Fic: Anywhere Is 1/8
Title: Anywhere Is 1/8
Pairing(s): Ohno/Nino, Ohno/OFC, Nino/OFC
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own. Unfortunately.
Word count: 3,500~
Warning(s): Slash, het, angst in large doses
Summary: Two years ago, the world tilted. Now with the world almost having forced itself upright, it tilts again. Can four people make up for the five they used to be?
Author's Notes: Six months later, and this monster is finally ready to be posted. Huge thank yous to Gati for handholding, Vanessa for puttting up with my general bitchery and to Cally for putting up with me ♥
*
Nino had known when he came to work that day, that he’d remember that day forever.
He hadn’t been wrong.
Now, he supposed he should’ve known when he woke up that morning with a hangover the size of the moon, that things would be different, that everything that made up his world was about to be shaken to the core, that the sun wouldn’t rise the same way again. That the cold sheets had been a warning, the open window he’d been distracted from closing the night before had been a sign he’d purposely overlooked, but he hadn’t known. He’d had a feeling all morning, even through the inevitable confusion, but he’d shrugged it off, because so many other things had been on his mind.
But when he’d come to work that morning, he’d been faced with Johnny himself, all their managers, their individual and their shared, grim faces all around. Something was wrong, so very wrong.
Nino’s heart had beaten a bit faster in grim anticipation, because the feeling he’d had all morning manifested into dread. He’d had no idea what demanded the attention of so many people.
“Ohno-san handed in his resignation last night,” Johnny had said and then, “He left Japan this morning.”
Only then had Nino allowed himself to look for the face he now knew wouldn’t be there.
Aiba had sniffled.
Jun had asked why and Johnny had shrugged, looking at Ohno’s manager, but the man had shaken his head. I don’t know. I truly don’t. I’m sorry. I wish I knew.
“You could’ve convinced him to stay,” Sho had said quietly as Nino sat down, shock settling in.
“No matter how powerful you might think I am,” Johnny had said, frowning, and Nino had thought that his mental image of Johnny would forever be with that frown etched onto his face, “I don’t have the power to refuse resignation.”
Sho had looked like he wanted very much to refute that fact, but he’d been distracted by Jun, who’d been in the process of wrapping his arms around Aiba.
“Fuck,” Nino had hissed, feeling his eyes sting.
Why? Why now?
Johnny had given them three months to figure out what they wanted to do. Continue? Disband? Hiatus?
Arashi’s 13th year continued without Ohno.
*
It was two years since Ohno left.
And Nino still just wanted to know why.
Two years since Ohno departed Japan and didn’t come back.
*
“Good work,” the technician told him as he made his way out of the booth. Nino smiled briefly in gratitude and returned with a “good work today, everyone.”
He slipped out of the building, holding on to his bag and trailing behind his manager, and he hunched his shoulders even more when he imagined he heard girly giggles in the vicinity. Old habits die hard. When he was securely buckled in on the passenger seat, he slumped down and glanced at the clock. It was later than he’d thought.
He flipped his phone open, briefly debating whether or not to call Jun up, but he was surely busy right now with his new movie. Sho was probably doing research, and Aiba should be in Chiba.
Nino absentmindedly wondered when he started to need an excuse to not go home, but as soon as he thought it, he smothered the thought. Instead he thought of the warm smile that definitely would greet him when he got home.
He snorted.
“I’m home,” he called when he stepped inside his apartment, softly clicking the door closed behind him.
“Welcome home,” a feminine voice replied and Nino smiled. The woman that came out to greet him was only shorter than him by a bit, pretty and slightly curvy, long hair, and Nino knew he was lucky to have her. He stepped up to her and kissed her cheek, and he was reminded again of why she was here, because one of her hands settled on his elbow, gently holding him to her.
“Was it a good day today?” She asked when he leaned back, and he nodded, still smiling.
“The interviews were short and the recordings went well,” he elaborated and stepped out of her hold to slips off his shoes. He stepped past her, their arms brushed, and he heard her follow him into the kitchen.
“Are you hungry?” She asked with a smile, “I can make you something.”
“Not really,” he returned, “Mostly I just want to relax a bit.”
Something glimmered in her eyes, but he didn’t recognize it, and then she was stepping up to him again.
“Miho-chan,” he murmured when she wound her arms around him, and he pressed his cheek to her hair. She felt good in his arms, fit well against his body, and he closed his eyes. She had done so much for him, and she still did, just being here when he came home.
“I’m going out,” she informed him later, and he nodded.
“Girls night out?” He mentally scoffed at it. Seriously.
She laughed. “And so you can get that game out of your system. Dying screams and button smashing aren’t my most favorite sounds in the world.”
Nino pretended to be horrified, but as she gave him a look, he chuckled. “Have fun,” he said instead. And meant it. Maybe he could rope the others to come over then, and he’d have someone to win against. Miho was scarily good at playing when she wanted to, and he didn’t win as often as he’d like to. He needed his regular doses of win.
So he called up Aiba even though he realized earlier that Aiba might be in Chiba.
Turned out that Aiba actually was close by, just finishing up an interview and he promised he’d pop by later. Nino heard the feminine giggle in the background and knew that Becky was near. Nino snorted and hoped that Aiba would get his act together soon and ask her out, because they’d been dancing around it for so many years now that it seemed inevitable. Nino rolled his eyes.
He couldn’t actually imagine Aiba settling down, but then again, the same could be said for himself. He could always hear Sho’s and Jun’s loud laughter ringing at the back of his head from when he’d announced that he was moving in with Kaneyama Miho. In his apartment. Jun couldn’t stop laughing and Sho had asked, seriously, if he was going to clear out some of the games so she could actually fit into the rooms.
Nino liked the life he had now. And his mother adored Miho. It was good.
He knew they’ve been together now for long enough now that it would be the obvious to get married, but honestly, he liked the way things are now. He knew that Miho felt that way, too. Why change something that was good as it was?
Nino flopped down on the couch, stretching, deliberating whether or not to call Sho, too. Jun needed his sleep, but a glance at the clock told him that Sho should be off, soon. He decided to message him. Just in case.
Sho called him back, almost immediately afterwards.
“Sorry,” Sho said and it sounded as if he was somewhere with a hell of a lot of people bustling the background. “I won’t get away from this for hours, yet.”
Nino waved it off, forgetting that Sho couldn’t see him. “It’s fine, I’ll just annihilate Aiba-chan.”
“Be nice,” Sho laughed, raising his voice a bit to be heard over the loud chatter.
“Where are you?”
Sho’s snort was loud and derisive. “I don’t even know. Somewhere with a lot of people.”
“What a great journalist you make,” Nino said airily and could almost hear how Sho rolled his eyes.
“I have to go,” Sho said, then, “I’ll see you tomorrow at the meeting about the single.”
Nino nodded, again completely forgetting that Sho couldn’t see him. “Tomorrow. Take care.”
Sho hung up, but Nino wasn’t offended the slightest. Now he just had to wait for Aiba to show up.
*
“So,” their manager said, “your schedules have been synchronized the best we can do for now, because you need to practice together.”
Nino couldn’t contain his chuckle and Jun sent him an exasperated look. The dance for their last single hadn’t been executed that well on the two first performances since they’d all been somewhere else all the time, not even once practicing the steps together.
“It’s because we’re four,” Aiba said quietly, but Nino knew everyone heard. It wasn’t the first time Aiba had said it, either.
Sho shot him a sympathetic look. “We’re five,” he said softly, “but one of us just… needed a break.”
Nino narrowed his eyes. “Is that what he said?”
Sho’s shoulders slumped and Nino knew it wasn’t Sho’s fault. Everything from two years ago just still made Nino so mad, sometimes he didn’t even know who to be mad at. He was angry at Ohno, that was for sure, but he’d wondered ever since then, if they’d been the reason he left, if they’d completely overlooked something that made him want to escape. To leave. For good. He couldn’t even begin to imagine leaving everything behind, everything in his life, everything that was his life… it was simply unfathomable.
He just couldn’t think of anything horrible enough to force him away and make him let go of everything dear.
Manager-san cleared his throat. “We’re positive that the steps for Winter Kisses will be okay for you to learn. It’s a ballad anyway, so it’s nothing too intricate.”
“What do you know,” Nino said, “four men in their thirties can dance just fine.”
“In our thirties,” Jun groused. “Almost 15 years. With you guys. I can’t believe it.”
“Shut up, Jun-pon,” Nino returned lightly, knowing the lack of sleep made Jun grouchy at best. Lethal at worst. “You know you love us.”
Jun turned his face away but Nino didn’t care, because he knew the expression that was on Jun’s face.
“So we’ll go and practice now,” Sho said, skimming their schedules, and then he looked up with disbelief. “And we actually don’t have anything else to do today?”
Manager-san looked smug. “You don’t have to thank me.”
Jun actually looked like he might cry of relief at any moment, which probably was why Aiba reached over and offered a sleeve. Jun hit him.
Aiba was still whining when they took a break from dancing two hours later. He was still demonstratively rubbing his arm, sending big eyes and pouty lips in Jun’s direction, and Nino had lost count of how many times Jun had sent him the middle finger in response.
“Sho-chan, your phone is still ringing,” Nino said when Sho neared them with their bottles of water. “It’s been ringing non-stop for twenty minutes.”
Sho rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows we’re here, so no one should call.”
Jun and Nino exchanged glances. Sho just stared blankly at them.
“Which is exactly why you should check it, since it has to be something important, then,” Nino said helpfully and laughed out loud when Sho scrambled over to their bags, trying to get to the phone as fast as possible.
Aiba was lying on his back, fully stretched out and yawning.
“I suppose we should be happy you’re not hung over,” Jun said, and Nino leered at him.
“We got a bit carried away.”
They’d played until the red flashing numbers told them that they had three hours to sleep and then they had to be up again.
“It’s tough not being a teenager anymore,” Aiba said between yawns. “I miss being able to work on zero sleep.”
Jun nodded and Nino agreed, too. It’d been nice to be able to function, and function well, with practically no sleep every night for months at a time. Nino glanced over at Sho who was on the phone, still.
“I, for one, am glad that you’re not a teenager anymore,” Nino then said snidely, “because you were such a pain in the ass with how much nervous energy you always had.”
“Still has,” Jun grumbled and leaned forward when Aiba tried to hit him. “And I’m glad not to be a teenager anymore.”
“So are we,” Nino and Aiba chorused and chuckled at Jun’s offended look, and Nino continued, “Jun-kun, you were a teenager. Seriously.”
As if that explained everything. It did, obviously, since Jun just shrugged at that.
“Hey,” Aiba said, propping up on an elbow. “We should go out and eat after this, then, since we’re free.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve been out together,” Nino agreed, looking to Jun.
Jun looked like he was about to agree, but in that moment, Sho crawled back over to them. “Sorry guys, I can’t, I have to go after this.” At their inquiring looks, he shrugged. “Zero.”
“You can meet us later,” Aiba suggested, sitting up. “We can just meet later and go for dinner, or something. It doesn’t have to be right after this.”
Sho looked harried, tired and grateful. “That’d be great. I’ll make reservations and send the where and when to you.”
“And now we really need to get moving,” Jun informed them, getting to his feet, and Aiba followed, taking the hand Nino reached up to him.
“It’ll be good,” Aiba said quietly to him as they went to their starting positions. “I’ve missed you guys.”
Out of all of them, Aiba had been the most affected by suddenly being four after having been five for more than twelve years. Aiba just loved Arashi so much it hurt. Nino himself hadn’t spoken much about it, because he knew they all had different feelings about it. And Nino really didn’t want to talk about it, because that’d be so awkward and stir up so many questions that he wasn’t even sure he wanted the answers to himself.
*
All in all, Nino was pretty satisfied with where he was in his life right now. No matter how fun and how great it had felt at the time, he couldn’t bring himself to miss the time where they’d had three performances at three different stations in two hours. As it was, he was happy that Arashi still worked, was still relatively popular in spite of everything, and he was happy with his more balanced schedule.
He still got roles in dramas, though he no longer played the seventeen year olds. He’d never live that down, he thought with some amusement. He was no longer casted as the young heartthrob, and he was actually really happy about that.
Arashi still released singles and albums, and even though they weren’t where they’d been years ago, it was still with immense satisfaction that they proved time and time again that they weren’t just meant to fade into nothingness and obscurity.
Their popularity had diminished a bit even before Ohno had left, but even though it had lessened, it hadn’t disappeared. They were still popular guests, and even if they didn’t host three or four variety shows each week, they were still sought after. Nino suspected that a lot of the fans had stayed out of sympathy of the sudden loss of a member.
But despite everything, Nino thought it was rather nice to be able to move more freely. And actually have a girlfriend who wouldn’t get harassed every time she walked out the door.
He was the only one of them to go steady with someone at the moment. Aiba was still in that limbo status with Becky, Jun had recently broken up with a girl he’d been dating for a while, and Sho… Nino suspected that the only steady relationship Sho had ever been in was the one he was in with his work.
And speaking of, Nino thought it was rather ironic that the one with the actual reservation for their dinner was the only one who hadn’t turned up yet.
“He’ll be here soon,” Aiba reassured them, closing his phone. “He’s on his way.”
Nino didn’t doubt that, he just sometimes thought that Sho was more a newscaster and journalist more than an idol these days. Nino couldn’t even find it in him to begrudge him that, because he knew that Sho’s first priority still was, and always would be, Arashi. If he was busy right now, it was with a job he’d gotten because of Arashi, and that was completely okay. They all were what they were today because they were Arashi.
Sho arrived less than fifteen minutes later, slightly out of breath and an apologetic expression on his face. However, he didn’t even make it past the first apology because Aiba interrupted him with an “It’s fine, don’t worry about it, let’s just get something to eat.”
A one-armed hug was Aiba’s reward and they finally got seated.
“When Leader returns,” Aiba said, smiling from the wine, “we’ll be the best again.”
If people passing their table thought it was odd that there was one chair too many for four people, the four of them paid no heed to it.
They didn’t expect people to understand.
*
“Kazunari,” Miho whispered when he got home and slipped into their bed.
“Go back to sleep,” he urged her, because it was late, later than he’d thought it’d be. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised anymore with how much time always passed when in that company.
“You smell like you’re drunk,” she whispered, curling into the sheets and the pillows and Nino relaxed into the mattress.
“I’m not,” he reassured her, “just go back to sleep.”
And she did.
*
“We’re going to dinner at my parents’ tonight, remember?”
Nino nodded, looking up at Miho over the edge of the cup.
“Mother is so excited, she loves you,” Miho continued, smiling, and Nino fought the urge to get up and slide her hair behind her ears. “She says it’s been too long.”
He wasn’t sure he could return the sentiment, but he wisely didn’t say so. Miho’s mother was overwhelming at best, but the woman was kind, at least. And he had a feeling that Miho’s father didn’t like him too much, but Miho always told him he was an idiot when he mentioned it. In any case, he had to visit them, because it’d be outright weird and rude if he didn’t.
He just didn’t know if he’d ever get used to visiting someone else’s parents.
Nino just nodded and then set his coffee down when his phone started ringing. His manager. “I have to go now,” he said as he got up and rummaged around for his bag. He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen when he was ready to go, and he pretended not to see Miho blanch and roll her eyes when she looked at his worn bag.
“See you later,” he said and she nodded, “I’m off.”
Outside, Nino took a deep breath. Visiting the parents. He’d forgotten all about it.
He wasn’t sure that his schedule fit with it today, but he’d have to figure it out, somehow. Miho would be so disappointed if he couldn’t make it.
When he spotted the white van and the opened door, he made a beeline for it and buckled himself in when he sat down. His manager turned around in the passenger seat, but before he could say anything, his phone rang.
Nino grinned knowingly. It was going to be one of those days.
When four o’clock rolled around, Nino was fidgeting uncomfortably. The voice recordings for the game weren’t working out for some reason, and Nino was frustrated, to say the least.
“One more time, from the top,” the technician informed him through his earpiece. “Starting up when you’re ready.”
Nino nodded and skimmed the papers on the stand. He took a deep breath.
And it continued for another hour.
“Ninomiya-san,” the sound technician called in his ear, “someone’s here to see you.”
Nino frowned. It was highly unusual for anyone to come see him when he was working. Usually, it wasn’t even allowed unless it was an emergency, but really, if it meant that he got a break from this gruesome recording, he wasn’t going to complain.
When he got out of the sound booth, he was met with the sight of an anxious looking Jun. That in itself was foreboding for two reasons, one, because Jun was supposed to be doing some filming right now outside of Tokyo, and secondly, that Jun never looked this worried unless it was justified.
“What’s wrong?”
Jun walked up to him, clasped his arms and backed out, dragging Nino with him out of earshot of anyone else.
“Jun, you’re freaking me out,” Nino breathed, attempting a smile, but it fell flat. Jun was nowhere near smiling and the hands holding on to Nino’s arms tightened.
Jun looked like he didn’t know how to say this, but he settled for the usual frankness that Nino had come to expect from him.
“Ohno is back in Tokyo.”
*
/Tbc
Pairing(s): Ohno/Nino, Ohno/OFC, Nino/OFC
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own. Unfortunately.
Word count: 3,500~
Warning(s): Slash, het, angst in large doses
Summary: Two years ago, the world tilted. Now with the world almost having forced itself upright, it tilts again. Can four people make up for the five they used to be?
Author's Notes: Six months later, and this monster is finally ready to be posted. Huge thank yous to Gati for handholding, Vanessa for puttting up with my general bitchery and to Cally for putting up with me ♥
*
Nino had known when he came to work that day, that he’d remember that day forever.
He hadn’t been wrong.
Now, he supposed he should’ve known when he woke up that morning with a hangover the size of the moon, that things would be different, that everything that made up his world was about to be shaken to the core, that the sun wouldn’t rise the same way again. That the cold sheets had been a warning, the open window he’d been distracted from closing the night before had been a sign he’d purposely overlooked, but he hadn’t known. He’d had a feeling all morning, even through the inevitable confusion, but he’d shrugged it off, because so many other things had been on his mind.
But when he’d come to work that morning, he’d been faced with Johnny himself, all their managers, their individual and their shared, grim faces all around. Something was wrong, so very wrong.
Nino’s heart had beaten a bit faster in grim anticipation, because the feeling he’d had all morning manifested into dread. He’d had no idea what demanded the attention of so many people.
“Ohno-san handed in his resignation last night,” Johnny had said and then, “He left Japan this morning.”
Only then had Nino allowed himself to look for the face he now knew wouldn’t be there.
Aiba had sniffled.
Jun had asked why and Johnny had shrugged, looking at Ohno’s manager, but the man had shaken his head. I don’t know. I truly don’t. I’m sorry. I wish I knew.
“You could’ve convinced him to stay,” Sho had said quietly as Nino sat down, shock settling in.
“No matter how powerful you might think I am,” Johnny had said, frowning, and Nino had thought that his mental image of Johnny would forever be with that frown etched onto his face, “I don’t have the power to refuse resignation.”
Sho had looked like he wanted very much to refute that fact, but he’d been distracted by Jun, who’d been in the process of wrapping his arms around Aiba.
“Fuck,” Nino had hissed, feeling his eyes sting.
Why? Why now?
Johnny had given them three months to figure out what they wanted to do. Continue? Disband? Hiatus?
Arashi’s 13th year continued without Ohno.
*
It was two years since Ohno left.
And Nino still just wanted to know why.
Two years since Ohno departed Japan and didn’t come back.
*
“Good work,” the technician told him as he made his way out of the booth. Nino smiled briefly in gratitude and returned with a “good work today, everyone.”
He slipped out of the building, holding on to his bag and trailing behind his manager, and he hunched his shoulders even more when he imagined he heard girly giggles in the vicinity. Old habits die hard. When he was securely buckled in on the passenger seat, he slumped down and glanced at the clock. It was later than he’d thought.
He flipped his phone open, briefly debating whether or not to call Jun up, but he was surely busy right now with his new movie. Sho was probably doing research, and Aiba should be in Chiba.
Nino absentmindedly wondered when he started to need an excuse to not go home, but as soon as he thought it, he smothered the thought. Instead he thought of the warm smile that definitely would greet him when he got home.
He snorted.
“I’m home,” he called when he stepped inside his apartment, softly clicking the door closed behind him.
“Welcome home,” a feminine voice replied and Nino smiled. The woman that came out to greet him was only shorter than him by a bit, pretty and slightly curvy, long hair, and Nino knew he was lucky to have her. He stepped up to her and kissed her cheek, and he was reminded again of why she was here, because one of her hands settled on his elbow, gently holding him to her.
“Was it a good day today?” She asked when he leaned back, and he nodded, still smiling.
“The interviews were short and the recordings went well,” he elaborated and stepped out of her hold to slips off his shoes. He stepped past her, their arms brushed, and he heard her follow him into the kitchen.
“Are you hungry?” She asked with a smile, “I can make you something.”
“Not really,” he returned, “Mostly I just want to relax a bit.”
Something glimmered in her eyes, but he didn’t recognize it, and then she was stepping up to him again.
“Miho-chan,” he murmured when she wound her arms around him, and he pressed his cheek to her hair. She felt good in his arms, fit well against his body, and he closed his eyes. She had done so much for him, and she still did, just being here when he came home.
“I’m going out,” she informed him later, and he nodded.
“Girls night out?” He mentally scoffed at it. Seriously.
She laughed. “And so you can get that game out of your system. Dying screams and button smashing aren’t my most favorite sounds in the world.”
Nino pretended to be horrified, but as she gave him a look, he chuckled. “Have fun,” he said instead. And meant it. Maybe he could rope the others to come over then, and he’d have someone to win against. Miho was scarily good at playing when she wanted to, and he didn’t win as often as he’d like to. He needed his regular doses of win.
So he called up Aiba even though he realized earlier that Aiba might be in Chiba.
Turned out that Aiba actually was close by, just finishing up an interview and he promised he’d pop by later. Nino heard the feminine giggle in the background and knew that Becky was near. Nino snorted and hoped that Aiba would get his act together soon and ask her out, because they’d been dancing around it for so many years now that it seemed inevitable. Nino rolled his eyes.
He couldn’t actually imagine Aiba settling down, but then again, the same could be said for himself. He could always hear Sho’s and Jun’s loud laughter ringing at the back of his head from when he’d announced that he was moving in with Kaneyama Miho. In his apartment. Jun couldn’t stop laughing and Sho had asked, seriously, if he was going to clear out some of the games so she could actually fit into the rooms.
Nino liked the life he had now. And his mother adored Miho. It was good.
He knew they’ve been together now for long enough now that it would be the obvious to get married, but honestly, he liked the way things are now. He knew that Miho felt that way, too. Why change something that was good as it was?
Nino flopped down on the couch, stretching, deliberating whether or not to call Sho, too. Jun needed his sleep, but a glance at the clock told him that Sho should be off, soon. He decided to message him. Just in case.
Sho called him back, almost immediately afterwards.
“Sorry,” Sho said and it sounded as if he was somewhere with a hell of a lot of people bustling the background. “I won’t get away from this for hours, yet.”
Nino waved it off, forgetting that Sho couldn’t see him. “It’s fine, I’ll just annihilate Aiba-chan.”
“Be nice,” Sho laughed, raising his voice a bit to be heard over the loud chatter.
“Where are you?”
Sho’s snort was loud and derisive. “I don’t even know. Somewhere with a lot of people.”
“What a great journalist you make,” Nino said airily and could almost hear how Sho rolled his eyes.
“I have to go,” Sho said, then, “I’ll see you tomorrow at the meeting about the single.”
Nino nodded, again completely forgetting that Sho couldn’t see him. “Tomorrow. Take care.”
Sho hung up, but Nino wasn’t offended the slightest. Now he just had to wait for Aiba to show up.
*
“So,” their manager said, “your schedules have been synchronized the best we can do for now, because you need to practice together.”
Nino couldn’t contain his chuckle and Jun sent him an exasperated look. The dance for their last single hadn’t been executed that well on the two first performances since they’d all been somewhere else all the time, not even once practicing the steps together.
“It’s because we’re four,” Aiba said quietly, but Nino knew everyone heard. It wasn’t the first time Aiba had said it, either.
Sho shot him a sympathetic look. “We’re five,” he said softly, “but one of us just… needed a break.”
Nino narrowed his eyes. “Is that what he said?”
Sho’s shoulders slumped and Nino knew it wasn’t Sho’s fault. Everything from two years ago just still made Nino so mad, sometimes he didn’t even know who to be mad at. He was angry at Ohno, that was for sure, but he’d wondered ever since then, if they’d been the reason he left, if they’d completely overlooked something that made him want to escape. To leave. For good. He couldn’t even begin to imagine leaving everything behind, everything in his life, everything that was his life… it was simply unfathomable.
He just couldn’t think of anything horrible enough to force him away and make him let go of everything dear.
Manager-san cleared his throat. “We’re positive that the steps for Winter Kisses will be okay for you to learn. It’s a ballad anyway, so it’s nothing too intricate.”
“What do you know,” Nino said, “four men in their thirties can dance just fine.”
“In our thirties,” Jun groused. “Almost 15 years. With you guys. I can’t believe it.”
“Shut up, Jun-pon,” Nino returned lightly, knowing the lack of sleep made Jun grouchy at best. Lethal at worst. “You know you love us.”
Jun turned his face away but Nino didn’t care, because he knew the expression that was on Jun’s face.
“So we’ll go and practice now,” Sho said, skimming their schedules, and then he looked up with disbelief. “And we actually don’t have anything else to do today?”
Manager-san looked smug. “You don’t have to thank me.”
Jun actually looked like he might cry of relief at any moment, which probably was why Aiba reached over and offered a sleeve. Jun hit him.
Aiba was still whining when they took a break from dancing two hours later. He was still demonstratively rubbing his arm, sending big eyes and pouty lips in Jun’s direction, and Nino had lost count of how many times Jun had sent him the middle finger in response.
“Sho-chan, your phone is still ringing,” Nino said when Sho neared them with their bottles of water. “It’s been ringing non-stop for twenty minutes.”
Sho rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows we’re here, so no one should call.”
Jun and Nino exchanged glances. Sho just stared blankly at them.
“Which is exactly why you should check it, since it has to be something important, then,” Nino said helpfully and laughed out loud when Sho scrambled over to their bags, trying to get to the phone as fast as possible.
Aiba was lying on his back, fully stretched out and yawning.
“I suppose we should be happy you’re not hung over,” Jun said, and Nino leered at him.
“We got a bit carried away.”
They’d played until the red flashing numbers told them that they had three hours to sleep and then they had to be up again.
“It’s tough not being a teenager anymore,” Aiba said between yawns. “I miss being able to work on zero sleep.”
Jun nodded and Nino agreed, too. It’d been nice to be able to function, and function well, with practically no sleep every night for months at a time. Nino glanced over at Sho who was on the phone, still.
“I, for one, am glad that you’re not a teenager anymore,” Nino then said snidely, “because you were such a pain in the ass with how much nervous energy you always had.”
“Still has,” Jun grumbled and leaned forward when Aiba tried to hit him. “And I’m glad not to be a teenager anymore.”
“So are we,” Nino and Aiba chorused and chuckled at Jun’s offended look, and Nino continued, “Jun-kun, you were a teenager. Seriously.”
As if that explained everything. It did, obviously, since Jun just shrugged at that.
“Hey,” Aiba said, propping up on an elbow. “We should go out and eat after this, then, since we’re free.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve been out together,” Nino agreed, looking to Jun.
Jun looked like he was about to agree, but in that moment, Sho crawled back over to them. “Sorry guys, I can’t, I have to go after this.” At their inquiring looks, he shrugged. “Zero.”
“You can meet us later,” Aiba suggested, sitting up. “We can just meet later and go for dinner, or something. It doesn’t have to be right after this.”
Sho looked harried, tired and grateful. “That’d be great. I’ll make reservations and send the where and when to you.”
“And now we really need to get moving,” Jun informed them, getting to his feet, and Aiba followed, taking the hand Nino reached up to him.
“It’ll be good,” Aiba said quietly to him as they went to their starting positions. “I’ve missed you guys.”
Out of all of them, Aiba had been the most affected by suddenly being four after having been five for more than twelve years. Aiba just loved Arashi so much it hurt. Nino himself hadn’t spoken much about it, because he knew they all had different feelings about it. And Nino really didn’t want to talk about it, because that’d be so awkward and stir up so many questions that he wasn’t even sure he wanted the answers to himself.
*
All in all, Nino was pretty satisfied with where he was in his life right now. No matter how fun and how great it had felt at the time, he couldn’t bring himself to miss the time where they’d had three performances at three different stations in two hours. As it was, he was happy that Arashi still worked, was still relatively popular in spite of everything, and he was happy with his more balanced schedule.
He still got roles in dramas, though he no longer played the seventeen year olds. He’d never live that down, he thought with some amusement. He was no longer casted as the young heartthrob, and he was actually really happy about that.
Arashi still released singles and albums, and even though they weren’t where they’d been years ago, it was still with immense satisfaction that they proved time and time again that they weren’t just meant to fade into nothingness and obscurity.
Their popularity had diminished a bit even before Ohno had left, but even though it had lessened, it hadn’t disappeared. They were still popular guests, and even if they didn’t host three or four variety shows each week, they were still sought after. Nino suspected that a lot of the fans had stayed out of sympathy of the sudden loss of a member.
But despite everything, Nino thought it was rather nice to be able to move more freely. And actually have a girlfriend who wouldn’t get harassed every time she walked out the door.
He was the only one of them to go steady with someone at the moment. Aiba was still in that limbo status with Becky, Jun had recently broken up with a girl he’d been dating for a while, and Sho… Nino suspected that the only steady relationship Sho had ever been in was the one he was in with his work.
And speaking of, Nino thought it was rather ironic that the one with the actual reservation for their dinner was the only one who hadn’t turned up yet.
“He’ll be here soon,” Aiba reassured them, closing his phone. “He’s on his way.”
Nino didn’t doubt that, he just sometimes thought that Sho was more a newscaster and journalist more than an idol these days. Nino couldn’t even find it in him to begrudge him that, because he knew that Sho’s first priority still was, and always would be, Arashi. If he was busy right now, it was with a job he’d gotten because of Arashi, and that was completely okay. They all were what they were today because they were Arashi.
Sho arrived less than fifteen minutes later, slightly out of breath and an apologetic expression on his face. However, he didn’t even make it past the first apology because Aiba interrupted him with an “It’s fine, don’t worry about it, let’s just get something to eat.”
A one-armed hug was Aiba’s reward and they finally got seated.
“When Leader returns,” Aiba said, smiling from the wine, “we’ll be the best again.”
If people passing their table thought it was odd that there was one chair too many for four people, the four of them paid no heed to it.
They didn’t expect people to understand.
*
“Kazunari,” Miho whispered when he got home and slipped into their bed.
“Go back to sleep,” he urged her, because it was late, later than he’d thought it’d be. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised anymore with how much time always passed when in that company.
“You smell like you’re drunk,” she whispered, curling into the sheets and the pillows and Nino relaxed into the mattress.
“I’m not,” he reassured her, “just go back to sleep.”
And she did.
*
“We’re going to dinner at my parents’ tonight, remember?”
Nino nodded, looking up at Miho over the edge of the cup.
“Mother is so excited, she loves you,” Miho continued, smiling, and Nino fought the urge to get up and slide her hair behind her ears. “She says it’s been too long.”
He wasn’t sure he could return the sentiment, but he wisely didn’t say so. Miho’s mother was overwhelming at best, but the woman was kind, at least. And he had a feeling that Miho’s father didn’t like him too much, but Miho always told him he was an idiot when he mentioned it. In any case, he had to visit them, because it’d be outright weird and rude if he didn’t.
He just didn’t know if he’d ever get used to visiting someone else’s parents.
Nino just nodded and then set his coffee down when his phone started ringing. His manager. “I have to go now,” he said as he got up and rummaged around for his bag. He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen when he was ready to go, and he pretended not to see Miho blanch and roll her eyes when she looked at his worn bag.
“See you later,” he said and she nodded, “I’m off.”
Outside, Nino took a deep breath. Visiting the parents. He’d forgotten all about it.
He wasn’t sure that his schedule fit with it today, but he’d have to figure it out, somehow. Miho would be so disappointed if he couldn’t make it.
When he spotted the white van and the opened door, he made a beeline for it and buckled himself in when he sat down. His manager turned around in the passenger seat, but before he could say anything, his phone rang.
Nino grinned knowingly. It was going to be one of those days.
When four o’clock rolled around, Nino was fidgeting uncomfortably. The voice recordings for the game weren’t working out for some reason, and Nino was frustrated, to say the least.
“One more time, from the top,” the technician informed him through his earpiece. “Starting up when you’re ready.”
Nino nodded and skimmed the papers on the stand. He took a deep breath.
And it continued for another hour.
“Ninomiya-san,” the sound technician called in his ear, “someone’s here to see you.”
Nino frowned. It was highly unusual for anyone to come see him when he was working. Usually, it wasn’t even allowed unless it was an emergency, but really, if it meant that he got a break from this gruesome recording, he wasn’t going to complain.
When he got out of the sound booth, he was met with the sight of an anxious looking Jun. That in itself was foreboding for two reasons, one, because Jun was supposed to be doing some filming right now outside of Tokyo, and secondly, that Jun never looked this worried unless it was justified.
“What’s wrong?”
Jun walked up to him, clasped his arms and backed out, dragging Nino with him out of earshot of anyone else.
“Jun, you’re freaking me out,” Nino breathed, attempting a smile, but it fell flat. Jun was nowhere near smiling and the hands holding on to Nino’s arms tightened.
Jun looked like he didn’t know how to say this, but he settled for the usual frankness that Nino had come to expect from him.
“Ohno is back in Tokyo.”
*
/Tbc