[ff] Oretachi no Scattered Memories (first piece/?)
Tittle : Oretachi no Scattered Memories (first piece/?)
Author : ritchuuki and lovu_lovu_aiba in duet
Pairing : Sakuraiba
Genre : AU, Romance, Angst
Rating : PG 13
Beta : vinapple thank u sooo much dear *hugs*
Disclaimer : Just own the plot XD
Summary :
Q : What’s harder than forgetting something precious to you?
A : Trying to remember after its forgotten…
Tick… tock… tick… tock…
5… 4… 3… 2… 1!
The light wind blew Aiba’s hair when someone pushed the café’s door opened, the bell chimed cheerfully. ‘Irrashaimase!’ his boss’ voice greeted the guest as he mouthed the same word, to the gentleman in a nice suit. The guy looked around, Aiba tried to be patient although he already mumbled on his head, your spot is still empty. He knew he didn’t need to ask nor suggested a nice place to the man, the classy man already had his own spot. Somewhere in the quiet corner of the café, close to the wide window that made the orange sunset’s glow fell to the man’s hair, illuminated the warmth from his eyes.
He always came at the exact same time, the exact same place, like he was waiting and longing to meet someone. But no one came and he walked out from the café every time, alone… His figure when he walked away somehow made Aiba’s heart clenched in so many ways that he didn’t understand, what a lonely view…
“Usual spot, sir?” Aiba tried, although his sight fell to the man’s shoes. Ohno, his boss, would nag him later if he didn’t smile to the customers so he lifted his head a bit to see the man nodded in approval and let Aiba to lead the way. Aiba stumbled on his feet a bit before he straightened his back to walk the guy to his table while pretending and acting cool, trying not to kick anything on the way. He was clumsy just like that.
Aiba could clearly rewind on his head, the guy would sit elegantly, placed his coat nicely on the empty chair beside him then opened the menu book calmly. His eyes were running from page to page every time, although it would be the same in the end, ‘Dark coffee’ he would order just the same every time, so Aiba really didn’t understand why he bother to pretend to see the menu.
“Dark coffee, please…”
“Please wait for a moment, sir…” he bowed a bit and took the menu with him before walked back to the counter and helped Ohno to prepare the coffee, he was practically just watching Ohno drilling the coffee beans though.
Not long after, he brought a cup of dark coffee to the man’s table, thanks to Ohno’s efficiency despite his sleepy looks, as tried his best to not fell face flat on the floor.
“Your coffee, sir…” he placed the cup nicely also cream and sugar, although again he knew the man wouldn’t use them.
“Thank you,” there the reply and a simply nod before the man backed to stare at his laptop, for whatever he had to do.
“Do you need anything else?”
The man shook his head lightly, there was a suppress smile lingered on his lips -Aiba felt the heat around him raised at the sight without any particular reason- before he answered, “No, it’s fine.”
“Please call me if you need anything,” the man nodded at Aiba’s remarks, positively didn’t catch the changing color of Aiba’s face as the later bow a bit before back to the counter a bit too quickly for his own taste.
A bit breathless Aiba stood behind the counter as his eyes were lingering longer to the man every time he checked the situation of the café. He didn’t even aware of his surrounding until Ohno tapped his shoulder lightly.
“You can’t give customer a special attention, you know?” he joked when again Aiba’s face flustered beet red at the remark.
“I-No, I-he was just-” he shuttered as Ohno laughed a bit. “Oh-chan! I really didn’t! I just think that he always comes at the same time…”
“Oh, Sakurai-san?” Ohno caught the glimpse of the man in the corner when Aiba tried his best to not whine, he was afraid the particular Sakurai-san would notice if they talk about him.
“Is that his name?”
Ohno smiled, “He is a regular…”
“It looks like he is waiting for… someone… it’s just curious me…” he tried to say it casually, but obviously failed at the task.
“Then he already waited for long time, I think you just overly thinking about it since he surely didn’t get anything for coming here except a cup of coffee, also, it’s none of our business…”
Aiba nodded at Ohno’s admonition and he was trying to not stare at Sakurai too much, partly failed though because really… the guy’s figure stunned Aiba. Black hair that also covered half of his wide temple, strong eyes, chubby cheeks and the rosy full lips, Aiba needed to slap himself in real life before he could stop stripping the guy with his eyes.
His interest toward guys wasn’t changing also apparently. A smile appeared across his lips when he noticed that he was still himself, there was part of him that never changed no matter what and he couldn’t be more grateful. Although he wasn’t that grateful for the fact that there were blank spots over his memories, like the black ink that dripped over a story book, made some pages were unreadable. Or like he woke up as 30 years old clueless man, who had no idea how was his own life over the last 4 years. Just like he went through time machine and became older by 4 years without having a clue what had happened, only some new wrinkles over the corner of his eyes as evidence that the time has passed without him knowing.
In short, he was having an amnesia.
Or dissociative amnesia as his doctor said, he even wondered if he could spell his own illness right without bit his own tongue.
He wasn’t crazy… or so his doctor said.
He might just had faced a traumatic event that made he lost part of his memories. Though maybe lost wasn’t a proper word to explain it, he didn’t lose it, it was just repressed under the unconsciousness as his defense mechanism toward that particular trauma he couldn’t even remember. Just to make it perfect, that he didn’t have anyone particular to ask about his past, since apparently he was loner enough to make friends. Ohno, his only friend from the past also didn’t know his life back the last 4 years, although Aiba must say that he was grateful that Ohno wanted to help him and got him a job in his café until Aiba got a new job. Good thing that all his knowledge he got as veterinarian wasn’t gone together with his current memory.
The last piece of his past that kept safely on his brain was his graduation from a university in US, he couldn’t even recall the graduation party at all, then suddenly he was awake from comma in Japan. He remembered that he had a plan to stay in US because he really didn’t have anyone in Japan. He was raised in an orphanage and lucky enough to get scholarship to study veterinarian in US after he graduated from high school. As his life in Japan, he didn’t have that many friends as well in US, or might be not that close to keep in touch with him for years.
In the mess, Ohno appeared, he said he knew Aiba for his last 4 years although the later had no clue at all how they met. Even so, Ohno gave him a place to live and a job to do so for whatever he did in the past he was glad to have him now. But having Ohno around didn’t raise anything at all of his memories and Ohno already explained that he couldn’t really help with Aiba’s life before he was back to Japan, because they didn’t meet that much due Ohno’s work. And Aiba left with his story book full of black pages.
He tried to remember, he really did. Yet every time he tried, his heart would boost with dreads and fears. Why did he feel it? He couldn’t answer it himself. Only that his body would start to treble and the next he would feel his own tears, and again he didn’t even understand what the tears for. As the matter of fact he only understood that he unconsciously rejected to remember, that he came to a conclusion, if his brain rejected that much, it must be really painful. Then why did he need to try only to get a painful thing to face later? His brain already decided that forgetting it would be easier, then why he bothers?
Or he might be just tired to try…
Or his life at the moment was perfect enough, without the blank spots of his memories…
~*~
The door bell rang again and again, giving the signal that this evening was quite crowded in Green Season. Possibly because tomorrow was weekend already, people had plenty time to spend in the café. It’s spring already but the temperature was still cold. It was march after all, and Ohno’s coffee was perfect for the season, Aiba didn’t doubt it, because he loved it also. Ohno’s espresso was the best he ever tasted in Japan, maybe in the world? But he didn’t go anywhere except Japan and US, although he was sure enough about it. His friend was a barista, a very rare job here, and Ohno could make the greatest coffee which could attract people. Somehow Aiba was proud of him, he was glad that he still had a friend like Ohno in Japan. He was really lucky.
Suddenly he noticed that there was a table which needed his service as he hurried moved around the tables to reach the costumer and filled their empty cups. He wouldn’t be dauntless enough to make them wait.
Unexpectedly he felt someone bumped him from behind as clumsy as always he lost his balance and spilled the coffee to a customer. Aiba got panicked. The costumer’s screamed resounded when the hot water burnt her skins leaving Aiba fluttered, asked for her forgiveness. With some low bows he clumsily wiped the marks left with his napkin. His mind was blank and he didn’t have any clue what to do at the moment except to apologize.
The girl got angry very quickly as she started to yell to the poor waiter, “IT HURTS…!!! WHAT have you done, you idiot! You splashed a pot of hot coffee onto me!”
“I’m… I am so sorry, miss! I am so sorry… Did you hurt?” Aiba sounded worry.
Despite the apology the girl tossed Aiba’s hand away as she continued her complains, “And what the hell did you touch!?!”
“Ehh!? Please forgive my rudeness, but I am… I’m so sorry…”
“What happened? I’m really sorry for my worker’s clumsiness, maybe we can talk at the staff room…? We are so sorry that we mess your cloth and we will take a full responsibility,” Ohno pulled Aiba’s back hurriedly bowed to his costumer―In a very deep one.
She was very upset that she wouldn’t let Aiba go easily. She continued her complains, “You don’t know I just bought this dress yesterday and now you messed it! Yes, I’ll make you take responsibility young man! Don’t ever think I would accept your sorry this easy!!!”
“Miss, please forgive him. I am the one who actually shoved him… It’s nothing to do with this waiter. So please… This just pure my own faulth, I am really sorry…” said Sakurai. He unintentionally pushed Aiba’s back when he passed them from the rest room. Now, he bowed to that girl.
“It’s... okay then…” said that girl a little embarrassed. “But I will give you the laundry bill”.
“Yes… Please,” said the man on suit. “Thank you…” he gave her his name card.
“Thank you, Miss! I am really sorry for this too… I will not repeat it again!” said Aiba cheerfully then he bowed to her. Ohno bowed her too before they started to wipe the floor right after that. Sakurai nodded to them once he walked back to his table. Aiba couldn’t help but to glance at him in silence.
Not very long after that the clumsy waiter saw him had organized his things from table then he gave him a sign that he was about to ask the bill. Sakurai-san usually left his money on the table without asking the bill… He just walked out... And sure he usually leaving at 10 p.m. right before the café closed. It only 9 o’clock―the clumsy waiter peeked out his watch, there’s one hour left. Unusual. Maybe he just wanted to take his leaves early this time, or maybe he just needed a reason to talk to him as he called him like this… No, it was impossible, that was so silly Aiba thought of him.
“Yes, sir. This is your bill…”
“Thank you…” said the sitting man. “And… I am so sorry I’d pushed you on my way and I gave you trouble right? I owe you an apology for that…” Sakurai nodded.
The taller man just smiled, “No… sir, you don’t owe me anything. It is pure just an accident... You don’t have to worry about me.”
“No, I can’t….”
“Really… It’s alright…” said Aiba. He really happy he had a chance to talk to Sakurai.
This costumer is real a mystery to him, he couldn’t even try to think that they would had an opportunity to have little chat like this. Sakurai stood up to bowed lightly at him and then he pulled out his wallet. He was taking a sheet of 10.000 yen then put it on the table, “I’m so sorry for the mess. I cannot say anything than sorry… You may take the change…” he scratched his head.
“No, Sir. This was too much and I won’t be happy with this…” said the taller waiter shaken his head. “Rather than you give me a tip… I’d like to be a friend with you if I’m not asking too much…” Aiba couldn’t believe that he had said that short of sentences himself. He was afraid that he had been too bold to ask such things to a costumer, but he really wanted to be friend with Sakurai now, the guy who had made him curious about for these couple weeks.
“Well, that’s alright…” Sho answered honestly. “But at least let me buy you a meal later…” continued that man.
“Then, how about tonight have a yakiniku after this? My shift will end in less than one hour, we can talk about things…” Aiba got excited. He didn’t try to hide his enthusiasm this time… He knew he wouldn’t succeed to hide it. He was very happy as he can felt the butterfly fluttered on his stomach.
“Okay… I get it...” said Sakurai then put his coat and his briefcase at table. He knew he couldn’t say no and refused the taller man, then he sat again with a simple smile in his lips that Aiba could saw. It actually made him flying… So that Aiba gave his smile too in a half blush face. Fortunately Sakurai didn’t saw him on face.
~*~
Awkwardness lingered around when Aiba and Sho walked to the nearest yakiniku-ya from Green Season right after it closed, or actually after Ohno literally kicked Aiba out so he didn’t make Sho wait any longer. Aiba moved his fingers nervously, as he tried to come up with something, something that could make this man beside him didn’t feel dead bored, he opened his lips desperately although his head felt blank when Sho preceded him, “So… Friends?”
“I’m sorry, it was very rude of me! I mean you are our regular guest and I always notice it when you came and! But it was so rude, I’m just waiter, I’m really sorry!”
Surprisingly Sho laughed over the waiter’s babbling, “It’s not like that. What’s wrong with being a waiter, there is nothing bad about it and there is no rule that a waiter cannot be friends with the guest right?”
Aiba nodded his head as his cheeks flushed because of his silly raving, the other smiled lightly in approval, “So, will you tell me why?”
Aiba hesitant once before he continued, “What is the reason I want to be a friend with you…?” with blushed Aiba asked him to make sure again what really Sakurai want to know. It made him feel the awkward situation.
“Oh, well. Don’t say that you won’t tell me... Yes, what?” this time was Sakurai whom looked a bit hesitant.
“What… why did I ask that? I don’t know why, Sakurai-san. I just… I just…” he stopped his words, paused. “Maybe I am curious about you…” Aiba giggled.
“No, you have to be lie. People said that I am boring one, I’m damn too serious… I hope you won’t lose your interest on me then, Aiba-san? ” said the older man in burst of laugh.
“Eh…? I won’t, I will not…” Aiba’s looked straight to the later face. “So you remembered my name, Sakurai-san?”
“Sure…” he smiled as the later smiled.
Aiba couldn’t help to raise his big smile. Then he straightly offered his hand for a hand-shake, “My name is Aiba Masaki. I am working at Green Season as you know… just a part-timer…” Aiba did not want to mention that he had a veterinarian degree because he just didn’t get job yet.
“Sakurai Sho. My profession is teaching at university…” his low voice heard so sexy to the later.
“A collage teacher? That’s so cool… I always though your job had to be cool back then, and I was right.”
Sho laughed too.
“Where do you teach? what major? if I may ask… Oh let me guest, hmmm… Math…? in which daigaku?”
“No... It’s not. I teach economic at Keio university…”
Aiba’s mouth almost opened because of shock, “You work at such prestigious university! How long you become a teacher? You must be happy to meet many people everyday…” the taller man kept asking things to him. His tension always as this high when he got excited. “I am sorry for asking so many questions… You must be very proud…”
“No… not at all…”
Aiba was peeking into Sho’s eyes as he found out that Sakurai-san wasn’t said only the formalities. He looked a bit shy when he said that, he was a very humble person despite his looks―type that looks hard to approach or maybe a little arrogant. And he fell for him. Sakurai Sho was a kind person. He knew it from the start how he would pretend to look at the menu while he only gave his usual order. Aiba really glad he would know about him more from this on.
“Do you any have plans? It is really alright to accompany me?” asked Aiba again.
“I have no business left… I’m just planning to go back home for rest”.
“Do I getting your way…?”
“No, you don’t. Besides that, I am lucky to have your company. I hadn’t eaten dinner, I am so hungry…” Sho giggled at the younger.
“Ok. It not far anymore… Just a right on there,” Aiba hoped he won’t be too offense toward him.
“Okay…” but suddenly he grab Aiba’s shoulder. Maybe his feed crumpled and almost falling to ground. “Sorry… Sorry…” he mumbled to the later then he got rid of his hand.
Aiba noticed that something wrong with him, “Are you alright? You’re not feeling good?”
The shorter man just shoke his head, “I’m okay…”
Something was not right so Aiba dared putting his hand on Sho’s temple. “It’s freaking hot! Oh my God, Sakurai-san… You had a fever. Why don’t you tell me?”Aiba yelled at him. Then he pulled one of his arm towards his shoulder, “You should not waste your time to chit-chat with me or moreover! You have to rest at home! Let’s call a taxi!”
Sho want to say some denials but he had no energy and only nodded. Aiba had still mumbled when they’ve riding taxi toward Sho’s house.
“Sakurai-san, we have arrives. Please stay conscious, I don’t know which your apartment is,” Aiba gently shook Sho’s body. Sho just mumbled something like yes, and apologized. Those things only gave a sign that he almost fainted to Aiba, and he was so worried now.
“Hang in there… We just reach your home, Sakurai-san,” Aiba saw the SAKURAI placard side the door so he pressed the bell. “Is nobody there, Sakurai-san?” Aiba impatiently. “Where is your key…? Is in your pocket?”
Sho nodded. His forehead was full of sweat. Aiba was besides him so he could see Sho face was very close just in centimeter, it made his heart pounding in seconds. He could felt his temperature through too, his fever became worse now as Sho breathed heavily too. Aiba took Sho’s keys and helped him to enter his house.
“You need to lie down…” said Aiba as he helped him to walk into a his bed.
“I’ll get you a compress. We have to make your fever go down…” Aiba has search some medicine and he hurried to go to the kitchen right after he made Sho lay in his bedroom.
“This… Take these…” said him offered some pills in this hand to the fainted man after checked Sho’s temperature. It was more than 37 degree celsius already... No wonder he fainted. Why he didn’t he just refuse of me and went back home for resting? Aiba wondered. Sho tried to sit but he was so pathetic and Aiba had to help him to.
“Let me help you. Here your water…” said Aiba. He was going to help him drinking medicine when saw the ring that across in his finger as he grip Aiba’s hand.
So, he has married…
“You have to rest… I’ll make you a soup, you better sleep now…”
So, he was married… and how stupid am I? I don’t even know for this long… he has a ring in his finger… and I am still expecting him? I’m so stupid…
Aiba felt annoyed, very very annoyed. Suddenly he felt that he was the most moron man in this world. Not only that, he irritated to anybody who married Sakurai Sho. How possible that a wife―his wife, not even in his home when Sakurai-san was sick. How could be that happen? Sakurai was a gentle man. She has to be grateful that she has such a nice husband? Sakurai-san deserves better, he thought.
Aiba couldn’t sweep the think that Sakurai was married, the fact that somebody has already had him has made him more frustrated. He cut his finger when he cooked. He felt so terrible afterward. He was angry because of those thought. He was the pathetic ones. Yes, he had to admit that.
The time showed that it almost 12 o’clock. Aiba could feel the urgent to hurry because he had no willing to met Sakurai’s wife here. He hated her who ever she was… So he cleaned up the kitchen as fast as he could after he made the soups. He had to hurry or he would meet that Sakurai’s wife and ended blaming to her through they haven’t met before. Yes, she had to be the one who would take care of Sakurai Sho!
“Sakurai-san, I put this soup on the table. Eat it when you awoken.. I gotta go now…well…” said Aiba to sleeping Sho. Aiba pulled the blanket to cover Sho’s sweating body and he saw Sho’s sleeping face a while, he has someone who would care of him… Aiba reminded it again then he took his left.
Take care…
~*~
*author note :
lovu_lovu_aiba :
Hello there :D
Looks like I can’t keep my promise to not write any multi-chap fic soon, since here I am! With new collaboration~ thank you for the opportunity to flail with you ritchuuki, let’s make this works ne :D
What do you think about the fic guys? Any comment, criticsm, love are welcomed xD
me :
Konnichi wa! This is my first collaboration fic… Pi help me a lot since my idea wasn’t complete, actually I just want her to write for me but she offered to have a collaboration! It’s my pleasure to work with her―A very rare opportunity right? xD She guide me, and she was very patient with my pace… Ok, let’s make this works ! ^^
Don’t be hesistant to tell me what do you think about this fic, nee?
next piece~
Author : ritchuuki and lovu_lovu_aiba in duet
Pairing : Sakuraiba
Genre : AU, Romance, Angst
Rating : PG 13
Beta : vinapple thank u sooo much dear *hugs*
Disclaimer : Just own the plot XD
Summary :
Q : What’s harder than forgetting something precious to you?
A : Trying to remember after its forgotten…
Tick… tock… tick… tock…
5… 4… 3… 2… 1!
The light wind blew Aiba’s hair when someone pushed the café’s door opened, the bell chimed cheerfully. ‘Irrashaimase!’ his boss’ voice greeted the guest as he mouthed the same word, to the gentleman in a nice suit. The guy looked around, Aiba tried to be patient although he already mumbled on his head, your spot is still empty. He knew he didn’t need to ask nor suggested a nice place to the man, the classy man already had his own spot. Somewhere in the quiet corner of the café, close to the wide window that made the orange sunset’s glow fell to the man’s hair, illuminated the warmth from his eyes.
He always came at the exact same time, the exact same place, like he was waiting and longing to meet someone. But no one came and he walked out from the café every time, alone… His figure when he walked away somehow made Aiba’s heart clenched in so many ways that he didn’t understand, what a lonely view…
“Usual spot, sir?” Aiba tried, although his sight fell to the man’s shoes. Ohno, his boss, would nag him later if he didn’t smile to the customers so he lifted his head a bit to see the man nodded in approval and let Aiba to lead the way. Aiba stumbled on his feet a bit before he straightened his back to walk the guy to his table while pretending and acting cool, trying not to kick anything on the way. He was clumsy just like that.
Aiba could clearly rewind on his head, the guy would sit elegantly, placed his coat nicely on the empty chair beside him then opened the menu book calmly. His eyes were running from page to page every time, although it would be the same in the end, ‘Dark coffee’ he would order just the same every time, so Aiba really didn’t understand why he bother to pretend to see the menu.
“Dark coffee, please…”
“Please wait for a moment, sir…” he bowed a bit and took the menu with him before walked back to the counter and helped Ohno to prepare the coffee, he was practically just watching Ohno drilling the coffee beans though.
Not long after, he brought a cup of dark coffee to the man’s table, thanks to Ohno’s efficiency despite his sleepy looks, as tried his best to not fell face flat on the floor.
“Your coffee, sir…” he placed the cup nicely also cream and sugar, although again he knew the man wouldn’t use them.
“Thank you,” there the reply and a simply nod before the man backed to stare at his laptop, for whatever he had to do.
“Do you need anything else?”
The man shook his head lightly, there was a suppress smile lingered on his lips -Aiba felt the heat around him raised at the sight without any particular reason- before he answered, “No, it’s fine.”
“Please call me if you need anything,” the man nodded at Aiba’s remarks, positively didn’t catch the changing color of Aiba’s face as the later bow a bit before back to the counter a bit too quickly for his own taste.
A bit breathless Aiba stood behind the counter as his eyes were lingering longer to the man every time he checked the situation of the café. He didn’t even aware of his surrounding until Ohno tapped his shoulder lightly.
“You can’t give customer a special attention, you know?” he joked when again Aiba’s face flustered beet red at the remark.
“I-No, I-he was just-” he shuttered as Ohno laughed a bit. “Oh-chan! I really didn’t! I just think that he always comes at the same time…”
“Oh, Sakurai-san?” Ohno caught the glimpse of the man in the corner when Aiba tried his best to not whine, he was afraid the particular Sakurai-san would notice if they talk about him.
“Is that his name?”
Ohno smiled, “He is a regular…”
“It looks like he is waiting for… someone… it’s just curious me…” he tried to say it casually, but obviously failed at the task.
“Then he already waited for long time, I think you just overly thinking about it since he surely didn’t get anything for coming here except a cup of coffee, also, it’s none of our business…”
Aiba nodded at Ohno’s admonition and he was trying to not stare at Sakurai too much, partly failed though because really… the guy’s figure stunned Aiba. Black hair that also covered half of his wide temple, strong eyes, chubby cheeks and the rosy full lips, Aiba needed to slap himself in real life before he could stop stripping the guy with his eyes.
His interest toward guys wasn’t changing also apparently. A smile appeared across his lips when he noticed that he was still himself, there was part of him that never changed no matter what and he couldn’t be more grateful. Although he wasn’t that grateful for the fact that there were blank spots over his memories, like the black ink that dripped over a story book, made some pages were unreadable. Or like he woke up as 30 years old clueless man, who had no idea how was his own life over the last 4 years. Just like he went through time machine and became older by 4 years without having a clue what had happened, only some new wrinkles over the corner of his eyes as evidence that the time has passed without him knowing.
In short, he was having an amnesia.
Or dissociative amnesia as his doctor said, he even wondered if he could spell his own illness right without bit his own tongue.
He wasn’t crazy… or so his doctor said.
He might just had faced a traumatic event that made he lost part of his memories. Though maybe lost wasn’t a proper word to explain it, he didn’t lose it, it was just repressed under the unconsciousness as his defense mechanism toward that particular trauma he couldn’t even remember. Just to make it perfect, that he didn’t have anyone particular to ask about his past, since apparently he was loner enough to make friends. Ohno, his only friend from the past also didn’t know his life back the last 4 years, although Aiba must say that he was grateful that Ohno wanted to help him and got him a job in his café until Aiba got a new job. Good thing that all his knowledge he got as veterinarian wasn’t gone together with his current memory.
The last piece of his past that kept safely on his brain was his graduation from a university in US, he couldn’t even recall the graduation party at all, then suddenly he was awake from comma in Japan. He remembered that he had a plan to stay in US because he really didn’t have anyone in Japan. He was raised in an orphanage and lucky enough to get scholarship to study veterinarian in US after he graduated from high school. As his life in Japan, he didn’t have that many friends as well in US, or might be not that close to keep in touch with him for years.
In the mess, Ohno appeared, he said he knew Aiba for his last 4 years although the later had no clue at all how they met. Even so, Ohno gave him a place to live and a job to do so for whatever he did in the past he was glad to have him now. But having Ohno around didn’t raise anything at all of his memories and Ohno already explained that he couldn’t really help with Aiba’s life before he was back to Japan, because they didn’t meet that much due Ohno’s work. And Aiba left with his story book full of black pages.
He tried to remember, he really did. Yet every time he tried, his heart would boost with dreads and fears. Why did he feel it? He couldn’t answer it himself. Only that his body would start to treble and the next he would feel his own tears, and again he didn’t even understand what the tears for. As the matter of fact he only understood that he unconsciously rejected to remember, that he came to a conclusion, if his brain rejected that much, it must be really painful. Then why did he need to try only to get a painful thing to face later? His brain already decided that forgetting it would be easier, then why he bothers?
Or he might be just tired to try…
Or his life at the moment was perfect enough, without the blank spots of his memories…
~*~
The door bell rang again and again, giving the signal that this evening was quite crowded in Green Season. Possibly because tomorrow was weekend already, people had plenty time to spend in the café. It’s spring already but the temperature was still cold. It was march after all, and Ohno’s coffee was perfect for the season, Aiba didn’t doubt it, because he loved it also. Ohno’s espresso was the best he ever tasted in Japan, maybe in the world? But he didn’t go anywhere except Japan and US, although he was sure enough about it. His friend was a barista, a very rare job here, and Ohno could make the greatest coffee which could attract people. Somehow Aiba was proud of him, he was glad that he still had a friend like Ohno in Japan. He was really lucky.
Suddenly he noticed that there was a table which needed his service as he hurried moved around the tables to reach the costumer and filled their empty cups. He wouldn’t be dauntless enough to make them wait.
Unexpectedly he felt someone bumped him from behind as clumsy as always he lost his balance and spilled the coffee to a customer. Aiba got panicked. The costumer’s screamed resounded when the hot water burnt her skins leaving Aiba fluttered, asked for her forgiveness. With some low bows he clumsily wiped the marks left with his napkin. His mind was blank and he didn’t have any clue what to do at the moment except to apologize.
The girl got angry very quickly as she started to yell to the poor waiter, “IT HURTS…!!! WHAT have you done, you idiot! You splashed a pot of hot coffee onto me!”
“I’m… I am so sorry, miss! I am so sorry… Did you hurt?” Aiba sounded worry.
Despite the apology the girl tossed Aiba’s hand away as she continued her complains, “And what the hell did you touch!?!”
“Ehh!? Please forgive my rudeness, but I am… I’m so sorry…”
“What happened? I’m really sorry for my worker’s clumsiness, maybe we can talk at the staff room…? We are so sorry that we mess your cloth and we will take a full responsibility,” Ohno pulled Aiba’s back hurriedly bowed to his costumer―In a very deep one.
She was very upset that she wouldn’t let Aiba go easily. She continued her complains, “You don’t know I just bought this dress yesterday and now you messed it! Yes, I’ll make you take responsibility young man! Don’t ever think I would accept your sorry this easy!!!”
“Miss, please forgive him. I am the one who actually shoved him… It’s nothing to do with this waiter. So please… This just pure my own faulth, I am really sorry…” said Sakurai. He unintentionally pushed Aiba’s back when he passed them from the rest room. Now, he bowed to that girl.
“It’s... okay then…” said that girl a little embarrassed. “But I will give you the laundry bill”.
“Yes… Please,” said the man on suit. “Thank you…” he gave her his name card.
“Thank you, Miss! I am really sorry for this too… I will not repeat it again!” said Aiba cheerfully then he bowed to her. Ohno bowed her too before they started to wipe the floor right after that. Sakurai nodded to them once he walked back to his table. Aiba couldn’t help but to glance at him in silence.
Not very long after that the clumsy waiter saw him had organized his things from table then he gave him a sign that he was about to ask the bill. Sakurai-san usually left his money on the table without asking the bill… He just walked out... And sure he usually leaving at 10 p.m. right before the café closed. It only 9 o’clock―the clumsy waiter peeked out his watch, there’s one hour left. Unusual. Maybe he just wanted to take his leaves early this time, or maybe he just needed a reason to talk to him as he called him like this… No, it was impossible, that was so silly Aiba thought of him.
“Yes, sir. This is your bill…”
“Thank you…” said the sitting man. “And… I am so sorry I’d pushed you on my way and I gave you trouble right? I owe you an apology for that…” Sakurai nodded.
The taller man just smiled, “No… sir, you don’t owe me anything. It is pure just an accident... You don’t have to worry about me.”
“No, I can’t….”
“Really… It’s alright…” said Aiba. He really happy he had a chance to talk to Sakurai.
This costumer is real a mystery to him, he couldn’t even try to think that they would had an opportunity to have little chat like this. Sakurai stood up to bowed lightly at him and then he pulled out his wallet. He was taking a sheet of 10.000 yen then put it on the table, “I’m so sorry for the mess. I cannot say anything than sorry… You may take the change…” he scratched his head.
“No, Sir. This was too much and I won’t be happy with this…” said the taller waiter shaken his head. “Rather than you give me a tip… I’d like to be a friend with you if I’m not asking too much…” Aiba couldn’t believe that he had said that short of sentences himself. He was afraid that he had been too bold to ask such things to a costumer, but he really wanted to be friend with Sakurai now, the guy who had made him curious about for these couple weeks.
“Well, that’s alright…” Sho answered honestly. “But at least let me buy you a meal later…” continued that man.
“Then, how about tonight have a yakiniku after this? My shift will end in less than one hour, we can talk about things…” Aiba got excited. He didn’t try to hide his enthusiasm this time… He knew he wouldn’t succeed to hide it. He was very happy as he can felt the butterfly fluttered on his stomach.
“Okay… I get it...” said Sakurai then put his coat and his briefcase at table. He knew he couldn’t say no and refused the taller man, then he sat again with a simple smile in his lips that Aiba could saw. It actually made him flying… So that Aiba gave his smile too in a half blush face. Fortunately Sakurai didn’t saw him on face.
~*~
Awkwardness lingered around when Aiba and Sho walked to the nearest yakiniku-ya from Green Season right after it closed, or actually after Ohno literally kicked Aiba out so he didn’t make Sho wait any longer. Aiba moved his fingers nervously, as he tried to come up with something, something that could make this man beside him didn’t feel dead bored, he opened his lips desperately although his head felt blank when Sho preceded him, “So… Friends?”
“I’m sorry, it was very rude of me! I mean you are our regular guest and I always notice it when you came and! But it was so rude, I’m just waiter, I’m really sorry!”
Surprisingly Sho laughed over the waiter’s babbling, “It’s not like that. What’s wrong with being a waiter, there is nothing bad about it and there is no rule that a waiter cannot be friends with the guest right?”
Aiba nodded his head as his cheeks flushed because of his silly raving, the other smiled lightly in approval, “So, will you tell me why?”
Aiba hesitant once before he continued, “What is the reason I want to be a friend with you…?” with blushed Aiba asked him to make sure again what really Sakurai want to know. It made him feel the awkward situation.
“Oh, well. Don’t say that you won’t tell me... Yes, what?” this time was Sakurai whom looked a bit hesitant.
“What… why did I ask that? I don’t know why, Sakurai-san. I just… I just…” he stopped his words, paused. “Maybe I am curious about you…” Aiba giggled.
“No, you have to be lie. People said that I am boring one, I’m damn too serious… I hope you won’t lose your interest on me then, Aiba-san? ” said the older man in burst of laugh.
“Eh…? I won’t, I will not…” Aiba’s looked straight to the later face. “So you remembered my name, Sakurai-san?”
“Sure…” he smiled as the later smiled.
Aiba couldn’t help to raise his big smile. Then he straightly offered his hand for a hand-shake, “My name is Aiba Masaki. I am working at Green Season as you know… just a part-timer…” Aiba did not want to mention that he had a veterinarian degree because he just didn’t get job yet.
“Sakurai Sho. My profession is teaching at university…” his low voice heard so sexy to the later.
“A collage teacher? That’s so cool… I always though your job had to be cool back then, and I was right.”
Sho laughed too.
“Where do you teach? what major? if I may ask… Oh let me guest, hmmm… Math…? in which daigaku?”
“No... It’s not. I teach economic at Keio university…”
Aiba’s mouth almost opened because of shock, “You work at such prestigious university! How long you become a teacher? You must be happy to meet many people everyday…” the taller man kept asking things to him. His tension always as this high when he got excited. “I am sorry for asking so many questions… You must be very proud…”
“No… not at all…”
Aiba was peeking into Sho’s eyes as he found out that Sakurai-san wasn’t said only the formalities. He looked a bit shy when he said that, he was a very humble person despite his looks―type that looks hard to approach or maybe a little arrogant. And he fell for him. Sakurai Sho was a kind person. He knew it from the start how he would pretend to look at the menu while he only gave his usual order. Aiba really glad he would know about him more from this on.
“Do you any have plans? It is really alright to accompany me?” asked Aiba again.
“I have no business left… I’m just planning to go back home for rest”.
“Do I getting your way…?”
“No, you don’t. Besides that, I am lucky to have your company. I hadn’t eaten dinner, I am so hungry…” Sho giggled at the younger.
“Ok. It not far anymore… Just a right on there,” Aiba hoped he won’t be too offense toward him.
“Okay…” but suddenly he grab Aiba’s shoulder. Maybe his feed crumpled and almost falling to ground. “Sorry… Sorry…” he mumbled to the later then he got rid of his hand.
Aiba noticed that something wrong with him, “Are you alright? You’re not feeling good?”
The shorter man just shoke his head, “I’m okay…”
Something was not right so Aiba dared putting his hand on Sho’s temple. “It’s freaking hot! Oh my God, Sakurai-san… You had a fever. Why don’t you tell me?”Aiba yelled at him. Then he pulled one of his arm towards his shoulder, “You should not waste your time to chit-chat with me or moreover! You have to rest at home! Let’s call a taxi!”
Sho want to say some denials but he had no energy and only nodded. Aiba had still mumbled when they’ve riding taxi toward Sho’s house.
“Sakurai-san, we have arrives. Please stay conscious, I don’t know which your apartment is,” Aiba gently shook Sho’s body. Sho just mumbled something like yes, and apologized. Those things only gave a sign that he almost fainted to Aiba, and he was so worried now.
“Hang in there… We just reach your home, Sakurai-san,” Aiba saw the SAKURAI placard side the door so he pressed the bell. “Is nobody there, Sakurai-san?” Aiba impatiently. “Where is your key…? Is in your pocket?”
Sho nodded. His forehead was full of sweat. Aiba was besides him so he could see Sho face was very close just in centimeter, it made his heart pounding in seconds. He could felt his temperature through too, his fever became worse now as Sho breathed heavily too. Aiba took Sho’s keys and helped him to enter his house.
“You need to lie down…” said Aiba as he helped him to walk into a his bed.
“I’ll get you a compress. We have to make your fever go down…” Aiba has search some medicine and he hurried to go to the kitchen right after he made Sho lay in his bedroom.
“This… Take these…” said him offered some pills in this hand to the fainted man after checked Sho’s temperature. It was more than 37 degree celsius already... No wonder he fainted. Why he didn’t he just refuse of me and went back home for resting? Aiba wondered. Sho tried to sit but he was so pathetic and Aiba had to help him to.
“Let me help you. Here your water…” said Aiba. He was going to help him drinking medicine when saw the ring that across in his finger as he grip Aiba’s hand.
So, he has married…
“You have to rest… I’ll make you a soup, you better sleep now…”
So, he was married… and how stupid am I? I don’t even know for this long… he has a ring in his finger… and I am still expecting him? I’m so stupid…
Aiba felt annoyed, very very annoyed. Suddenly he felt that he was the most moron man in this world. Not only that, he irritated to anybody who married Sakurai Sho. How possible that a wife―his wife, not even in his home when Sakurai-san was sick. How could be that happen? Sakurai was a gentle man. She has to be grateful that she has such a nice husband? Sakurai-san deserves better, he thought.
Aiba couldn’t sweep the think that Sakurai was married, the fact that somebody has already had him has made him more frustrated. He cut his finger when he cooked. He felt so terrible afterward. He was angry because of those thought. He was the pathetic ones. Yes, he had to admit that.
The time showed that it almost 12 o’clock. Aiba could feel the urgent to hurry because he had no willing to met Sakurai’s wife here. He hated her who ever she was… So he cleaned up the kitchen as fast as he could after he made the soups. He had to hurry or he would meet that Sakurai’s wife and ended blaming to her through they haven’t met before. Yes, she had to be the one who would take care of Sakurai Sho!
“Sakurai-san, I put this soup on the table. Eat it when you awoken.. I gotta go now…well…” said Aiba to sleeping Sho. Aiba pulled the blanket to cover Sho’s sweating body and he saw Sho’s sleeping face a while, he has someone who would care of him… Aiba reminded it again then he took his left.
Take care…
~*~
*author note :
lovu_lovu_aiba :
Hello there :D
Looks like I can’t keep my promise to not write any multi-chap fic soon, since here I am! With new collaboration~ thank you for the opportunity to flail with you ritchuuki, let’s make this works ne :D
What do you think about the fic guys? Any comment, criticsm, love are welcomed xD
me :
Konnichi wa! This is my first collaboration fic… Pi help me a lot since my idea wasn’t complete, actually I just want her to write for me but she offered to have a collaboration! It’s my pleasure to work with her―A very rare opportunity right? xD She guide me, and she was very patient with my pace… Ok, let’s make this works ! ^^
Don’t be hesistant to tell me what do you think about this fic, nee?
next piece~