but I hope I can clear this up with the fourth chapter. ^__^
2. Uhm... that's... it? ^__^
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thank you very much.
Enjoy?
THREE
The lights in his parents’ room were turned on when Jun arrived that night. Sho was at his usual spot near the door, ready to greet him and Jun could see yellow lights from the room nearest to the stairs.
“One of them is home early?” He asked Sho who merely smiled at him and nodded, the way he always does. “Who?”
“Your mother, young master,” Sho informed him and Jun raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Is there something wrong, young master?”
“Well…,” Jun cocked his head to one side. “She’s not busy?” He asked and, as if on cue, a petite woman with her hair tied back into a perfect bun appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling fondly at him.
“Jun,” she said, starting to descend from the stairs.
“Mother,” the young master acknowledged, coming closer to his mother for a bit of an obligatory embrace. “You’re home early tonight,” he observed and Madam Matsumoto’s smile grew wider. “Something happened?”
“Hmmm,” she pretended to think for a while and looked at Sho. The servant quickly excused himself, disappearing behind one of the doors to their right. “Is it a crime to want to know how my son’s doing?” She asked, patting Jun on the head as if he was still a little kid.
“Mother…,” Jun protested, taking a step backwards to escape from her.
Madam Matsumoto frowned. “Stop calling me mother and start calling me mom. No need to be so formal with the person who gave birth to you,” she pouted and Jun could hear the silent teasing in her voice. He smiled a little - another one of the few genuine smiles he gives out to people. Jun is never the type to smile or laugh or show his joys to a friend much more to a stranger. If he could count the times he actually smiled - and actually meant it - half of it would probably be because of his mother.
Madam Matsumoto may appear to be an uptight, “high maintenance” social butterfly but when it comes to her son, she’s just like any other mother in the world. The only difference would probably be the performance of necessary household chores that the world associated with motherhood. Madam Matsumoto can’t cook, can’t clean, can’t do the laundry, can’t go to the market… yet for Jun, that doesn’t make her any less of a mother.
If he would exaggerate, in spite of her busy schedule and her time being eaten by socialization instead of being spent with her son… she’s the person Jun loves most in the world. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be for mothers and children?
“I heard your father placed your credit cards on hold, Jun,” Madam Matsumoto asked, leading her son to one of the comfortable chairs in the leaving room. “What about your allowance?”
Jun made a funny face and leaned back, savoring one of the few times they get to sit together and catch up with each other’s lives.
“I’m getting it from Yamada-san and it sucks, mot - I mean mom,” Jun complained and Madam Matsumoto made a funny frown at her son, reaching over and ruffling his hair once again.
“So, what are you hinting?” She asked, smiling knowingly. “Your father will throw a huge fit if I disobey him and give you more than what he instructed to be given to you,” she said and laughed out loud when Jun rolled his eyes. “Sorry, Jun. Just try to follow your father’s orders for now, okay? I’ll try to talk some sense into him,” she promised and Jun had no choice but to rely on it.
There was a necessary pause in their conversation. It’s something that occurs between two comfortable people, something that redirects the conversation into something more serious… more personal.
“It feels like it’s been a long time, Jun,” Madam Matsumoto said, her words accompanied by a huge sigh. “How have you been son? What’s new in your life?” Her voice softened as she asks the question, her gaze lingering over her son’s face.
Jun cleared his throat a little, debating within himself whether to ask his mother certain questions that have been bothering him since he met Ninomiya Kazunari. After a few moments of reckless thinking, he blurted out “Mom, have you ever pitied someone?”
His mother stared at him confusedly for a few long seconds and Jun held her gaze, his eyes reflecting innocence. Rarely does she see a spark of innocence on her son’s face - half of it could probably be credited to her and her husband’s absence in their son’s lives. But that moment, like an unusual strike of luck, she finally sees how her son looks like without all the unnecessary walls he built around himself. And it quickly became one of her very best memories.
Madam Matsumoto smiled, touching Jun’s face.
“Pity is too big of a word, Jun,” she said softly. “Maybe I did feel this strange emotion called pity genuinely just once or twice in my life… other than that… why do you ask , my dear?”
“Mom, did it… make you feel like… like you know… like giving everything you can to that person just to get rid of that sad look on that person’s face? Does it hurt, mom? Like tiny needles pricking your heart? Did it make you feel miserable?”
Confused by her son’s questions, she moved closer and touched him on the shoulder.
“Pity is a deep human emotion, Jun. It’s not something you just feel at the snap of a finger. It’s something given only to those who truly deserves it. Sometimes people interchange pity and “feeling bad for another’s situation”. They are of the same kind but of different levels, my dear. While feeling bad puts you in another’s shoes, pity enables you to move a caring a hand. It pierces your heart and it shakes your conscience awake,” she explained, a little too difficult for her son to understand.
Jun unconsciously looked at his hands, frowning a little. His mother smiled and stood up, stretching her back a little.
“Sometimes though… people mistake attraction for pity,” she said and mumbled something about wanting to sleep. After kissing her son goodnight, she went up to the master’s bedroom, her heart once again filled with gentle memories.
It took a few long minutes before the message got through to Jun and he bolted up from the sofa so suddenly.
“Attraction?! No way in hell!” He shouted, his voice echoing around the now empty room.
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Ninomiya Kazunari sneezed as he looks outside his window, rubbing his bruised hips. His mobile phone was perched innocently on the table near him and the abrupt conversation with Matsumoto Jun still rings in his head.
“Marks on your road, huh…,” he murmured and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face. “If that helps me earn money, why not? Why not, Matsumoto Jun?”
With a little yawn, he moved to the bed and decided to rest his aching body. As sleep starts to claim him, drawing visions of a faraway land, Ninomiya’s decided to forget Matsumoto Jun ever questioned his own take on living well and happiness.
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“Isn’t he annoyingly scary, Nino-chan?” Aiba asked during an early lunch hour as he and Ninomiya looked at the variety of food spread out before them on the school cafeteria.
Ninomiya wrinkled his nose a little, choosing his food and falling in line once again to pay for it.
“Scary? He is annoying but Matsumoto Jun is not scary at all. He’s an idiot,” he commented and Aiba gave a shaky grin, his eyes catching a glimpse of someone glaring near them. “Really, Masaki. No wonder he bullies you into making his reports for him… whatever happened to his report anyway…,” Ninomiya was in the middle of his sentence when it was interrupted by the annoying but not scary Matsumoto Jun marching towards him.
“Oi! Ninomiya. Who are you calling stupid, huh?” Jun asked as he marches towards them and Aiba slightly hid behind Ninomiya on instinct. Ninomiya simply stared with raised eyebrows while holding his tray. He didn’t even give much of a reaction when Jun tripped over empty air, went flying somewhat, nudged Ninomiya’s tray and literally bathed with miso soup and curry.
Eyes were suddenly on them and the world stopped for a moment. Whispers filled a tensed atmosphere and Jun slowly started to realize what happened.
“Are you okay?” Ninomiya asked half-heartedly, standing in front of Jun and looking pitifully at his wasted food. “You just wasted my lunch, if you must know,” he said and Jun stood up so suddenly, his head connecting with Ninomiya’s chin.
“Oi - Ouch!” The annoyingly scary idiot exclaimed. “Your chin is in the way,” he said and Ninomiya glared at him, painfully rubbing his chin. “I didn’t waste…,” he took a look at messy food on the floor then his gaze transferred back to Ninomiya and finally landing on Aiba’s tray which contained the same kind of food. “Is this… is this what you’ll eat for lunch?”
Ninomiya’s eyes were shooting daggers at him.
“Yes. You got a problem with that?”
“Damn,” Jun cursed silently, his nose wrinkling so bad as he looks at his shirt and smelled himself. “Follow me,” he simply instructed and glanced at Aiba. “You too,” he said and started to walk, cursing and cursing, mumbling something about smelling weird.
“Why?! Why should we follow you?” Ninomiya shouted after him.
“Just follow if you want to have lunch!” Jun turned back and nearly stomped his feet when he saw Ninomiya simply standing and glaring at him. “Ninomiya Kazunari!”
“Nino-chan… just… just follow him, please. Everyone’s staring at us,” Aiba whispered, pushing Ninomiya a little.
“What about you?”
Aiba gave him an innocent smile.
“I’m still scared of him so I’ll just… uhhh… stay here?”
“Masaki…” Ninomiya started but paused when he noticed that indeed, everyone was staring at them. “Fine. I’ll make that idiot buy me a very expensive lunch, just you wait and see,” he said and walked after Jun with heavy footsteps.
Ninomiya kept on glaring at Jun’s back as he follows the other through the corridors of the school building, past doors and classrooms as they finally stopped in front of a closed one. Jun simply opened the door without knocking and Ninomiya shook his head as he follows.
“Satoshi, lend me an extra shirt. I’m all dirty and I smell like miso soup because of him,” Jun pointed at Ninomiya, ignoring the surprised look on Satoshi’s face as they barged in on him sleeping and drooling on the swiveling chair, inside one of the school’s club’s office.
“Oi! Don’t you know how to knock?” Satoshi snarled, instantly standing up and wiping his face with a tissue paper he got somewhere. “And what shirt? Do I look like a shopping mall to you? Go buy one.”
“I don’t have any extra money, remember? Father put my credit cards on hold, mom refused to give me more and I need to pay my tutor’s fees…,” Jun complained, his sentence trailing off as he glances at Ninomiya who was sporting a confused expression on his face.
Satoshi snorted.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Ohno Satoshi,” he introduced himself to Ninomiya, ignoring Jun. “Sorry, my kouhai here doesn’t know how to properly introduce people. He’s lacking some sense, you see,” he said, extending his hand to Ninomiya.
“Obviously,” Ninomiya said back and shook Satoshi’s hand. “Ninomiya Kazunari,” he said and frowned when Satoshi gave him an amused look.
“So you’re Ninomiya Kazunari…,” he started but Jun lightly kicked him on the butt.
“An extra shirt. Give me an extra shirt. You keep some in your locker, don’t you? And what kouhai? When did I ever…”
“Okay~! An extra shirt. Wait for me here,” Satoshi glared at the younger man, smiled at Jun before heading outside, towards his locker.
“He has extra shirts?” Ninomiya asked.
“Yeah. His mother imposed it on him,” Jun said, sitting on the table. Ninomiya simply nodded and allowed silence to settle in. He simply stood in front of the closed door, staring at Jun as the other’s gaze darts from the floor to the ceiling. He could see Jun swallowing a little, refusing to look at him.
“Why do you need to spend for a tutor if your father refuses to give you extra money?” Ninomiya asked so suddenly, cutting through the tensed atmosphere between them.
Rubbing his chin a little, Jun got to his feet and turned his back to Ninomiya.
“I need a tutor, remember?” He said, Satoshi’s and his mother’s words swirling inside his brain. “And well… I wanted to see if you’ll make marks on my road.”
“Marks? You’re suddenly using metaphors and all? Wow… you improved a lot,” Ninomiya teased and smiled a little.
Jun turned around just in time to see Ninomiya smiling and, as if on instinct, he swallowed a little. Well… a person like Ninomiya can also look good when they’re smiling, he had to admit that.
And then it started… the way Satoshi said it would. Just like the way it happens in overrated and cheesy movies, Jun felt something inside him start. His heart cheesily skipped a beat then returned to normal after a few painful thumping. A feeling so alien swirls inside him, moving and moving until it felt like it would burst out of him. What was that?
“Stop smiling, it doesn’t suit you,” Jun found himself saying and the swirling feeling suddenly came to a halt as Ninomiya’s smile turned into a glare. Yes, it felt much better that way. No heart thumping, no alien feeling.
“Rude,” Ninomiya commented, just as Satoshi appeared.
“Here’s your shirt. Now leave me alone so I can sleep peacefully,” he said and turned to Ninomiya, smiling. “And nice to meet you Ninomiya Kazunari, I have a feeling we’ll now often see each other,” he said, earning a confused smile from Ninomiya.
“I said stop smiling!” Jun growled behind them, his yellow shirt a bit tight on him and Ninomiya had to bite the urge to laugh. Jun probably noticed for he turned to Satoshi and smacked the other’s shoulder. “And this shirt sucks,” he said before heading out and barking at Ninomiya to follow him.
“It was nice to meet you, Ohno Satoshi-san,” Ninomiya said, giving a little bow before following Jun. Satoshi grinned as he heard the two exchange shouts and banters about spilled lunch, tempers and tight shirts. It felt good to hear… somehow.
-----------------------------
“Didn’t you say you have no extra money? Why eat at this expensive Chinese restaurant?” Ninomiya asked as they were led to a table. Jun had insisted to have lunch on one of the newly opened restaurants near the school and refused to eat alone. Ninomiya had no choice but to follow for Jun almost literally dragged him there.
“It’s not expensive. I might not have extra money but I bet I still have more than what you have so it’s okay,” Jun said arrogantly.
“You suck,” the tutor commented and Jun made a funny face at him. “You be the one to choose the food. I want the expensive one since you‘re so arrogant about paying,” Ninomiya continued and Jun had to kick him from under the table.
“You suck too,” Jun retorted back as soon as the waitress disappeared. “You’re supposed to be nice. That’s how most of the girls in clichéd romantic series are. They’re poor and they’re nice,” he observed and Ninomiya burst out laughing, his eyes crinkling at the sides, watering a little. His laughter came in cute little sounds, rocking his body a little and Jun had no choice but to swallow hard.
And there it was again… the weird feeling swirling inside Jun, making it difficult to breathe. Something inside him seemed to be dancing and he doesn’t like it… especially when his common sense started telling him something so obvious.
“I said stop smiling,” Jun snarled.
“I am not smiling, I’m laughing,” Ninomiya retorted back, patting his stomach. “And for your information, I am not a girl. I’m a man. How can you compare me to those actresses?” He asked, a little amused. “And didn’t I tell you before? I am not a saint. Having less in life didn’t make me a saint, Matsumoto-san. I’m human, just like you, just like everyone else and I want to take every opportunity I can get to have better things,” he said, trying to fake an evil expression, which, Jun found to be annoyingly cute.
“Ah… hey! Stop it!” Jun complained when the usual calm beating of his heart was interrupted by a few annoying thumps. “I’ve been meaning to ask you… are you… you know… do you have a thing for Aiba Masaki?”
Ninomiya’s laughter instantly stopped.
“Ha?”
It was Jun’s turn to laugh at the weird expression on Ninomiya’s face and the other found it amusing to see the usual snarl wiped away from Jun’s face.
“It suits you better if you’re laughing, did you know?” Ninomiya observed innocently and Jun’s laughter slowly died down, his cheeks slowly flushing crimson red. “Oh? You’re capable of blushing! What a discovery!” Ninomiya teased and earned another kick from Jun. “Stop kicking me!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jun dismissed, wishing hard for a fan to suddenly appear in front of him and cool his reddening face. “But seriously… you’re not… you don’t have a thing for men, do you? I mean… you… you won’t fall in love with a man, will you?” He asked and paused, wondering what he was actually trying to ask. So what if Ninomiya chooses to fall in love with a man? So what if he actually has a thing for Aiba Masaki and for men? It’s not like Jun really cared… there was a pause before his heart once again started thumping wildly and Jun panicked a little inside.
Isn’t Ninomiya the one who’s supposed to fall in love first? Wait… what the hell does he mean by first? It’s not like Jun will fall in love too… he looked at Ninomiya who was staring at him and he suddenly wished Ninomiya would declare that liking another man was never in his vocabulary.
“I have no reservations about liking another man,” Ninomiya declared and Jun thought “ah crap”.
“Huh?”
“I’m not someone who gets boxed in by social mores and what other people declares to be right and moral,” Ninomiya said. “I’m someone who follows my own definition of happiness, of love and of friendship. If I fall in love, whether it be a woman or a man, I’m not someone to deprive myself of happiness just because some people deemed it to be wrong,” he explained and Jun could not deny the fact that this man he was talking to suddenly became so cool and amazing.
“So… so if a man falls in love with you…”
“If I like him back, then I’ll give him a chance. If I don’t, then I’ll turn him down the way I usually do,” Ninomiya answered. “Ah, the food’s here. I’m hungry. This is your treat,” he said mandatorily and Jun didn’t answer because he was too busy trying to decipher why Ninomiya was suddenly shining.
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Ninomiya emerged from class that day with a silly grin on his face. He automatically walked towards the gazebo where he usually holds tutorial sessions with Jun yet he paused in his tracks when he noticed himself almost skipping like a teenager.
“What the…,” he murmured, resuming his steps while cocking his head to one side. Was he feeling excited? “Probably because I got a good test result…,” he reasoned with himself and nodded. “Yeah, that’s probably it.”
He arrived five minutes early and sat down, the way he usually does. He’s always the one to arrive early and Jun would soon follow with a complaint and a snarl. That man usually snarls. He was probably born snarling at his own mother. At that thought, Ninomiya found himself laughing, images of Jun filling his mind.
“H-Huh?” Ninomiya asked himself, shaking his head to clear it of such disturbing thoughts. “What the heck is wrong with me?” He asked and decided to keep himself busy by reviewing for an upcoming test but he couldn’t concentrate. He found himself checking his wristwatch every minute, frowning as the seconds ticked by and Jun was already half an hour late.
“That idiot,” Ninomiya murmured, wanting to leave but never really doing it. What was holding him back? Why was he feeling disappointed at the thought of not seeing Jun? He frowned a little, deciphering what the feeling rising within him was. Sure, there was irritation at the fact that Jun is already late but there was something more… where is that idiot? Did he plan on not showing up just when they had a good conversation hours ago?
“I must be going crazy,” Ninomiya decided and raised his feet, bringing his knees closer to his chest. “I really must be going crazy,” he said, feeling the disappointment as the minutes tick by and Jun still did not arrive. What if Jun got into an accident? What if he fell into a manhole?
“What if the ground decided to eat him up for being so annoyingly arrogant?” Ninomiya said loudly, irritation evident in his voice as he found his mind conjuring up disturbing images about Jun and he felt himself worrying by the second.
And then the worry disappeared so suddenly when he saw the man’s silhouette from a distance, running towards him, his tight yellow shirt shining under the pale afternoon sun. Ninomiya didn’t quite understand the relief that flooded him and the joyous feeling of seeing Jun running… running towards him…
It was a strange sensation of wanting to cry from joy and from something else.
“I must really be going crazy…”
Jun came to a halt in front of him, catching his breath and panting hard.
“Sorry. I got caught up by something. The professor’s being such a pain…,” he paused when he noticed Ninomiya’s expression. “You… why do you look like you’re going to cry?” He straightened up, stepping closer to Ninomiya.
“You idiot… I was so worried!” Ninomiya exclaimed and Jun halted.
“W-worried?”
And that was when they both started denying the attraction. While Jun abhorred the thoughts of falling in love when he’s the one who’s supposed to me making Ninomiya fall… Ninomiya denies the fact that someone who’s as arrogant and idiotic as Matsumoto Jun can make him feel something he never wanted to feel.
It was supposed to be a normal relationship of fighting, falling, denying then admitting this weird feeling called love. But normalcy can sometimes be too much to ask for in a world that can slap you with strange things when it feels like doing so.
Their share of strange and queer experiences came once again on a drizzling Saturday evening. A slight rain was once again pouring amidst the twinkling stars and the shining moon and Matsumoto Jun found himself on a bad mood after finding out that he spent all his allowance money for the week.
He drives in his car, intending to go home when he got caught by an early traffic jam. In spite of the music blaring from his car stereo, he still heard angry shouts coming from a dark alley to his right and he turned his head curiously to look at the source of the sound.
Jun’s eyes grew wide when he saw Aiba shouting Ninomiya’s name. Soon, Jun would be regretting the moment emerged from his car to find out what was wrong.
“Aiba,” he called and Aiba sharply whirled around, his eyes fearful. “What’s wrong?”
“Matsumoto-kun!” Aiba exclaimed. “You’ve got to help him! He’s fighting them alone… they’re going to hurt him. They’re going to kill him. It’s my fault… it’s my fault! Help him!” Aiba’s voice was desperate, almost begging, almost kneeling in front of Jun.
“I can’t understand! Who?” Jun asked as an unexplainable sense of panic started to rise within him. “Aiba Masaki!”
“Nino-chan!” Aiba exclaimed. “He tried to defend me from gangsters and they pulled him to that alley! Please, Matsumoto-kun! You’ve got to help him!”
“Crap,” Jun exclaimed and felt himself running towards the alley on instinct, fear rising within him. His feet seemed to have minds of their own as he kept on running, his mind blank and empty. He couldn’t think of anything else except the thought of losing Ninomiya.
“Ninomiya!” Jun shouted, his voice shaking. Jun was never really good in physical fights. In all honesty, he was only good with words and threat and emotional retaliation. Never in his life had he dealt with physical pain… but that does not matter anymore, does it? Because when you’re forced to admit how much you’ve fallen in such an unconventional situation, reality does not matter anymore. You find a new sense of bravery and courage and you’re willing to do anything… anything for that one person your heart is beating for.
“Ninomiya Kazunari!” Jun called once again, louder. And then he heard it, the sounds of metal crashing against something coupled with loud voices. Jun turned to the alley going to his right and found four men kicking and shouting curses at each other.
One of them is Ninomiya.
“Ninomiya!” Jun shouted and the four men stopped for a while and turned to him. The anger inside him was uncontrollable as Jun saw a small trickle of blood running on the side of Ninomiya’s face. “Oi! You assholes! How dare you hurt him!” Jun shouted, moving towards the men, ignoring Ninomiya’s shouts.
“Don’t interfere! You’ll only get hurt, you idiot!” Ninomiya shouted but Jun suddenly turned deaf, ignoring his every word. “Geez.”
It was a fight Jun had never expected to be involved in all his life. He felt every punch, every kick, every painful sensation yet his body didn’t want to stop moving. His only reality at that moment was the thought of keeping Ninomiya safe. He felt his knuckles connecting with someone’s face and he had to bite down the hurt that came after.
Shouts echo amidst the silence of their surroundings, metals crash against the walls and Jun found himself panting hard as the fight suddenly ended with the three men rushing away, mumbling curses and promises of retaliation.
Jun tasted his own blood as he fought hard to catch his breath, taking air in huge gulps. And then he felt a hand on his shoulder, gentle and rough at the same time.
“You idiot,” Ninomiya murmured, instinctively taking Jun in his arms and collapsing against a wall. “You’re really an idiot. Arrogant idiot,” he said but Jun was too tired to argue. He was busy trying to regain his normal senses.
“I thought you’re going to get hurt and die,” Ninomiya said fearfully.
“I thought so too,” Jun mumbled. “I thought you’re going to die. I was so scared… Oi! Ninomiya. Don’t scare me like that again! Don’t scare me like that…” he snarled as he felt relief flooding his very soul.
“Why are you here anyway?” Ninomiya asked, standing up and pulling Jun up with him.
“I saw Aiba…,” Jun was about to continue when his eyes widened and pulled Ninomiya, taking him into a tight hug as he twirls around, wincing as something heavy collided with the back of his head and he collapsed in Ninomiya’s arms.
“Ma-Matsumoto-san!” Ninomiya shouted as he realized what happened. One of the three men stood behind them, holding a baseball bat and shaking. “You assholes…!” Ninomiya screamed, shaking Jun. “Hey, wake up! Wake up! Matsumoto-san! Matsumoto Jun!”
“Let’s go!” The man holding the bat said, throwing it aside as they escaped and bolted into a full run, leaving Ninomiya and Jun alone in that abandoned alley.
Ninomiya’s hands were shaking as he shouts Jun’s name and tears pour from his eyes without him knowing.
“Oi… Matsumoto-san! Matsumoto Jun!” He gathers Jun is his arms, shaking him awake, willing him to open his eyes and flash his usual snarl. “You can’t die like this. Not like this… Matsumoto-san!”
Jun could hear Ninomiya’s voice floating somewhere, as if they were coming from murky waters. It comes in slow syllables, willing him to open his eyes. But his eyelids were heavy and the pain in his head was unbearable that it felt as if his head would split in two.
Was this… how he’s going to die?
It sucks. He hasn’t even told Ninomiya what he realized as he was running in the alley, scared for Ninomiya’s life. He hasn’t even confessed… come to think of it, he has never fallen in love with a person in his life before. Ninomiya was the first… and he wasn’t able to confess.
He felt Ninomiya’s hands on his face and he felt something wet and warm on his cheeks. Surely, it wasn’t the rain. How can the rain be so warm? It was then that he realized Ninomiya must’ve been crying. Jun tried to smile… Ninomiya was… crying for him?
“Good… I love you, by the way,” those were Jun’s last thoughts as darkness ate him, and the sounds of Ninomiya’s sobs were the last thing he heard through his fading senses…
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It was the warm sunlight that brought him back to his senses. Jun winced a little as he opened his eyes, blinking and groaning at the same time.
Sunlight streamed through the window, peeking through the gaps on the blue curtain. Voices drifted in his ears, muffled ones that doesn’t sound familiar at all. Jun pulled himself up groggily and looked around him, frowning as his eyesight registers the features of the room he was in.
The bed is small, just enough for him alone. The windows are small too, covered in pale blue curtains. There’s a wooden side table beside his bed, a small cabinet to his right and a study table with English books is standing near the window to his left. The floor looks as if it would creak is someone steps on it and Jun frowned.
Where is he? And why does the place look a little… worn down?
He was in such a state when the door opened and a familiar person entered the room, holding a white envelope with a grin on his face.
“Ah! Jun, you’re awake. Good. I have news for you.”
Jun frowned.
“Sho?” He asked, standing up. “Why are you here? No wait… where am I?”
Sho looked confused as he halted in his steps. He looked at Jun as if the other has grown horns.
“What are you talking about, Jun?” He asked. “Did… did you hurt your head somehow when you fell down the stairs?”
Jun mouth almost dropped open in confusion. He looked around him once again before his gaze returned to Sho’s face.
“What kind of joke is this Sho?” he asked in irritation as memories came flooding back to him… Ninomiya, the alley… getting hurt… dying… “Where am I?! Where’s Ninomiya?!” His panic was back full force as he realized that Ninomiya was nowhere to be seen. “I have to find Ninomiya!”
Sho looked more confused.
“Jun!” He said loudly as Jun tried to move out. “What are you talking about? Who’s Ninomiya?!”
Losing his patience, Jun took Sho by the collar, glaring at him.
“Stop this joke right now, Sho! Tell me where I am and where’s Ninomiya!” He snarled and Sho looked a little scared. After a long pause, he touched Jun’s hand with his, gently making the other release his hold on him.
“Why…why are you suddenly calling me Sho instead of Sho-chan? And I really don’t know who this Ninomiya is,” he explained gently, sounding a bit exhausted. After swallowing lightly, Sho said the words that almost shattered what was left of Jun’s sanity.
“And you kept on asking where you are. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you recognize your own home? This is the place we both grew up in…” he said and Jun stared at him in shock.
“W-What?”
TBC
-------------------------1. Moohoo. I know it got confusing towards the end but I hope I can clear this up with the fourth chapter. ^__^
2. Uhm... that's... it? ^__^