[Arashi Household Series] love is waiting on each other
He was just lounging on the sofa in their home when suddenly a call from Tsuyoshi came to his cell. He was asked if he could come by to the store. Ohno looked at the clock hanging on their wall. 3 o’clock. He still got time before their dinner plan.
So he took a bath and put on some clean clothes before heading out of the house, not forgetting to lock the door and windows before he left. He walked through the neighborhood and passed a high school boy who just got back from school. The boy smiled at him and he smiled back. He recognized the boy from the neighborhood. He thinks the boy lived not far from their house.
He had to changed lane to get to Yoyogi. He’s glad the trains weren’t as crowded as he thought and that he was able to get a seat on both trains. He arrived at Yoyogi Station a few minutes later. With a 10 minutes walk towards Sendagaya, he finally got his foot in Tsuyoshi’s small shop.
The shop is on the small corner on the back street, away from the main road. The front of the shop was only decorated with a hand painted sign board with three numbers on it: ‘244’. The door open with a jingling noise and Ohno was soon greeted with a smell of paint and vinyl.
“Ohno! Thanks for coming.” The shop owner greeted him.
“What is it?” He took off his jacket and placed it on the counter.
“I wanna show you some art work.” He took out two canvases from behind the desk and gave one to Ohno while the other is put on the table. He held it carefully. It was a medium size canvas, filled with curves and bold lines. There are no significant shapes on them, just strokes of paint forming circles or spirals. But what attracts Ohno the most is the use of colours. The painter obviously like to use bright colors. Red, pink, lime green, blue, yellow, all mixed to create a very pop-ish art. It looks almost girly to Ohno’s liking, but no doubt unique and somehow cute.
“It looks kind of your style.” Ohno commented.
“You think so?” Tsuyoshi observed the objet d’art. “It’s from a new comer from Hyogo.”
Ohno looked surprised. “Kansai? Then why bother send it all the way to Tokyo?”
“I asked for him to send it. A customer recommended him to me.”
Ohno nodded in comprehension. “So you’re going to sell it here?”
“Just two for now. I have to see the customer’s appraisal. But I really like it. Don’t you?”
“Yeah. It has its own characteristic.”
“Speaking of characteristic, do you realize that you’re style kinda change?”
The younger artist furrowed his eyebrow. “Me? Change how?”
“It turns a bit..softer.” Tsuyoshi said as he took both paintings and look for a place to display it.
“Oh. Well maybe it’s because I live in a different environment now. So I think it kind of changed the way I look on things.” Then his face stiffens. “Is it bad?”
Tsuyoshi waved a hand in front of his face. “No, no. Not at all!” He stopped in front of a wall where there’s some empty space on it. “I think it was good. Even the famous artists changed their style from time to time. It means that they’re skill is growing.”
“I see.”
Ohno searched his minds or the art that he’s done before and compared them. It’s quite true that in the past Ohno often make realistic paintings with fine sophisticated details. But lately he’s been into abstract with softer wavy strokes and pale colours. Ohno wonders if it’s because lately his housemates have been looking at his paintings and giving him inputs. Like what colour should he use, or which paintbrush should he draw with.
But then again maybe it’s because like he said, he had come to live in a completely different environment. He used to paint in solitude, locking himself inside his room, when he was living with his parents. Well, he still does it, only now he got an occasional knock on the door. Usually it’s Jun bringing him food, or Sho who told him to get to sleep. Aiba and Nino came by too. Both reviewing his paintings like they’re pro and making suggestions to him. Or sometimes they just lay on the couch in his art room, reading magazines. Sometimes Nino would to pick up a used paper and a marker and starts drawing anything. Ohno thinks that he did that to keep him company.
Either way, those kinds of things soften his heart and apparently, his art too.
“There, it’s done. It really is a nice art.” Tsuyoshi’s voice woke him up from his thoughts. He saw that Tsuyoshi had finally finished putting up the new paintings. He lined them up next to each other with only little space between them.
Ohno tilted his head to the side and realized someting. “Wait, it’s actually one painting separated into two canvases?” Now that it was lined up like that, Ohno can see that both canvas formed one picture. A tilted number 8. And he read the title on the card beneath it hand written by Tsuyoshi.
Mugendai by Yasuda Shota.
Mugendai. Infinity.
Ohno wonder what this ‘infinity’ means to the painter.
Then the vintage clock placed on Tsuyoshi’s desk next to register caught his attention.
“Oh, I have to go. I got plans.”
“Are you meeting up with Sakurai?”
“Yeah. And the others too.”
“Tell him I said hi.”
Ohno smiled and grabbed his jacket. “I will. See you later, Tsuyoshi!” Then he waved him goodbye and walked out of the shop. As he was walking towards the direction of Yoyogi Station, he passed a line of waiting cab. Thinking that the station is still quite far, and it’s too cold to walk in such weather, he decided to haul one.
He told the driver to take him to Ikebukuro Station and relaxed on his seat. He paused when he felt the need to go to the toilet. Why now? He thought. Just when he just got on the cab. So he tried to distract it by watching the scene outside the window. But looking at the streets makes his eyes heavy. Slowly he began to close his lids and sunk deeper to the seat. But just when he’s about to fall into slumber, the cab driver woke him up. He stretched his arms and legs, taking his time, before pulling out a wallet out of his backpocket and paid the fare. As he stepped out of the cab, closing the door, his cellphone rang. He took it out and see Jun’s name on the display. He chose to ignore it and shoved it back to his pocket.
He enters the station and soon enough his eyes caught sight of Jun who was leaning on the wall. Ohno chuckled softly on how the sight looks like a page from a fashion magazine.
“Why didn’t you answer my call?” The model asked him.
“I was only a few meters away from the station. I thought we’re about to meet anyway.”
Jun thought that he had took a cab all the way from home. But he told him that he just went to Tsuyoshi’s shop in Yoyogi. That made Jun relieved and he said something about expensive cab fare and Nino killing him.
Then he remembered that he was looking for the toilet and asked Jun for direction.
When he got back, he saw that Aiba has finally joined them. And so was Nino and Sho a few moments later. He watched how Aiba quickly laced his hand with Sho, and how Nino stood closer to Jun, looking for heat. They were full of emotions with different shapes. Ohno could freeze the moment, take a pencil, draw this scene, and then watch it forever.
The thought of the abstract painting he saw back in Tsuyoshi’s shop came back to his mind. He wonders if this is the kind of infinity the painter had in mind.
.sho.
He pulled the sleeve of his shirt up to look at the watch in his wrist.
Oh, crap. I’m gonna be late, He jogged out of his office building and head to the station.
He arrived at the designated place just one minute before the train leaves. Although it means he couldn’t buy Aiba’s favorite cake from the bakery at the station. But he promised the others that he would take this train so he make sure to text Aiba and apologize.
Masaki, it was quite busy at work and I was barely in time for the train. I couldn’t get your cake.
Sorry.
Will make it up to you later.
Love you.
Sho.
He texted Aiba the moment he got on the train. Then he sent a message to Nino next.
Carriage number 8. I’m standing by the door on the left.
He didn’t get a seat. Rush hour. So he chose to stand by the door on the left side, leaning on them. He didn’t have to wait long for Aiba’s reply.
It’s okay. But you can buy me one at the restaurant we’re heading to right now(*^o^*) I just passed Nippori. See you soon.
Love you too. Masaki.
Sho smiled and flipped his cellphone closed. He watched as people coming in and out of the train. People with suits and briefcases, just like him. High school girls with heavy make up and short skirts with dozens of straps hanging on their bags and cellphones. While the boys are all confidence. Walking in with their uniforms untucked, pants low, and hair died with bright colours. They talk loudly, some even sitting on the floor even though it’s prohibited.
Sometimes Sho wonder if they would ever change. If they reached his age, enters the adult world, working in an office like him, will they change their looks and their attitude? Looking at how they are now, Sho couldn’t imagine it.
Sho looked to his right. A boy on the end of the carriage caught his attention. He was sitting next to the wall, reading a thick novel. He had dark straight hair with long bangs almost covering his eyes that were hidden behind his thick framed glasses. The book was covered with a brown paper from the bookstore but he can see that the content weren’t written in kanji. So it’s probably English. He was covering it so that he wouldn’t get teased by the other kids.
He knew. Because he was once like that.
He unconsciously kept his eyes on the boy. Watching how he read his book contently with his brows furrowed. Then his eyes went wide when suddenly the boy’s book was taken by another kid that stood in front of him. The other boy had the same uniform but with looks completely different from the first boy. He had brown hair, shirts all creases with pants one size too big for him. He wore an old sneakers and a sporty sling bag.
Sho’s worried about the boy. Worried that he will be treated the same like him when he was around that age. But Sho’s worry was blown when he heard what the brown haired boy said to the first boy.
“You shouldn’t read too much, specially on the train. You’ll get carsick. Or trainsick, whatever.” Sho watched as the first boy pouted but nodded slowly. The brown haired boy kept the book in his hand, not allowing the dark haired boy to retrieve it back. Although later, when they got off at Tokyo Station, Sho saw him gave the book back and in turn sling his arm across the dark haired boy’s shoulder as they climbed the stairs and disappeared from Sho’s sight.
A few minutes later the train finally arrived at Akihabara. And when the door opened, he soon saw Nino who stood on the track. He waved and Nino saw him. The younger man quickly stepped in the carriage. Sho’s surprised when Nino suddenly linked his arm to his. A bead of sweat formed in his temple despite the fact that it’s almost zero degrees out there. He seemed a bit flustered.
“What’s wrong?” He asked worriedly.
Nino didn’t seem to hear him and kept staring at something on the platform. Sho was about to ask again when he finally looked at him and shook his head. “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” He smiled assuringly.
“Oh. Okay.” Said Sho. He felt that Nino clinged to him even tighter, but then he thought that it’s because he was cold. Then Sho seemed to be lost in thought and let out a low chuckle.
This time Nino’s the one who wondered. “What’s so funny?”
Sho turned his head to the younger man on his left. “I just saw a pair of kids who looks like you and me when we were in high school.”
“You mean a popular kid and a nerd?”
The newscaster scoffed. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Is the popular kid handsome like me?”
“He’s more handsome than you were in high school.”
“Heh. But I bet he can’t make a king of hearts turn into an ace of spades like I can.”
Sho placed a hand on Nino’s head and messed his hair. “I’m sure he can’t, Kazu.”
.nino.
Nino’s sure somebody has been following him since he got out of Animate building. He’s not being paranoid. He was sure of it.
It’s because his stalker was following him to the steps. He stops when he stops, and he walks again when he walks. The stalker was just a few meters behind him. When he was waiting for the light to go green on a crossing. He glanced to his left to a huge building with glass windows where the pedestrians are reflected on it.
Three persons behind him stood a middle age man with baggy pants and shabby clothes which is covered by a long old brownish coat. He had both hands shoved inside his coat pocket and by the reflection on the mirror, Nino can see that the man is staring forward. Keeping his eyes on him.
Nino recognized the man. He stood next to him on the cosplay corner back in the shop. Nino remembered that he reeked of beer and dust. The man also seemed to be standing next to him whenever Nino moved from one corner to another in the shop. And now that he thoght of it, the man does acted kind of strange. He acted like he wanted to call out to Nino. But then backed off seeing that Nino had his headphone on and thought that he probably wouldn’t even heard him.
Suddenly he recalled the incident that happened on Akihabara years ago when a man stabbed several pedestrians randomly. The reason behind it was because of stress. The man decided to took it out on random people. Nino shivered at the thought of it and walked faster to the station.
The low vibration on his pocket jolted him in surprised. He took his cellphone out and flipped it open. It’s message from Sho. After reading the message he quickly closed his phone and shoved it back to his pocket. He started running for the station.
He was glad that the Akihabara Station was crowded. He tried to lose him by sneaking behind walls or slipping between the people rushing along the platform. His eyes darted, looking at the platform number.
Eight, eight, eight. There it is! Then he quickly stood on the line. He leaned back against the wall and took of his headphone. He dared himself to look behind him, then to his right and left. Nino sighed when he saw no more of his stalker.
Another thought came to his mind. Could it be that the man mistaken him for a girl? He looked down to check the clothes he’s wearing. The usual jeans, sweater, and a dark blue jacket. So it couldn’t be it.
A fan of his article? But he never showed his face on any magazine. Then why is it?
He glanced at the digital clock hanging on the platform ceiling. Even though Sho’s train should arrive in two minutes, it seemed to him that it was a long time to wait.
However, when Nino was about to put his headphone back when he saw the stalker again. He was all sweaty and puffing out of breath. He had a wide smile when his eyes met Nino’s.
The gamer would’ve screamed if it weren’t for Sho’s train that finally arrived. He switched his look back and forth from the man to the train, waiting it to stop. The stalker seemed to have trouble walking pass the line of people that stood across the platform.
The train finally stops and the door in front of him open. He never felt so glad when he saw Sho right on his line of sight, waving at him. Not waiting for the passenger inside to get off, Nino quickly got on the train and walked to the older man who was waiting for him. When he was closed enough, he cling his arm to the newscaster.
“What’s wrong?” The older man asked.
Nino stared outside the train, not taking his eyes off the stalker. The strange man stopped on his track the moment he saw Nino tied arms with another man. The carriage’s door closed and the train left the platform. Nino made sure he got the man off his sight and sighed in relief. Then he remembers that Sho asked him a question.
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” He didn’t forget to add a smile to convince the older man and pulled his arm tighter, dragging Sho closer to him.
.aiba.
Aiba stepped out of the Ueno Zoo gate with his two of his colleagues. They were chatting as they walked through the park while keeping their jackets tighter. Becky, the girl who works on the same corner as him in the petting zoo area talks friskily. The straps on her phone jingled noisily as she walked. She uses a lot of gestures when talking that Aiba found them cute while the other man, Daigo, who took care of the primate section, walked silently with both hands on his jeans pocket.
When they climbed down the stairs, the walked pass a takoyaki vendor. The smell of fried octopus, sauce, and bonito shavings hit their noses.
“Aah..I’m hungry.” Said Aiba, looking at the already cooked brown balls of batter.
“Yeah. It looks good.” Daigo agreed.
“Let’s buy them. I’m hungry too.” Becky said.
But Aiba shook his head. “Naah..you guys go ahead. I already had dinner plans after this.”
Becky and Daigo turned their heads to him at almost the same time.
“Dinner plans?”
“Date?”
“With who?”
“Don’t tell me it’s that girl from the birds section?”
They interrogate him in turns.
“No, no. It’s with some friend of mine.”
The girl rolled her eyes and looked at Daigo. “Yeah, right.”
“No, really.” The zookeeper tried to assure them. They continued walking to the station which is only a few meters left.
“Say, you never told us who you’re dating.”Asked Daigo curiously.
“That’s because I’m not dating anyone.” But then he think again. “Not technically.”
Becky wrinkled his half Japanese-half England face. “What does that even mean?”
“It means..” Aiba kinda regret saying it because then it made him re-think about the relationships he had with these four men. They weren’t exactly saying that they were dating despite the words of love and the affection they show gave each other all the time. And they live together, for heaven’s sake.
“But there IS someone?” Daigo tried to pry.
“Yeah there is.” Are, actually. But Aiba didn’t say it out loud.
“So do you love her?” He almost laughed at the word ‘her’.
“Yeah I do. Very much.” This he was sure of.
“But you guys don’t date?”
“Nope.”
“Whaa..t? I don’t get it.” Becky said almost whining.
Aiba just chuckled. He never expected them to understand anyway. But what Daigo said after surprised him.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. ‘Dating’ or ‘not dating’, it’s just a label people put on you. As long as both parties acknowledge how they feel against each other and expresses it, it’s enough for them to be called a couple. But then again, the word ’couple’ is yet another label. But ‘love’ is not. ‘Love’ is simply ‘love’.”
Becky and Aiba paused and watched at the other man. Then Becky slapped his hand on Daigo’s back while her other hand wiped a non-existing tear on the corner of her eye and sobbed. “Oh, Daigo. Who knew that the primate man is such a romantic? You should try writing a lyric about it.”
While Daigo seriously thinking about Becky’s idea about writing a song, Aiba’s thinking about his words. The man got a point.
‘Love’ is ‘love’. It’s not a label, it’s a statement. And Aiba loves Jun who never got tired of his joking and pranks and despite the yelling he gave, he ended up sighing and patting him on the head. He loves Nino who even though sometimes hurt him with his heart that is cold as ice but can always manage to fix it and make it all better again. Aiba loves Ohno whose solid presence can support him on the ground when he’s on his weakest. And God knows how much Aiba loves Sho who went miles to get to the hospital where he was at a few years ago and never stop taking care of him ever since.
Aiba’s lips pursed into a smile. He loves them so very much.
He was already on the train when he got a message from Sho. He checked the name of the station he was in and gave a quick reply, not forgetting to write ‘Love you too.’ on the end of it.
The announce in the train told him that they almost arrived at Ikebukuro, his destination. He got off the train and walked straight to the ticket gate. He passed his Suica card over the reader and walked pass the gate. A few steps to the right and he already spotted the man he was supposed to meet.
Jun was leaning against the wall next to a coffee shop. His lean body is clad with dark grey coat that covers his neck down to half of his thigh, combined with skinny jeans and a pair of boots. He had his curly dark hair tied with a black hair band. The whole look just screams ‘Vogue!’ to Aiba.
“You’re too conspicuous.”
“Why is that?” Jun didn’t even look away from the iPod in his hand.
Aiba sighed on Jun’s obliviousness. He watched the younger man nodding to the rhythm banging on his earphone.”Hey.” He called out.
“What?” Replied Jun, eyes still on the iPod screen, his thumbs circling the click wheel.
“I love you.”
This made Jun turned his head and he’s looking at him in a weird way. “I know that.”
“I love you, Matsumoto Jun.” Aiba can see the younger man’s flushed cheeks and can’t help but grin.
He kept staring at the younger man, expecting him to say something. “I, I love you too.” Jun finally said back.
Aiba’s grin is getting wider. The older man is about to lean in to give him a kiss when a voice called them out. Ohno, who until just now had been waiting with Jun but went to the loo for a while, finally got back.
“Oh-chan!” Aiba quickly turned to glomp the older man. “I love you, Ohno Satoshi!”
Just like Jun, Ohno too is pretty much taken aback at the sudden rhetoric statement. But somehow understanding that it’s Aiba, Ohno smiled and pinch the younger man’s nose. “I love you too, Aiba Masaki.”
Jun just sighed and returned his attention back at his playlist while Ohno and Aiba are giggling like high school girls.
.jun.
“Otsukaresamadeshita.” Jun thanked the make up artist and the photographer before grabbing his bag and headed out of the studio. He walked pass Yamashita on his way out and waved him goodbye. But the other model stopped him.
“Jin plans to have a drink and karaoke tonight. You coming?” Yamashita asked.
“I can’t. I got dinner plan.”
“With who?”
“None of your business, Pi.”
“Hey, I told you to stop calling me that. If the fans knew that an underwear model like me is called ‘Pi’ by his fellow model, wouldn’t that be an embarrassment?” Yamashita shushed him.
“To you, maybe. But not to me.” Jun grinned. “Tell Jin I’d go some other time. Bye Pi!” He made sure he said it loud enough to be heard by a group of girls who’s crowding the studio entrance. Jun put on his sunglasses and walked out of the building with Yamashita yelling on him from behind.
Jun took out his cellphone and called the restaurant to make sure that he got his reservation. It’s quite a first rank place located inside Sunshine 60 along with other well known restaurants. Jun even had to ask his manager who knows someone who knows someone to help him make a reservation. Now he just have to make sure the other men sit on it.
Because it’s Valentine. And for this year, Jun doesn’t want to spend it just with chocolate and sex. Or sex with chocolate. For some reason, his childish and envious heart wants to spend this year’s Valentine just like any other couple: A nice dinner in a pleasant restaurant where they serve you food with courses.
The wind blew on his hair and it keeps hitting his face. So he took a thin black rubber band from his jeans pocket and pulled his hair up before tying it tightly with it. He caught his reflection on some office’s window and cringed. Sometimes he felt ridiculously like Jin with his hair in a ponytail like this.
He saw the Ikebukuro Station where he’s supposed to wait for the others there and walked faster. Also because he noticed how cloudy it has been. He huffed when he finally stepped in the station and took of his sunglasses. He walked in front the ticket gate and stopped to check on the clock hanging from the ceiling. He has to wait for another 15 or 20 minutes or so until the others arrive. So Jun decided to wait near a coffee shop and put on his earphone as he leaned against the wall.
A few minutes after waiting, he took out his phone to check on Ohno and make sure he doesn’t forget about their plan. But the oldest man didn’t pick up his phone. Jun wondered if something happened. Something being Ohno left his phone on the house, or he fell asleep somewhere. But just as he was about to dial again, he saw the man walked slowly towards him.
“Why didn’t you answer my call?” He asked when the man is closed enough to heard him.
“I was only a few meters away from the station. I thought we’re about to meet anyway.” Ohno smiled sleepily.
“How come you got here so fast, anyway?”
“I took a cab.”
Jun’s eyes widened. “From home?!”
“No, from Yoyogi. I went to Tsuyoshi’s shop.”
“Oh. I see. Cause Kazu’s gonna kill you if he knows you spend 3000 yen for a cab.”
“Yeah.” Ohno laughed. “But hey, aren’t this restaurant we’re heading to is also expensive? What did he say about that?”
“He didn’t. I haven’t told him yet.” Jun grinned and bit his lower lip.
“You’re kidding right? He wouldn’t come. Or worse, if he does come, he’d take the whole cutlery home when we’re done.”
“Satoshi, I even asked my manager who asked his friend who asked another friend to help me get this reservation. So if I have to gag him, bound him, put him inside a sack and dragged him to the restaurant, I will.”
Ohno put a hand on Jun’s shoulder. “I know you will, Jun-kun.” He tapped him softly. “Now where’s the toilet? I’ve been holding it since I got on the cab.”
“Right, left, left again.”
“Thanks. Be back in a few minutes.”
Jun is back to his iPod, shuffling his selection of songs and decided on some rock. The song was half way playing when he felt a presence stood over him.
“You’re too conspicuous.” The volume on his earphone weren’t too loud so he can hear what the voice said. He doesn’t need to look up to know who was talking.
“Why is that?” He asked back. He’s switching song to something slow and completely absorbed in his gadget. But he can’t help to turn his head when Aiba suddenly said ‘I love you’ to him. He looked at him like he just said the most rhetoric thing. “I know that.”
But the older man said again. This time adding his name, his full name, on the end.
Jun hates it when he did that. When any of the other guys did that. Because even after all this times, whenever they said that straight to his face, he always ended up blushing, all red to his ears, like some virgin teenage girls. But the look on Aiba’s face is expectant and he didn’t have a choice to say it too. “I, I love you too.” He cursed his mouth for stuttering.
To his surprise, Aiba leaned closer to him.
Is he mad? They’re in the train station! Jun panicked.
And then it was cut by Ohno’s voice calling on Aiba. Right on time, he thought.
Like a kid presented with another gift, Aiba turned to Ohno and jumped at him, hugging the oldest man tight. Although it seemed more like choking him to Jun. They started giggling and Jun sighed at this usual antics.
“How come you’re here so fast?” Aiba asked Ohno.
“I took a cab.”
“From home?!”
“No, from Yoyogi.”
“Oh, okay.”
Jun felt a déjà vu.
As scheduled, Sho and Nino’s train arrived on time. When Jun spotted them walking towards the ticket gate,he couldn’t help but wonder when he saw Nino’s fingers interlacing with Sho’s. Nino isn’t the type who likes to show public display of affection, unlike Aiba. But quickly discarded it when Nino dropped them and they greeted him casually.
Nino looked at him from top to bottom and back to the top again. “You’re too conspicuous.” He told him.
Jun rolled his eyes. Another déjà vu for the day.
Sho’s surprised to see Ohno already there. “How come you’re already here?”
“He took a cab.” Jun replied instead of the questioned man.
“From home?!” Nino’s eyes widened in surprised, as expected, and his voice raised.
“No, from Yoyogi.” This time it’s Aiba who answered.
Jun looked at his watch. “Come on guys, we gotta go. The reservation’s at 7.30.”
“Where are we going to eat anyway? You haven’t told us.” Asked Sho. He moved his satchel bag to his right because Aiba is clinging to his left.
“Uuh..” Jun glanced sideways at Ohno who avoided his look with a chuckle. “Sunshine 60.”
Nino stopped on his track, causing him to be a deadweight at the end of Ohno’s arm. “Sunshine 60’s restaurants are expensive, Jun!”
“AND hard to get reservations. But I managed to do it so you HAVE to come.” Jun pulled on Nino’s arm so he and Ohno ended up dragging him.
“But we don’t have the money for it!”
“Of course we have. We’re not that poor.”
“But.., but..”
Jun tucked him hard so that Nino fell in front of him, almost touching his face. “I’ll let you fuck me tonight even if you agreed to just eat the appetizer.” Jun said with a whisper through gritted teeth.
Nino looked at the other three guys who stopped and wait for them. They all smiled amusedly and Nino turned his look back at the youngest man with a wide grin. “Deal.”
“Good. Now lets go. The rain’s about to fall and I don’t want us to get wet by the time we get there.”
They were walking in three and two; Jun, Ohno, and Nino on the front and Sho and Aiba on the back. Nino’s humming some unrecognizable tone but the lyrics sound suspiciously like ‘Gonna get a laid tonight. Gonna get laid..’
Jun’s about to open his mouth to snap at him when he felt a drop of water on his nose. He looked up to be greeted by more drops of water, pouring on the hard suddenly. “No! Anybody bring an umbrella?” Jun said as he tried to cover his head with his bag.
“I do!” Said Sho, and he rumbles through his bag but then stopped. “A, I left it at the office.” He said with an apologetic smile.
The model turned his head towards the Sunshine 60. He can already see the building. “Come on, guys. We’re almost there. Let’s run!” They use their bags and jacket to cover their head form the pouring rain. But Aiba suddenly stopped them.
“Wait guys! My shoe! My shoe came off!” He hold on to Sho’s hand while his other’s trying to put his the sneaker back on. However, the rain was pouring even harder and without umbrellas they were soaked wet in seconds.
“Let’s take shelter for a while.” Said their eldest and turned to some small shop with a canopy on top of its entrance. Aiba finally managed to put his shoes on, but he grimaced the moment his feet is in. “It’s wet.”
“Why don’t we wait here until the rain subsided?” The newscaster suggested. He stepped closer inside to avoid the dripping rain that fall from the canopy.
“But I don’t think it will stop any time soon.” Said Ohno. He looked at Jun’s worried face.
They stood under the small canopy for a while, very close to each other. Each trying to avoid the rain although then wind blew the droplets of water in their direction and they still get wet anyway.
“Excuse us.” Two men in suits walked hurriedly toward them. They make way so they can enter the shop. When the sliding door opened, they can smell the salty smell of tsuyu and dried seaweed. They can’t help but peeked through the open door.
“Soba restaurant?” Asked Nino.
“U-huh.” Ohno nodded as he gulped. Warm heat from the inside of the shop hit their faces, a relief from the cold wind that’s been torturing them.
“It looks delicious.” The newscaster eyed the bowls of noodle soup. How he wanted to put his freezing hand around those warm bowls.
Jun saw where this was going. “No, no, no.” He slides the door close in their noses. “What did I tell you about reservation? They got hot clam soup there, so be patient.”
“Do they have wakame soba too?” Aiba asked Jun
“It’s a Western dish restaurant, Masaki. Figure it out yourself.”
“It means no tempura too, Masaki.” Ohno tapped the zoo keeper’s back.
So they decided to wait for a while and Jun kept checking on his watch from time to time. It’s already the time for their reservation. Although he was given an extra 10 minute, it doesn’t seem that the rain would stop anytime soon.
“I’m hungry.” Aiba pouted as he put his head on Sho’s shoulder. “And my foot is cold.”
Sho stroked Aiba’s hair, and then looked at the youngest man. He had this look that made Jun whined.
“But, but Sunshine 60 is just right there…” He pointed to a 60 floor building a few meters away. “And the reservation..” But the pleading look on their faces just sunk Jun even more. He dropped his head. “You know what, for some reason I know this kind of thing would’ve happened.” Jun leered at Nino.
“Why look at me? Blame the rain!” Nino defended himself.
Jun flipped his phone open and called his manager. “Nakajima-san. You can have the reservation. I’m..stuck in the rain. Yeah. Your welcome.”
Aiba’s eyes went bright. “Does this mean that we can eat soba?”
“Yeah.” Jun replied with a groan. “Now hurry up and get in. It’s freezing out here.” He pushed them all in. But Sho hold his hand and stopped him.
“I’m sorry about the reservation.” The older man said sympathetically.
“Yeah, well. There’s nothing we can do about it. Besides, our clothes are soaked too. I don’t think they’d let us in anyway.”
Sho smiled and put his hand on Jun’s cheek. Jun jerked at the feel of Sho’s cold palm but soon gotten used to it. The touch translates as ‘Sorry’ and ‘I know you’re disappointed but don’t be sad’. Jun hold Sho’s hand and turn his head to the side to kiss on the palm. This translates as ‘I’m not mad’ and ‘Thanks for worrying’.
Ohno managed to get them a spot on the corner. Jun slides in to sit beside him, facing Sho.
Jun rubbed on his temple. “I can’t believe we spend Valentine in a soba restaurant. Why can’t we be more like any other normal couples?”
“We were never normal in the first place anyway.” Said Ohno as he split his chopstick apart.
“Hey, but I still get to fuck you tonight, right?”Nino asked him.
Jun glanced at the gamer sitting between Sho and Aiba. “No, I change my mind. I’m letting Sho fuck me tonight.”
While Sho choked on his tea, Nino whined and protested. Saying something about Jun being a liar and Sho is a traitor. And Aiba and Ohno called on the waiter to order some extra side dish.
Actually, Jun doesn’t care about who gets to sleep with him tonight. Because honestly, despite the fuss he said before, the truth is that he was just glad that they’re still together this year.
So he took a bath and put on some clean clothes before heading out of the house, not forgetting to lock the door and windows before he left. He walked through the neighborhood and passed a high school boy who just got back from school. The boy smiled at him and he smiled back. He recognized the boy from the neighborhood. He thinks the boy lived not far from their house.
He had to changed lane to get to Yoyogi. He’s glad the trains weren’t as crowded as he thought and that he was able to get a seat on both trains. He arrived at Yoyogi Station a few minutes later. With a 10 minutes walk towards Sendagaya, he finally got his foot in Tsuyoshi’s small shop.
The shop is on the small corner on the back street, away from the main road. The front of the shop was only decorated with a hand painted sign board with three numbers on it: ‘244’. The door open with a jingling noise and Ohno was soon greeted with a smell of paint and vinyl.
“Ohno! Thanks for coming.” The shop owner greeted him.
“What is it?” He took off his jacket and placed it on the counter.
“I wanna show you some art work.” He took out two canvases from behind the desk and gave one to Ohno while the other is put on the table. He held it carefully. It was a medium size canvas, filled with curves and bold lines. There are no significant shapes on them, just strokes of paint forming circles or spirals. But what attracts Ohno the most is the use of colours. The painter obviously like to use bright colors. Red, pink, lime green, blue, yellow, all mixed to create a very pop-ish art. It looks almost girly to Ohno’s liking, but no doubt unique and somehow cute.
“It looks kind of your style.” Ohno commented.
“You think so?” Tsuyoshi observed the objet d’art. “It’s from a new comer from Hyogo.”
Ohno looked surprised. “Kansai? Then why bother send it all the way to Tokyo?”
“I asked for him to send it. A customer recommended him to me.”
Ohno nodded in comprehension. “So you’re going to sell it here?”
“Just two for now. I have to see the customer’s appraisal. But I really like it. Don’t you?”
“Yeah. It has its own characteristic.”
“Speaking of characteristic, do you realize that you’re style kinda change?”
The younger artist furrowed his eyebrow. “Me? Change how?”
“It turns a bit..softer.” Tsuyoshi said as he took both paintings and look for a place to display it.
“Oh. Well maybe it’s because I live in a different environment now. So I think it kind of changed the way I look on things.” Then his face stiffens. “Is it bad?”
Tsuyoshi waved a hand in front of his face. “No, no. Not at all!” He stopped in front of a wall where there’s some empty space on it. “I think it was good. Even the famous artists changed their style from time to time. It means that they’re skill is growing.”
“I see.”
Ohno searched his minds or the art that he’s done before and compared them. It’s quite true that in the past Ohno often make realistic paintings with fine sophisticated details. But lately he’s been into abstract with softer wavy strokes and pale colours. Ohno wonders if it’s because lately his housemates have been looking at his paintings and giving him inputs. Like what colour should he use, or which paintbrush should he draw with.
But then again maybe it’s because like he said, he had come to live in a completely different environment. He used to paint in solitude, locking himself inside his room, when he was living with his parents. Well, he still does it, only now he got an occasional knock on the door. Usually it’s Jun bringing him food, or Sho who told him to get to sleep. Aiba and Nino came by too. Both reviewing his paintings like they’re pro and making suggestions to him. Or sometimes they just lay on the couch in his art room, reading magazines. Sometimes Nino would to pick up a used paper and a marker and starts drawing anything. Ohno thinks that he did that to keep him company.
Either way, those kinds of things soften his heart and apparently, his art too.
“There, it’s done. It really is a nice art.” Tsuyoshi’s voice woke him up from his thoughts. He saw that Tsuyoshi had finally finished putting up the new paintings. He lined them up next to each other with only little space between them.
Ohno tilted his head to the side and realized someting. “Wait, it’s actually one painting separated into two canvases?” Now that it was lined up like that, Ohno can see that both canvas formed one picture. A tilted number 8. And he read the title on the card beneath it hand written by Tsuyoshi.
Mugendai by Yasuda Shota.
Mugendai. Infinity.
Ohno wonder what this ‘infinity’ means to the painter.
Then the vintage clock placed on Tsuyoshi’s desk next to register caught his attention.
“Oh, I have to go. I got plans.”
“Are you meeting up with Sakurai?”
“Yeah. And the others too.”
“Tell him I said hi.”
Ohno smiled and grabbed his jacket. “I will. See you later, Tsuyoshi!” Then he waved him goodbye and walked out of the shop. As he was walking towards the direction of Yoyogi Station, he passed a line of waiting cab. Thinking that the station is still quite far, and it’s too cold to walk in such weather, he decided to haul one.
He told the driver to take him to Ikebukuro Station and relaxed on his seat. He paused when he felt the need to go to the toilet. Why now? He thought. Just when he just got on the cab. So he tried to distract it by watching the scene outside the window. But looking at the streets makes his eyes heavy. Slowly he began to close his lids and sunk deeper to the seat. But just when he’s about to fall into slumber, the cab driver woke him up. He stretched his arms and legs, taking his time, before pulling out a wallet out of his backpocket and paid the fare. As he stepped out of the cab, closing the door, his cellphone rang. He took it out and see Jun’s name on the display. He chose to ignore it and shoved it back to his pocket.
He enters the station and soon enough his eyes caught sight of Jun who was leaning on the wall. Ohno chuckled softly on how the sight looks like a page from a fashion magazine.
“Why didn’t you answer my call?” The model asked him.
“I was only a few meters away from the station. I thought we’re about to meet anyway.”
Jun thought that he had took a cab all the way from home. But he told him that he just went to Tsuyoshi’s shop in Yoyogi. That made Jun relieved and he said something about expensive cab fare and Nino killing him.
Then he remembered that he was looking for the toilet and asked Jun for direction.
When he got back, he saw that Aiba has finally joined them. And so was Nino and Sho a few moments later. He watched how Aiba quickly laced his hand with Sho, and how Nino stood closer to Jun, looking for heat. They were full of emotions with different shapes. Ohno could freeze the moment, take a pencil, draw this scene, and then watch it forever.
The thought of the abstract painting he saw back in Tsuyoshi’s shop came back to his mind. He wonders if this is the kind of infinity the painter had in mind.
.sho.
He pulled the sleeve of his shirt up to look at the watch in his wrist.
Oh, crap. I’m gonna be late, He jogged out of his office building and head to the station.
He arrived at the designated place just one minute before the train leaves. Although it means he couldn’t buy Aiba’s favorite cake from the bakery at the station. But he promised the others that he would take this train so he make sure to text Aiba and apologize.
Masaki, it was quite busy at work and I was barely in time for the train. I couldn’t get your cake.
Sorry.
Will make it up to you later.
Love you.
Sho.
He texted Aiba the moment he got on the train. Then he sent a message to Nino next.
Carriage number 8. I’m standing by the door on the left.
He didn’t get a seat. Rush hour. So he chose to stand by the door on the left side, leaning on them. He didn’t have to wait long for Aiba’s reply.
It’s okay. But you can buy me one at the restaurant we’re heading to right now(*^o^*) I just passed Nippori. See you soon.
Love you too. Masaki.
Sho smiled and flipped his cellphone closed. He watched as people coming in and out of the train. People with suits and briefcases, just like him. High school girls with heavy make up and short skirts with dozens of straps hanging on their bags and cellphones. While the boys are all confidence. Walking in with their uniforms untucked, pants low, and hair died with bright colours. They talk loudly, some even sitting on the floor even though it’s prohibited.
Sometimes Sho wonder if they would ever change. If they reached his age, enters the adult world, working in an office like him, will they change their looks and their attitude? Looking at how they are now, Sho couldn’t imagine it.
Sho looked to his right. A boy on the end of the carriage caught his attention. He was sitting next to the wall, reading a thick novel. He had dark straight hair with long bangs almost covering his eyes that were hidden behind his thick framed glasses. The book was covered with a brown paper from the bookstore but he can see that the content weren’t written in kanji. So it’s probably English. He was covering it so that he wouldn’t get teased by the other kids.
He knew. Because he was once like that.
He unconsciously kept his eyes on the boy. Watching how he read his book contently with his brows furrowed. Then his eyes went wide when suddenly the boy’s book was taken by another kid that stood in front of him. The other boy had the same uniform but with looks completely different from the first boy. He had brown hair, shirts all creases with pants one size too big for him. He wore an old sneakers and a sporty sling bag.
Sho’s worried about the boy. Worried that he will be treated the same like him when he was around that age. But Sho’s worry was blown when he heard what the brown haired boy said to the first boy.
“You shouldn’t read too much, specially on the train. You’ll get carsick. Or trainsick, whatever.” Sho watched as the first boy pouted but nodded slowly. The brown haired boy kept the book in his hand, not allowing the dark haired boy to retrieve it back. Although later, when they got off at Tokyo Station, Sho saw him gave the book back and in turn sling his arm across the dark haired boy’s shoulder as they climbed the stairs and disappeared from Sho’s sight.
A few minutes later the train finally arrived at Akihabara. And when the door opened, he soon saw Nino who stood on the track. He waved and Nino saw him. The younger man quickly stepped in the carriage. Sho’s surprised when Nino suddenly linked his arm to his. A bead of sweat formed in his temple despite the fact that it’s almost zero degrees out there. He seemed a bit flustered.
“What’s wrong?” He asked worriedly.
Nino didn’t seem to hear him and kept staring at something on the platform. Sho was about to ask again when he finally looked at him and shook his head. “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” He smiled assuringly.
“Oh. Okay.” Said Sho. He felt that Nino clinged to him even tighter, but then he thought that it’s because he was cold. Then Sho seemed to be lost in thought and let out a low chuckle.
This time Nino’s the one who wondered. “What’s so funny?”
Sho turned his head to the younger man on his left. “I just saw a pair of kids who looks like you and me when we were in high school.”
“You mean a popular kid and a nerd?”
The newscaster scoffed. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Is the popular kid handsome like me?”
“He’s more handsome than you were in high school.”
“Heh. But I bet he can’t make a king of hearts turn into an ace of spades like I can.”
Sho placed a hand on Nino’s head and messed his hair. “I’m sure he can’t, Kazu.”
.nino.
Nino’s sure somebody has been following him since he got out of Animate building. He’s not being paranoid. He was sure of it.
It’s because his stalker was following him to the steps. He stops when he stops, and he walks again when he walks. The stalker was just a few meters behind him. When he was waiting for the light to go green on a crossing. He glanced to his left to a huge building with glass windows where the pedestrians are reflected on it.
Three persons behind him stood a middle age man with baggy pants and shabby clothes which is covered by a long old brownish coat. He had both hands shoved inside his coat pocket and by the reflection on the mirror, Nino can see that the man is staring forward. Keeping his eyes on him.
Nino recognized the man. He stood next to him on the cosplay corner back in the shop. Nino remembered that he reeked of beer and dust. The man also seemed to be standing next to him whenever Nino moved from one corner to another in the shop. And now that he thoght of it, the man does acted kind of strange. He acted like he wanted to call out to Nino. But then backed off seeing that Nino had his headphone on and thought that he probably wouldn’t even heard him.
Suddenly he recalled the incident that happened on Akihabara years ago when a man stabbed several pedestrians randomly. The reason behind it was because of stress. The man decided to took it out on random people. Nino shivered at the thought of it and walked faster to the station.
The low vibration on his pocket jolted him in surprised. He took his cellphone out and flipped it open. It’s message from Sho. After reading the message he quickly closed his phone and shoved it back to his pocket. He started running for the station.
He was glad that the Akihabara Station was crowded. He tried to lose him by sneaking behind walls or slipping between the people rushing along the platform. His eyes darted, looking at the platform number.
Eight, eight, eight. There it is! Then he quickly stood on the line. He leaned back against the wall and took of his headphone. He dared himself to look behind him, then to his right and left. Nino sighed when he saw no more of his stalker.
Another thought came to his mind. Could it be that the man mistaken him for a girl? He looked down to check the clothes he’s wearing. The usual jeans, sweater, and a dark blue jacket. So it couldn’t be it.
A fan of his article? But he never showed his face on any magazine. Then why is it?
He glanced at the digital clock hanging on the platform ceiling. Even though Sho’s train should arrive in two minutes, it seemed to him that it was a long time to wait.
However, when Nino was about to put his headphone back when he saw the stalker again. He was all sweaty and puffing out of breath. He had a wide smile when his eyes met Nino’s.
The gamer would’ve screamed if it weren’t for Sho’s train that finally arrived. He switched his look back and forth from the man to the train, waiting it to stop. The stalker seemed to have trouble walking pass the line of people that stood across the platform.
The train finally stops and the door in front of him open. He never felt so glad when he saw Sho right on his line of sight, waving at him. Not waiting for the passenger inside to get off, Nino quickly got on the train and walked to the older man who was waiting for him. When he was closed enough, he cling his arm to the newscaster.
“What’s wrong?” The older man asked.
Nino stared outside the train, not taking his eyes off the stalker. The strange man stopped on his track the moment he saw Nino tied arms with another man. The carriage’s door closed and the train left the platform. Nino made sure he got the man off his sight and sighed in relief. Then he remembers that Sho asked him a question.
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” He didn’t forget to add a smile to convince the older man and pulled his arm tighter, dragging Sho closer to him.
.aiba.
Aiba stepped out of the Ueno Zoo gate with his two of his colleagues. They were chatting as they walked through the park while keeping their jackets tighter. Becky, the girl who works on the same corner as him in the petting zoo area talks friskily. The straps on her phone jingled noisily as she walked. She uses a lot of gestures when talking that Aiba found them cute while the other man, Daigo, who took care of the primate section, walked silently with both hands on his jeans pocket.
When they climbed down the stairs, the walked pass a takoyaki vendor. The smell of fried octopus, sauce, and bonito shavings hit their noses.
“Aah..I’m hungry.” Said Aiba, looking at the already cooked brown balls of batter.
“Yeah. It looks good.” Daigo agreed.
“Let’s buy them. I’m hungry too.” Becky said.
But Aiba shook his head. “Naah..you guys go ahead. I already had dinner plans after this.”
Becky and Daigo turned their heads to him at almost the same time.
“Dinner plans?”
“Date?”
“With who?”
“Don’t tell me it’s that girl from the birds section?”
They interrogate him in turns.
“No, no. It’s with some friend of mine.”
The girl rolled her eyes and looked at Daigo. “Yeah, right.”
“No, really.” The zookeeper tried to assure them. They continued walking to the station which is only a few meters left.
“Say, you never told us who you’re dating.”Asked Daigo curiously.
“That’s because I’m not dating anyone.” But then he think again. “Not technically.”
Becky wrinkled his half Japanese-half England face. “What does that even mean?”
“It means..” Aiba kinda regret saying it because then it made him re-think about the relationships he had with these four men. They weren’t exactly saying that they were dating despite the words of love and the affection they show gave each other all the time. And they live together, for heaven’s sake.
“But there IS someone?” Daigo tried to pry.
“Yeah there is.” Are, actually. But Aiba didn’t say it out loud.
“So do you love her?” He almost laughed at the word ‘her’.
“Yeah I do. Very much.” This he was sure of.
“But you guys don’t date?”
“Nope.”
“Whaa..t? I don’t get it.” Becky said almost whining.
Aiba just chuckled. He never expected them to understand anyway. But what Daigo said after surprised him.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. ‘Dating’ or ‘not dating’, it’s just a label people put on you. As long as both parties acknowledge how they feel against each other and expresses it, it’s enough for them to be called a couple. But then again, the word ’couple’ is yet another label. But ‘love’ is not. ‘Love’ is simply ‘love’.”
Becky and Aiba paused and watched at the other man. Then Becky slapped his hand on Daigo’s back while her other hand wiped a non-existing tear on the corner of her eye and sobbed. “Oh, Daigo. Who knew that the primate man is such a romantic? You should try writing a lyric about it.”
While Daigo seriously thinking about Becky’s idea about writing a song, Aiba’s thinking about his words. The man got a point.
‘Love’ is ‘love’. It’s not a label, it’s a statement. And Aiba loves Jun who never got tired of his joking and pranks and despite the yelling he gave, he ended up sighing and patting him on the head. He loves Nino who even though sometimes hurt him with his heart that is cold as ice but can always manage to fix it and make it all better again. Aiba loves Ohno whose solid presence can support him on the ground when he’s on his weakest. And God knows how much Aiba loves Sho who went miles to get to the hospital where he was at a few years ago and never stop taking care of him ever since.
Aiba’s lips pursed into a smile. He loves them so very much.
He was already on the train when he got a message from Sho. He checked the name of the station he was in and gave a quick reply, not forgetting to write ‘Love you too.’ on the end of it.
The announce in the train told him that they almost arrived at Ikebukuro, his destination. He got off the train and walked straight to the ticket gate. He passed his Suica card over the reader and walked pass the gate. A few steps to the right and he already spotted the man he was supposed to meet.
Jun was leaning against the wall next to a coffee shop. His lean body is clad with dark grey coat that covers his neck down to half of his thigh, combined with skinny jeans and a pair of boots. He had his curly dark hair tied with a black hair band. The whole look just screams ‘Vogue!’ to Aiba.
“You’re too conspicuous.”
“Why is that?” Jun didn’t even look away from the iPod in his hand.
Aiba sighed on Jun’s obliviousness. He watched the younger man nodding to the rhythm banging on his earphone.”Hey.” He called out.
“What?” Replied Jun, eyes still on the iPod screen, his thumbs circling the click wheel.
“I love you.”
This made Jun turned his head and he’s looking at him in a weird way. “I know that.”
“I love you, Matsumoto Jun.” Aiba can see the younger man’s flushed cheeks and can’t help but grin.
He kept staring at the younger man, expecting him to say something. “I, I love you too.” Jun finally said back.
Aiba’s grin is getting wider. The older man is about to lean in to give him a kiss when a voice called them out. Ohno, who until just now had been waiting with Jun but went to the loo for a while, finally got back.
“Oh-chan!” Aiba quickly turned to glomp the older man. “I love you, Ohno Satoshi!”
Just like Jun, Ohno too is pretty much taken aback at the sudden rhetoric statement. But somehow understanding that it’s Aiba, Ohno smiled and pinch the younger man’s nose. “I love you too, Aiba Masaki.”
Jun just sighed and returned his attention back at his playlist while Ohno and Aiba are giggling like high school girls.
.jun.
“Otsukaresamadeshita.” Jun thanked the make up artist and the photographer before grabbing his bag and headed out of the studio. He walked pass Yamashita on his way out and waved him goodbye. But the other model stopped him.
“Jin plans to have a drink and karaoke tonight. You coming?” Yamashita asked.
“I can’t. I got dinner plan.”
“With who?”
“None of your business, Pi.”
“Hey, I told you to stop calling me that. If the fans knew that an underwear model like me is called ‘Pi’ by his fellow model, wouldn’t that be an embarrassment?” Yamashita shushed him.
“To you, maybe. But not to me.” Jun grinned. “Tell Jin I’d go some other time. Bye Pi!” He made sure he said it loud enough to be heard by a group of girls who’s crowding the studio entrance. Jun put on his sunglasses and walked out of the building with Yamashita yelling on him from behind.
Jun took out his cellphone and called the restaurant to make sure that he got his reservation. It’s quite a first rank place located inside Sunshine 60 along with other well known restaurants. Jun even had to ask his manager who knows someone who knows someone to help him make a reservation. Now he just have to make sure the other men sit on it.
Because it’s Valentine. And for this year, Jun doesn’t want to spend it just with chocolate and sex. Or sex with chocolate. For some reason, his childish and envious heart wants to spend this year’s Valentine just like any other couple: A nice dinner in a pleasant restaurant where they serve you food with courses.
The wind blew on his hair and it keeps hitting his face. So he took a thin black rubber band from his jeans pocket and pulled his hair up before tying it tightly with it. He caught his reflection on some office’s window and cringed. Sometimes he felt ridiculously like Jin with his hair in a ponytail like this.
He saw the Ikebukuro Station where he’s supposed to wait for the others there and walked faster. Also because he noticed how cloudy it has been. He huffed when he finally stepped in the station and took of his sunglasses. He walked in front the ticket gate and stopped to check on the clock hanging from the ceiling. He has to wait for another 15 or 20 minutes or so until the others arrive. So Jun decided to wait near a coffee shop and put on his earphone as he leaned against the wall.
A few minutes after waiting, he took out his phone to check on Ohno and make sure he doesn’t forget about their plan. But the oldest man didn’t pick up his phone. Jun wondered if something happened. Something being Ohno left his phone on the house, or he fell asleep somewhere. But just as he was about to dial again, he saw the man walked slowly towards him.
“Why didn’t you answer my call?” He asked when the man is closed enough to heard him.
“I was only a few meters away from the station. I thought we’re about to meet anyway.” Ohno smiled sleepily.
“How come you got here so fast, anyway?”
“I took a cab.”
Jun’s eyes widened. “From home?!”
“No, from Yoyogi. I went to Tsuyoshi’s shop.”
“Oh. I see. Cause Kazu’s gonna kill you if he knows you spend 3000 yen for a cab.”
“Yeah.” Ohno laughed. “But hey, aren’t this restaurant we’re heading to is also expensive? What did he say about that?”
“He didn’t. I haven’t told him yet.” Jun grinned and bit his lower lip.
“You’re kidding right? He wouldn’t come. Or worse, if he does come, he’d take the whole cutlery home when we’re done.”
“Satoshi, I even asked my manager who asked his friend who asked another friend to help me get this reservation. So if I have to gag him, bound him, put him inside a sack and dragged him to the restaurant, I will.”
Ohno put a hand on Jun’s shoulder. “I know you will, Jun-kun.” He tapped him softly. “Now where’s the toilet? I’ve been holding it since I got on the cab.”
“Right, left, left again.”
“Thanks. Be back in a few minutes.”
Jun is back to his iPod, shuffling his selection of songs and decided on some rock. The song was half way playing when he felt a presence stood over him.
“You’re too conspicuous.” The volume on his earphone weren’t too loud so he can hear what the voice said. He doesn’t need to look up to know who was talking.
“Why is that?” He asked back. He’s switching song to something slow and completely absorbed in his gadget. But he can’t help to turn his head when Aiba suddenly said ‘I love you’ to him. He looked at him like he just said the most rhetoric thing. “I know that.”
But the older man said again. This time adding his name, his full name, on the end.
Jun hates it when he did that. When any of the other guys did that. Because even after all this times, whenever they said that straight to his face, he always ended up blushing, all red to his ears, like some virgin teenage girls. But the look on Aiba’s face is expectant and he didn’t have a choice to say it too. “I, I love you too.” He cursed his mouth for stuttering.
To his surprise, Aiba leaned closer to him.
Is he mad? They’re in the train station! Jun panicked.
And then it was cut by Ohno’s voice calling on Aiba. Right on time, he thought.
Like a kid presented with another gift, Aiba turned to Ohno and jumped at him, hugging the oldest man tight. Although it seemed more like choking him to Jun. They started giggling and Jun sighed at this usual antics.
“How come you’re here so fast?” Aiba asked Ohno.
“I took a cab.”
“From home?!”
“No, from Yoyogi.”
“Oh, okay.”
Jun felt a déjà vu.
As scheduled, Sho and Nino’s train arrived on time. When Jun spotted them walking towards the ticket gate,he couldn’t help but wonder when he saw Nino’s fingers interlacing with Sho’s. Nino isn’t the type who likes to show public display of affection, unlike Aiba. But quickly discarded it when Nino dropped them and they greeted him casually.
Nino looked at him from top to bottom and back to the top again. “You’re too conspicuous.” He told him.
Jun rolled his eyes. Another déjà vu for the day.
Sho’s surprised to see Ohno already there. “How come you’re already here?”
“He took a cab.” Jun replied instead of the questioned man.
“From home?!” Nino’s eyes widened in surprised, as expected, and his voice raised.
“No, from Yoyogi.” This time it’s Aiba who answered.
Jun looked at his watch. “Come on guys, we gotta go. The reservation’s at 7.30.”
“Where are we going to eat anyway? You haven’t told us.” Asked Sho. He moved his satchel bag to his right because Aiba is clinging to his left.
“Uuh..” Jun glanced sideways at Ohno who avoided his look with a chuckle. “Sunshine 60.”
Nino stopped on his track, causing him to be a deadweight at the end of Ohno’s arm. “Sunshine 60’s restaurants are expensive, Jun!”
“AND hard to get reservations. But I managed to do it so you HAVE to come.” Jun pulled on Nino’s arm so he and Ohno ended up dragging him.
“But we don’t have the money for it!”
“Of course we have. We’re not that poor.”
“But.., but..”
Jun tucked him hard so that Nino fell in front of him, almost touching his face. “I’ll let you fuck me tonight even if you agreed to just eat the appetizer.” Jun said with a whisper through gritted teeth.
Nino looked at the other three guys who stopped and wait for them. They all smiled amusedly and Nino turned his look back at the youngest man with a wide grin. “Deal.”
“Good. Now lets go. The rain’s about to fall and I don’t want us to get wet by the time we get there.”
They were walking in three and two; Jun, Ohno, and Nino on the front and Sho and Aiba on the back. Nino’s humming some unrecognizable tone but the lyrics sound suspiciously like ‘Gonna get a laid tonight. Gonna get laid..’
Jun’s about to open his mouth to snap at him when he felt a drop of water on his nose. He looked up to be greeted by more drops of water, pouring on the hard suddenly. “No! Anybody bring an umbrella?” Jun said as he tried to cover his head with his bag.
“I do!” Said Sho, and he rumbles through his bag but then stopped. “A, I left it at the office.” He said with an apologetic smile.
The model turned his head towards the Sunshine 60. He can already see the building. “Come on, guys. We’re almost there. Let’s run!” They use their bags and jacket to cover their head form the pouring rain. But Aiba suddenly stopped them.
“Wait guys! My shoe! My shoe came off!” He hold on to Sho’s hand while his other’s trying to put his the sneaker back on. However, the rain was pouring even harder and without umbrellas they were soaked wet in seconds.
“Let’s take shelter for a while.” Said their eldest and turned to some small shop with a canopy on top of its entrance. Aiba finally managed to put his shoes on, but he grimaced the moment his feet is in. “It’s wet.”
“Why don’t we wait here until the rain subsided?” The newscaster suggested. He stepped closer inside to avoid the dripping rain that fall from the canopy.
“But I don’t think it will stop any time soon.” Said Ohno. He looked at Jun’s worried face.
They stood under the small canopy for a while, very close to each other. Each trying to avoid the rain although then wind blew the droplets of water in their direction and they still get wet anyway.
“Excuse us.” Two men in suits walked hurriedly toward them. They make way so they can enter the shop. When the sliding door opened, they can smell the salty smell of tsuyu and dried seaweed. They can’t help but peeked through the open door.
“Soba restaurant?” Asked Nino.
“U-huh.” Ohno nodded as he gulped. Warm heat from the inside of the shop hit their faces, a relief from the cold wind that’s been torturing them.
“It looks delicious.” The newscaster eyed the bowls of noodle soup. How he wanted to put his freezing hand around those warm bowls.
Jun saw where this was going. “No, no, no.” He slides the door close in their noses. “What did I tell you about reservation? They got hot clam soup there, so be patient.”
“Do they have wakame soba too?” Aiba asked Jun
“It’s a Western dish restaurant, Masaki. Figure it out yourself.”
“It means no tempura too, Masaki.” Ohno tapped the zoo keeper’s back.
So they decided to wait for a while and Jun kept checking on his watch from time to time. It’s already the time for their reservation. Although he was given an extra 10 minute, it doesn’t seem that the rain would stop anytime soon.
“I’m hungry.” Aiba pouted as he put his head on Sho’s shoulder. “And my foot is cold.”
Sho stroked Aiba’s hair, and then looked at the youngest man. He had this look that made Jun whined.
“But, but Sunshine 60 is just right there…” He pointed to a 60 floor building a few meters away. “And the reservation..” But the pleading look on their faces just sunk Jun even more. He dropped his head. “You know what, for some reason I know this kind of thing would’ve happened.” Jun leered at Nino.
“Why look at me? Blame the rain!” Nino defended himself.
Jun flipped his phone open and called his manager. “Nakajima-san. You can have the reservation. I’m..stuck in the rain. Yeah. Your welcome.”
Aiba’s eyes went bright. “Does this mean that we can eat soba?”
“Yeah.” Jun replied with a groan. “Now hurry up and get in. It’s freezing out here.” He pushed them all in. But Sho hold his hand and stopped him.
“I’m sorry about the reservation.” The older man said sympathetically.
“Yeah, well. There’s nothing we can do about it. Besides, our clothes are soaked too. I don’t think they’d let us in anyway.”
Sho smiled and put his hand on Jun’s cheek. Jun jerked at the feel of Sho’s cold palm but soon gotten used to it. The touch translates as ‘Sorry’ and ‘I know you’re disappointed but don’t be sad’. Jun hold Sho’s hand and turn his head to the side to kiss on the palm. This translates as ‘I’m not mad’ and ‘Thanks for worrying’.
Ohno managed to get them a spot on the corner. Jun slides in to sit beside him, facing Sho.
Jun rubbed on his temple. “I can’t believe we spend Valentine in a soba restaurant. Why can’t we be more like any other normal couples?”
“We were never normal in the first place anyway.” Said Ohno as he split his chopstick apart.
“Hey, but I still get to fuck you tonight, right?”Nino asked him.
Jun glanced at the gamer sitting between Sho and Aiba. “No, I change my mind. I’m letting Sho fuck me tonight.”
While Sho choked on his tea, Nino whined and protested. Saying something about Jun being a liar and Sho is a traitor. And Aiba and Ohno called on the waiter to order some extra side dish.
Actually, Jun doesn’t care about who gets to sleep with him tonight. Because honestly, despite the fuss he said before, the truth is that he was just glad that they’re still together this year.