[multi-chap] The Song of Storm - ch.6/?
Title: The Song of Storm - side story/sequel to You think You know Me
Pairing: OhMiya (main), Sakuraiba (side), Aimiya
Rating: PG-13 - R (not sure, might change as the story goes on)
Genre: AU, fluff, romance, angst (a lot!)
Summary: Nino's life was always full with ups and downs. But he desereves to be happy too, right? Who knew that'd be a stormy road to reach that...
A/N: starts before the other fic in timeline. no special need to read the other fic to understand this but feel free to do so XD yoroshiku, ne? m(-.-)m
A/N2: age-gap between Ohno and Nino is 10-years. Enough to be an excuse but not too much to make Oh-chan look like a total perv XD
Previous chapters:
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5
Chapter 6: Two years later
“Guess what! They gave me a new manager…” Aiba told to his best friend.
They sat at a far away corner in some club well hidden from other people and their prying eyes.
“Uso! When?”
Ever since Aiba debut concert, the boy gave hard times to all his managers so they quitted almost right away. Nino lost counted them but he was sure it could count as a Guinness Record how much people Aiba made quit.
“It’s your sixth or seventh manager you got in the past year, isn’t it?” he asked grinning, as much as he felt sorry for those people from time to time, Aiba was his best friend and he knew why he is doing what he does. He understood and was kind of proud of the idol-boy.
“He’s the ninth actually…” Aiba corrected. “He started… let’s see… in two weeks?”
“Two weeks ago? And you’re telling me this just now?” Nino pouted.
“When I should’ve told you it? You were at fucking Okinawa…” now it was Aiba’s turn to pout at his friend.
“Well, my life is hard, I need vacation from time to time” Nino shot back smirking.
But it wasn’t about vacation… Again, it was that time of the year when Nino felt he had to get as far away from Tokyo as he could. As far away Ohno as it was possible… It was two years ago that he broke his heart but he could still feel the choking feeling, the squeezing in his heart when he remembered.
‘This can’t happen… I can’t let this happen…’
But neither distance helped. It did for a few days but after that the fact that he was miles away from Ohno started to killing him. Yet he stayed. After all, he needed to learn how to live without him…
Aiba’s voice cut through Nino’s painful thoughts.
“Ah… I should go… Have work tomorrow morning…” Aiba whined getting up from their booth.
A knowing smile ghosted over Nino’s lips. Aiba still pretended to hate his work and gave the hardest time of their life to nearly every staff member who got to work with him but Nino knew him better. He saw that by now Aiba actually like to be an idol; to perform and sell dreams…
Rather reluctantly Nino followed his friend. There was no meaning in staying alone. He would just end up thinking again…
“Then maybe I go to class tomorrow if I go home this early…” he commented as they stepped out of the bar.
“Maybe, huh?” Aiba grinned at his friend.
“Hey! Will you have dance practice tomorrow?” the question slipped Nino’s mouth before he could stop it.
“In the afternoon. Why?” Aiba asked slightly surprised by the sudden change of topic.
“Hmm… I guess I’ll drop by then…” Nino grabbed himself and putting on a smug smirk he entwined his fingers behind his head.
Aiba blinked at him confused first then understanding glinted in his eyes and his lips turned into a pout again.
“Oi! You just want to molest Oh-chan again!” he whined realizing Nino’s real motive.
“Of course I do! He has the nicest, fluffiest butt I ever seen, like hell I give up any chance to put my hand on it!” Nino smirked giddily some more.
“Pervert…” Aiba grumbled and offended by the fact that Nino was interested only in his instructor’s backside he hailed a cab and got in without saying goodbye to Nino.
Nino sighed and dropped his hands as he stared after Aiba’s taxi.
‘It’s better this way’ Nino thought.
Even Aiba was his best friend, Nino kept a few secrets from him. Mostly the things that involved Ohno and him… He wasn’t ashamed about his feelings for the older man, not for a second but it was better if Aiba didn’t know. The idol trusted v people. Ohno was one of them. Nino was afraid it might break if he told Aiba what happened between the two of them…
So it was better if Aiba - and everyone else - thought he was just some perv with a butt-groping fetish… Though as much as he talked about it to keep up the image, it actually happened once only… or twice… okay, three times the most!...
After their break-up - can it be called like that? Nino wasn’t sure but he had no better word for that - Nino stopped going to the jimusho. He didn’t even attend to the junior-meetings despite to his uncle’s order to be present at every meeting. So far he was forgiven cause he said he was studying at the time but his uncle didn’t accept more excuses and he had to come.
As he walked toward the meeting room, it happened.
The one who was happened to walk right in front of him; to the same direction, was none other than: Ohno.
Nino didn’t see him in months. The love, anger, loneliness rushed to him all at once yet the older man looked calm as always which pissed Nino off more.
Later Nino had no idea what got into him. All he knew he just wanted to get some kind of reaction from the dance instructor. So he reached out his hand and groped Ohno’s butt…
“Nino?” Ohno looked at him; his unreadable face showed the tiniest hints of surprise as he looked at the boy.
Nino couldn’t say he got what he wanted.
“You’re hopeless…” Nino sighed and walked away.
There’s always a second time, right?...
The blasting music reached its end and the dance hall fell silent except Ohno’s heavy panting. Aiba’s new double-A sided single was due to next month and the management wanted dance PV to both of them. The second choreography was nowhere near to be finished yet… He couldn’t concentrate. Not this time of the year…
‘I love you… I love you… I love you… Don’t you love me too?’
He wondered what was Nino doing now?
“Where are you now?... What are you doing now?” Ohno whispered as looked out the huge, wide window at the glinting lights of Tokyo.
Somewhere out there was his beloved one. Far, far away from him, he felt the same pain even if they were in the same room…
He missed him so badly!
“Satoshi-kun! Don’t overstress yourself, let’s go home! Toma’s waiting in the car…”
At Jun’s voice the dance instructor turned around and looked at the stylist who was standing in the doorway.
“Thanks, Jun, but I have to finish Aiba-chan’s choreography. Go home first! I’ll just take a taxi or something…” Ohno said shrugging.
“And they say I’M a workaholic” Jun tried to joke to hide his concern.
“Go! You’re boyfriend is waiting!” Ohno tried to shoo away his friend and it worked.
He knew that Jun just meant good that’s why in the past two years he always invited him to go home together with them or eat dinner with them, heck, last summer he even proposed to go on a vacation the three of them together! As much as he was grateful and counted Jun was still worried that ‘he might do something stupid’ but all the things he did to keep Ohno try suicide or something just pushed him closer to depression… Seeing so closely how happy Jun and Toma were just made his heart ache more and made him feel he wants to punch someone hard in the face…
‘Why we can’t be like that? Don’t we deserve to be happy too?’
With a sigh he walked toward the door. He’ll need a coffee to stay awake and work…
As he walked to the vending machines his thought was still swirling around Nino ans he bumped into someone who might had the same intention as him…
“Ah, Ohno-san, konbanwa! You’re still working?” Sho asked with a polite smile.
“Sakurai-san, doumo!” Ohno bowed his head a little. “I can ask the same thing…”
“I have a lot to catch up on managing and Aiba-san’s former works too…” Sho admitted slightly embarrassed. He always felt like a stalker when he watched Aiba’s works cause he couldn’t escape their affects on him…
“Sou desuka…”
“How about you?”
“I still have to finish the choreography to Aiba-chan’s new single” the dance instructor answered.
“He gives a lot of work you us, ne?” Sho said with a soft, sad chuckle.
“He’s a bit… handful but he’s a good boy…” Ohno said slightly protective.
“I never said he isn’t!” Sho said defensively. “But I wasn’t trained to be an idol’s manager! I don’t know how to do this job!” ‘Let alone with a spoiled brat like him!’ Sho added in thought.
“Just give it time… To yourself , and to him too… I’m working with Aiba-chan ever since he… joined the jimusho. He’ll warm up to you with time…” Ohno said on a calm, serious tone.
To Sho’s ears it sounded some kind of prophecy, also, talking to Ohno calmed down Sho’s ruffled nerves.
“Thank you, Ohno-san!” Sho smiled at the dance instructor gratefully.
Ohno just nodded his head silently before headed back to his dance hall…
Nino arrived back to his apartment way after midnight. He felt strangely tired - though he did nothing tiring during the day - and all he wanted to collapse into bed. But he couldn’t. The flashing light on his answering machine indicated a new message. It never meant good…
“Kazunari! Pack your things; the car picks you up at 6 in the morning tomorrow. You come with me to Osaka for the auditions. Be ready!”
Yeah, usually this type of messages waited him from his uncle.
Since he finished high school, the old man wasn’t that interested in his academic grows. He was satisfied with Nino finishing on top with the final exams and got into Toudai, majoring in business and management. Ever since his idea of Aiba with saxophone succeeded, Johnny seemed to think on-field experience was more important and useful. Therefore he demanded Nino to attend every audition also half a year ago he ‘promoted’ him to be the chief-manager of the junior staff. But who takes seriously a 19-year old chief-manager? Of course none! This made Nino’s life a living Hell for 2 to 6 hours every month…
“Osaka, huh?” Nino mumbled sighing.
He wanted to see Ohno at least… He missed him so much…
“Hey! What are you doing here?” Aiba asked surprised when he spotted Nino on his dressing room’s couch absorbed in his DS, a week after they last met.
“Can’t I visit my best friend?” Nino asked back without turning his gaze from his game. It was the final boss…
“Yeah… well maybe I’d believe that you’d wanted to see me if you at least look at me…” Aiba said pouting. “Move away!” he said poking Nino’s side to get some space for himself on the couch too. “You didn’t come the other day…”
“Sorry for that” Nino closed his DS and sat up. “Uncle took me to Osaka to see the auditions… If I think that I had to miss that butt for a bunch of talentless kids… What a shame…” Nino whined tossing his head back for the act. But it wasn’t just Ohno’s butt he missed…
Aiba just laughed at him at this.
“Anyway, where’s he?” Nino asked suddenly.
“Where is who?” Aiba asked back looking at his friend.
“Who? Who? Your new or not-so-new manager, of course! I really want to see him already…” Nino smirked.
Aiba’s face immediately turned dark at the mention of Sho.
“Don’t even mention him. The best part of my day is when he is not here…” he said.
Just as the last syllable left Aiba’s lips there was a knock on the door.
“Shitsureishimasu… Aiba-san…” Sho stopped in midsentence when he noticed the other man next to Aiba. “Ehm… Pardon me but… who are you?” he asked politely though didn’t like the possibility that strangers hang around Aiba. They can cause bad affect on him and he was here to hinder that…
“He’s Nino, my best friend” Aiba answered instead of Nino while he stared at his nails bored.
In the meanwhile Nino got up from the couch and approached the manager eyeing him as if he was some pageant in the zoo. On the other hand Sho had a pretty bad feeling about the look in Nino’s eyes. Kind of predatory and mocking and there was the promise that he was up to no good.
“Come on, Aiba-chan, you never mentioned that this new manager of yours is hot!” Nino said then out of the blue he groped the man’s butt with his stubby fingers, earning a squeal from Sho. “But Oh-chan’s butt is still the best…” he added with an evil smirk.
Sho jumped away from the skinny boy beat read. Aiba on the other hand looked at his friend as if he was betrayed.
“What? What’s hot on this? He looks like a chipmunk, an ugly one, not to mention…” he said indignantly.
“If you think so” Nino shrugged and walked back to the couch to continue his game. He got what he came for after all…
“What do you want?” Aiba asked Sho who more or less managed to get back his normal complexion.
“Oh… Matsumoto-kun’s here to choose your costume for tomorrow’s performance…” Sho said when he could recall why he came originally.
“Okay” Aiba agreed surprisingly easily.
Sho opened the door for Jun who pushed in at least a dozen of various outfits on a trolley for fitting.
“Hey, Matsujun!” Aiba grinned at the stylist happily and bounced to him for a hug.
“Yo!” Nino muttered from behind his DS but didn’t look at the stylist.
“Hi, Aiba-chan! Ninomiya…” Jun bowed his head coldly to the skinny boy. “Can we get started?” he asked smiling at the idol softly.
“Sure!” Aiba nodded pulling his shirt over his head quickly.
“Okay then, take these on…” Jun took a hanger and handed it to Aiba but the idol wasn’t paying attention to him.
“Oi! Get out, pervert!” Aiba yelled at Sho who stood next to the door silently watching over the outfit trying and the idol held his shirt in front of his chest to cover himself.
“Wha…?” Sho gaped at him with wide eyes.
Nino couldn’t hold back his mocking giggle as he watched from the corner of his eye that the manager shook his head and left the dressing room.
Now that Sho was gone Aiba followed Jun’s orders obediently and tried on every outfit. Nino didn’t look up from his game, still he could feel the cold, malignant glances that the stylist shot him every now and then. He knew it was because Jun was Ohno’s friend; that he was just worried about the older man; that he wanted the best for him and he thought Nino hamstrung it…
“I’ll take a walk… See you later, Aiba-chan! Matsumoto…” he nodded shortly to the stylist before he walked out.
“Ah… okay… Bye, Nino-chan…” Aiba mumbled to the closed door…
Nino dipped his hands into his pocket and walked down aimlessly on the corridors with a pout on his lips. He was angry. He hated that every time he met Jun he ended up with the feeling of guilt. Feeling guilty that he ruins Ohno’s life…
Before he knew it, his feet took him to the place where he could always calm down. To Ohno’s dance hall…
Blasting music filled the whole room and Nino watched from the door as Ohno danced. His face was focused, small droplets of sweat poured down on his skin… Nino couldn’t tear away his glance. He knew he should go, leave Ohno alone, not bother him… but he couldn’t… He just stood there and stared at his man…
In the next turn Ohno freeze on his spot.
“Hey, Nino…” Ohno whispered with a delighted smile on his lips seeing the younger boy. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh… sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you… I’m… going… Sorry…” Nino whispered blushing and turned away.
“No! Nino, wait! I didn’t mean it like that!” Ohno said quickly. “Come back, please… It was a long time since we last talked…” the dance instructor said smiling sadly.
Nino turned back slowly to the older man. He tried, he really did but he couldn’t stop his strumming heartbeat.
“Yeah… you were busy so I didn’t want to bother you…” Nino said looking at his feet.
“You never bother me!” Ohno said shaking his head.
Nino looked up smiling at him. This made Ohno sigh with relief. As Nino walked back into the dance hall, the older man went to fetch his towel and turn off the stereo.
“Did you not want to become a dancer? With your talent you should be you should be the one standing in the spotlight, not helping spoiled brats to do so…” Nino said looking at Ohno with a strange, dreamy expression.
But Ohno just laughed at him.
“No, never. Standing on the stage would be too much work, stress… No, thanks, I don’t need that! I’m happy with my life the way it is now…” Ohno said chuckling as he whipped off the sweat from his face and neck.
‘So you’re happy with your life now… without me…’ Nino thought slightly bitter. Was he the only one who doesn’t deserve to be happy?!
“What about you, Nino? What about your dreams for the future?” Ohno asked looking at the boy smiling.
“My dreams? All ruined…” Nino mumbled.
“What? Ruined? Nino…” Ohno started when he reminded: ‘Satoshi, please… You, you’re my future, my life… Please…’ He sighed. “Kazu, don’t start this… We talked, closed it years ago… This can’t…” Ohno started slightly frustrated and sad.
“I talked about my baseball carrier!” Nino said loudly to interrupt Ohno. He rather lied than Ohno talk on that tone ever again…
“What?” the older man choked out and blinked at Nino.
“Ever since kindergarten I dreamed to become a pro baseball player and right after winning Koushien… But then uncle took me in and I had to transfer school where I had to stop baseball but I still hoped… Till I broke my wrist…” Nino trailed off and closed his eyes quickly to hold back his tears.
So far he was too wrapped up in his (not completely) unrequited feelings for Ohno that he forgot they weren’t the only thing he lost.
“Oh, Kazu…” Ohno breathed out and walked to the boy to hug him, comfort him…
But Nino slipped away.
“I have to go…”
With that, he ran out…
A/N: hey there! so,little time-jump since the last chapter but inserted flashbacks will fill up the holes... or at least I hope so... XD so, Sho appeared finally, yay for that! ^-^ how did you like the yama-scene? Oh-chan always has thet calming effect and I wanted to picture that XD anyway, I hope you like it! oh, and from now on there'll be some scenes from You think You know Me... those who read that will notice it anyway, those who didn't, well, it doesn't actually matters, LOL XD see you in next chap ;)