Truth (Chapter 2)
Title: Truth (AO3)
Pairing: Juntoshi, Yama, Ninoai
Genre: Angst, Drama, Romance
Rating: R-ish (later in the following chapters)
Summary: Ohno Satoshi lived a perfect, happy life. He was raised in a loving family, enrolled to a famous college with his bestfriends, and had a special someone that he'd possibly marry someday. His life was perfectly planned out and Ohno thought it'd stay that way, but then Matsumoto Jun came along with the very purpose to ruin his life...or so he thought, but Ohno finally started doubting his so-called 'perfect life', which turned out to be not that perfect after all.
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Arashi.
A/N: This is one is another long chapter, and it could probably get boring but well... theyre just starting after all! XD Sorry for taking so long though! I keep telling myself that I need to finish this (and lots of other fics) but these days I'm easily distracted. One of the distraction being Osomatsu-san. Damn, I love that anime to bits. Favorite is Jyushimatsu and Totty! XD Ugh I gotta stop rambling about anime here! Anyway, enjoy! Comments will be loved! Muscle muscle hustle hustle! <3
Matsumoto Jun was stubborn, though not as stubborn as Aiba and Nino combined.
Still, he was stubborn. Despite how Nino had harshly called him off, he still showed up at the library the following day. And then the day after that. And the whole weeks after that too. He made it seemed like he was a regular at that library, even when he wasn’t. He showed up whenever Ohno’s shift started, choosing random books from the shelves, and then he’d sit in the table in the corner of the library until Ohno’s shift ended, surrounded by books that he didn’t really touch, let alone read. Most of the time, he’d work on his homework, but when he didn’t have any, he’d make this barrier of books on the table, giving Ohno a headache because he knew that in the end, Jun wouldn’t return them to their respective shelves. But Ohno actually enjoyed it, because Jun picked the most random book possible; he once laughed out loud when Jun stacked the book about the tough and brave women in World War II with this romantic, trashy chick-lit about a girl who couldn’t make her mind between two ridiculously handsome boys.
So when the next day he saw Jun picking up lots of books from the shelves, Ohno couldn’t help but grin.
Their interaction stayed that way for weeks because Nino and Aiba were persistent on not letting Ohno having a talk with him. Even though he knew that his friends didn’t like to hang out at the library that much, they did anyway; Nino’d usually play with his DS while Aiba’d read his manga, but their eyes would never left Ohno. Whenever Ohno made a round in the library, they followed behind him, making it seemed like they were chatting happily while Ohno knew that it was all just a scheme. Whenever Ohno was done returning the books and just have to wait by the counter until his shift was over, they’d drag the chairs to the counter to keep him company - or to keep him away from Jun, he wasn’t sure. Sometimes while chatting, Nino’d casually (he didn’t know how he did this) drop a little fact about Jun here and there, something like, “I heard Jun was very rude - a lecturer once cried because he snapped at her” or “Speaking about mafia, there’s a rumor that Jun’s father is a yakuza.”
Ohno could only rolled his eyes; he’d love to tell Nino that his brainwashing was not effective at all, because every time Jun left, he’d eagerly took the books he had left and secretly laughed at the random titles, and all bad things about Jun that Nino had tried to stuff to his head was all gone. This man got some great humor sense going on, and the bad attitude seemed mismatched; sometimes Ohno wasn’t even sure that they were talking about the same man, because the impression was totally different in Ohno’s mind.
Still, Ohno said nothing to his friends; he just nodded and went along with it.
One day though, Jun upped their little interaction. Ohno was busy taking care of the books he had left behind, silently giggling at the titles, when he saw a small post-it being plastered on one of the book’s back cover. Looking around to make sure that his friends weren’t looking his way, Ohno ducked his head to read the note, his heart speeding up at the unfamiliar handwriting.
Don’t your bodyguards ever take a break? They’re so tense; even I’m getting tired of seeing them around.
J.
Ohno smiled at that; there was no doubt that Jun was referring to his friends, meaning that all this time, he has been watching over them silently too. Ohno wondered if he should take this notes away and keep it, but then he pulled out a pen and scribbled an answer on the empty space.
They’re taking a break whenever I’m not on my shift; tomorrow is one of those days.
I’ll be painting somewhere in this college.
O.
Once done, Ohno quickly plastered it again on the same book and then he put them back in their shelves; there was a chance that the book would be taken from someone else, and if Jun ever gotten his hands on it, there was still a chance for him to never find Ohno, because whenever Ohno said somewhere, he meant it literally. He could be painting anywhere, at the most unexpected places, and there was a chance that Jun wouldn’t meet him.
But it seemed safer that way, because as much as he wanted to talk to him, there was a part of him that still doubted him either - this part of him was clearly there because of all the brainwashing Nino did to him, he was sure of that.
So Ohno left the book to where it was belong; he stared at it for a long while, weighing whether he should hide it even deeper or not so other people wouldn’t find it, but then he decided against it, and slowly, he made his way back to his friends.
A part of him wished that Jun would never find it.
A part of him wished he would.
***
A player hit the ball.
Ohno watched as the ball fly through the golden sky; it was a very nice evening, and he was seated in an empty classroom by the window, enjoying the wind as he watched the baseball club practicing on the ground. Beside him, an empty canvas stood in silence, waiting for him to get inspired and started something, but today, Ohno didn’t really feel like creating anything. He has been here for an hour, staring outside the window without even touching his pencil to draw something. He convinced himself that it was because he didn’t have any inspiration, but he knew that he was lying; he couldn’t concentrate enough because he was wondering whether Jun’d find him or not.
And it was stupid, really. Their college was big enough to get lost in it and never return, and finding someone in it was always a pain; that, and also the fact that Jun might have never find the book. Or he did, but he wasn’t willing to go at such length to seek Ohno out.
Which, if that was the case, then Ohno’d bury himself in embarrassment.
He glanced at his clock; it was 5 pm already, and he thought of going home. Usually, Aiba would drive him home, but since today he decided to be alone, both his friends has gone on a date, and so Ohno would have to just ride the train…at their busiest hours.
Well. Maybe another hour then.
He was changing his position beside the window and stretching a bit when suddenly the door slide opened, to his surprise.
And Jun stood there, with a smile on his rather red face, looking as stylish as ever today even though he was just wearing a black v-neck with jeans and sneakers.
“Found you.” He said breathlessly in a sing-song tone, and Ohno watched silently as Jun slide the door closed and locked it. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere; can’t you be more specific?”
And all of the sudden his worries rocketed to the sky.
He isn’t going to kill me right? He isn’t going to beat me up in this empty classroom right? God, Satoshi, why are you so stupid? Why choosing an empty classroom of all the places you could ever choose? How did he find you anyway???
“Hey, relax.” Jun said, bringing him back from his internal panicking. “I’m not going to hurt you or anything like that.”
Ohno felt his cheeks flushed from having his thoughts being exposed like that; it lasted only for a second though, because soon guilt started replacing that. Staring at Jun like this, he could immediately tell that even though he tried to look nonchalant, it must’ve hurt him that he had to reassure someone every time he wanted to talk to them; all because of that mistake he did and the stupid, ridiculous rumors that came along with it (like yakuza; seriously?). “I’m sorry.” He said softly. “I didn’t mean to - I guess I can’t help but worry, more so because people only badmouthed you all day.”
“And you believe them?” Jun asked, and despite his stoic face, Ohno could tell that he was going to leave the moment Ohno said yes.
So instead, Ohno threw him a smile - it surprised him how nerve-wrecking a smile could be - and then he said, “Not until I heard it from you.”
It seemed like Jun wasn’t expecting that answer, because for a moment, he looked lost. Ohno wondered when was the last time someone decided to trust him, to the point that when someone did, he looked completely lost. Making sure that the smile was still etched on his face, Ohno dragged one of the empty chair to where he sit, putting them close but not too close, and then he looked up at Jun. “Let’s talk.”
The way Jun smiled was almost child-like - his face simply brightens, and he wasted no time to sit beside Ohno, not worrying about his eagerness showing. “Hey.” He said once he was seated beside Ohno.
“Hey.” Ohno replied, and then they giggled - it was stupid, really, and Ohno felt like they were as stupid as those teenagers in the chick-lit Jun used to read, no, compiled. But it helped with the mood. He could see that Jun was more laid-back now, he leaned against his seat, crossed his legs, and then he looked at Ohno expectantly. “So, I wanted to talk to you about things.”
“Okay.”
“First of all, I’m sorry for scaring you out back then.” He said nervously, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “I wasn’t trying to hit on you; I really thought you were someone else.”
“…Okay.” Ohno said, unsure on what to make out of it. Jun seemed to realize it though, and he quickly added, “Not that I won’t hit on you, of course. I would, for God sake, I would. I just wasn’t doing it last time.”
Ohno smiled sheepishly, somewhat happy for that clarification. “Okay.” He said again. “And don’t worry, you’re not scaring me.”
“Yeah, I can see that it wasn’t what scared you.” Jun tilted his head back, and he huffed as he said this, “You’re more scared about the rumor.”
“Is that just a rumor?” He asked carefully, and his stomach dropped when Jun shook his head slowly, solemnly.
“I beat him for real.” He admitted, his eyebrows furrowed deeply as he said that. “There was a reason for it, of course, but he didn’t deserve that… Well, he deserved to get beaten, but not until, well…”
“Do you feel guilty about it?”
Jun turned to him, blinked, and then he quietly said, “For beating him? No. For making him deaf? Yes.”
The air turned heavy after that; Jun was looking down at his sneakers now, while Ohno was still trying to process everything. So he did beat that guy for real; it should’ve scared him, but if anything, Ohno felt something akin to relief - he was glad that Jun was being honest with him, even though not completely. But to know that Jun was feeling guilty made him trust him even more; it made him realized that Jun would never hurt him, like he said. “I want to ask you something.”
Jun tensed up. “What?”
“Is it true that your father is a yakuza?”
Jun immediately cracked up; his laughter was contagious, really, and Ohno found himself chuckling along, while silently patting himself on the back for being able to make the loner laugh.
“God, no. Who told you that?” Jun said between his laughter. “My father works in a company - that has nothing to do with the underground world like yakuza.”
“That’s a relief. I was scared if that’s true.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not a gangster or a mafia or a yakuza; I’m just…me.” He finished up as he grinned to Ohno. “Hope you don’t mind with just me.”
“I prefer just you, Matsumoto-kun -“
“Jun.” He said. “Call me Jun.”
“Jun…kun.” Ohno added the suffix in the end, because otherwise it’d be too weird to call his first name just like that. “And you can call me Oh-chan, if you want.”
“Ah, but that’s what your bodyguards calls you, isn’t it?” Jun smirked. “I’d rather call you something else.”
“Like?”
“Satoshi?”
Ohno tried to stop the shiver that was running through his body, but it couldn’t be helped. He hugged himself as the warmth came rushing through, unable to speak or think since he was overwhelmed by how it affected him so much. Jun seemed to have a different idea though; he frowned, then after a moment, he looked a bit sad as he said, “Ah, of course I can’t call you that. You have a boyfriend.”
That helped stopping the shiver, though Ohno didn’t like the way it made him feel guilty, like he was doing something as bad as cheating - he wasn’t though, since he wasn’t in any relationship. “I don’t have a boyfriend.” He explained. “I do have someone close to me, but we’re not in a relationship.”
At this, Jun perked up. He sat a little straighter on his seat. “But do you like him? Are you after him?”
Ohno couldn’t really answer that. Did he? Saying no was absolutely ridiculous, because of course Ohno liked Sho, but he wasn’t really after him, wasn’t he? Sho was already there, placed in front of him like a wrapped gift - he didn’t have to run after him anymore. “I…don’t know.”
“That’s good.” Jun said instead as he tilted his head. “That’s good if you don’t know - I still have my chance then.”
Before Ohno could properly respond to that, Jun had already turned his attention to the empty canvas. He reached forward, fingers running to the surface of the canvas, before then he finally turned around. “You said you’re going to paint something.” Jun said, half-accusing.
“I am, but I don’t have any inspiration for now.” He said with a sigh; he started moving the canvas from the easel and put it in the floor, knowing that he wouldn’t get any drawing done, he wouldn’t even sketch anything. He started packing back the brushes and paints back into his backpack, when Jun suddenly chirped up.
“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
“Huh?” Ohno looked at him in a surprise. “Dinner?”
“Yup! I know some restaurant with great view - you might get inspired in the end.” He leaped to his feet energetically, and then he stared down at Ohno with a smile. “Also, I’d like to treat you as my way to apologize for my bad first impression.”
Ohno stared at him; he wasn’t sure whether to take the offer or not because really, it was a bad idea. He could imagine the look on Nino and Aiba’s face if they ever find out; they’d probably even lock him down at home then, or putting a leash around him so they could always keep him close. They’d definitely talk nonstop about how dangerous it was to go with Jun, over and over again. “I can’t believe you did this.” Nino would say. “I can’t believe you.”
Yeah, I can’t believe myself either.
“Satoshi?” Jun said tentatively, as if tasting how his name felt on his tongue. “You don’t want to?”
Ohno licked his dry lips, and then he found himself smiling as he said,
“Sure. Why not?”
***
Jun wasn’t kidding when he said he knew restaurant with great views.
Ohno couldn’t stop staring at the stretching sea in front of his eyes; the sun was setting in the distance, and the sky was glowing, transitioning from orangeish to dark blue, blending together into a breathtaking shade of purple. The salty wind was blowing slowly, teasingly, and Ohno inhaled them with a small smile on his face, knowing that he’d recall this addicting scent of sea and salt before going to bed tonight.
“Do you like this place?”
He didn’t want to tear away his eyes from the sea, but he wanted to show how grateful he was, so he turned to face Jun, who was smiling gently at him, waiting for an answer. Ohno gulped. “I love it.”
“Thanks god.” Jun replied, before then he turned his attention back to the menu. “This seaside restaurant not only has the best view, but their foods are also very delicious; try their fish and chips.”
“I’d like that.” Ohno said, not really caring on what to eat as he turned his face to the sea again. “And for the drink, if they have lemon squash -“
“Consider it done.” Jun called for the waitress and ordered their food with Ohno only half-listening and half-mumbling when Jun asked him whether he wanted to order anything else. He didn’t miss the way the waitress blinked her eyes a little bit too fast while taking the orders though, and it was so hilarious that Ohno couldn’t help but biting his lips, holding back his laughter when it was clear that Jun didn’t care about her and couldn’t wait to dismiss her when he was done ordering. When Jun caught a glimpse of his face, the man raised his eyebrow, “What?”
“She’s trying to hit on you.” Ohno pointed out with a giggle. “She’s batting her eyelashes all the time; it’s quite funny.”
“Is she?” Jun looked behind him for a few seconds before turning back to face Ohno. “Nope, not interested.”
“Not pretty enough?”
“I prefer guys.” Jun deadpanned.
At that, Ohno only laughed harder. “Me too.”
“I know.” Jun replied with a smirk. “I saw how you looked at me.”
At that, Ohno’s laughter died down. He fixed his posture, and he leaned forward across the table. “How?” He whispered, afraid that he was giving too much by the way he looked at him. But then again, he wasn’t even sure how, exactly, did he look at Jun. He could only hope it was an appropriate kind of stare.
Jun leaned forward too, and all of sudden they were too close; Ohno could see the moles in his face clearly, the mischievous twinkling of his brown eyes, the fleeting scent of his perfume -
“That’s only for me to enjoy, Satoshi.”
The shivers were back again. Ohno could feel them crawl under his skin, spreading through his body like fire, and he was pretty sure that his cheeks were giving his feelings away; even without touching it, he could tell that his cheeks were burning.
And by the way Jun was grinning, Ohno could tell that he was enjoying this, that asshole.
Ohno struggled to say something, anything, so Jun wouldn’t be the one that was having the last words. But of course the waitress has to come at that time; of course she had to cleared her throat loudly, making them break apart nervously while the waitress placed their drinks with a scowl in her face.
The funny thing was, Jun scowled back at her.
That helped a lot actually; once she walked away, Ohno started laughing, and then Jun followed too, his voice a little bit too loud, but he didn’t mind at all. It surprised him how easy it was to be around Jun - sure, sometimes he felt a little weirded out, and he hated whenever Jun managed to make him shivered, but aside from that, he was completely rest assured that Jun was…normal. Seeing him smiling and laughing like that, he looked perfectly normal, and Ohno swore he was going to change how Nino and Aiba saw him; it wasn’t fair if he was alienated because he made a mistake, in which he was already feeling guilty enough by it - they didn’t have the right to punish him too.
“What are you thinking, Satoshi?” Jun called out, and Ohno was snapped out of his train of thoughts. “You looked like you’re going somewhere else just now.”
“I’m just thinking about what a great guy you are.” He said slowly, fingers playing with the straw of his lemon squash. “And how you didn’t deserve to be treated that way.”
“What way?”
“Casted away.” Ohno met his gaze nervously. “I could see that, well, people didn’t like to be around you. They pushed you away, and I think it’s not fair. I mean, I’m not going to justify your action; you are wrong, as you admitted so, but at the very least, you’re beating yourself for it too. And that, in itself, are enough punishment.”
Jun’s lips was pursed into a tight line and his eyebrows furrowed deeply as he looked away to the darkened sky; he stayed that way for a long time, and Ohno knew then that he had hit a nerve. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Jun beat him into it.
“I have friends too, you know. They are not in the same faculty as me, so we couldn’t hang out that often, more so when they’re preparing to graduate. But still, I have friends - Toma and Shun. The two of them stick with me despite the bad reputation I get, and that helped a lot.” He turned towards Ohno with a small, sad smile. “It was tough, but they stay with me, so I managed, somehow.”
“They sounded nice.” Ohno said sincerely, and Jun nodded happily at that.
“They are; I dare say that they’re as nice as your bodyguards.” Before Ohno could reply, he added. “And then, there’s also you.”
Jun reached out slowly, and even though he felt like he should’ve stopped him, he didn’t. He let Jun took his hand, holding it on the table loosely, but it was enough to make his heart flutter.
“Thank you.” Jun said; the words were so gently whispered and the crowded restaurant threatened to drown the words out, but Ohno didn’t miss it - he couldn’t miss it for the world. “Thank you very much, Satoshi. It means a lot to me.”
The waitress came with their foods, but they didn’t let go.
They didn’t.
***
Ohno was in trouble once he got home.
He forgot to tell his parents that he was out with Jun, and since his phone was on silent, he didn’t hear them calling. That has clearly sent his parents on hysteria because when Jun dropped him off on the driveway, he saw Aiba’s car, and by putting one and two together, he could tell that his parents has probably called them.
A look on his phone and the endless missed calls from his parents and friends, Ohno was almost certain now that he was in trouble.
Jun could probably sense it, because he stared at Ohno, and then at his driveway, and he asked, “Are you in trouble?”
“Yeah.” Ohno mumbled as he put his phone between his legs. “I forgot to tell my parents that I will go out for dinner.”
“You’re an adult, aren't you?”
“I’m their only kid.” Ohno shrugged as he took his backpack and slung it across his shoulder.
“That explained why everyone is so protective towards you.” Jun grinned, but even Ohno could tell that he was feeling a bit responsible with what happened. “Should I go and explain to your parents?”
Ohno was totally horrified with the idea; his friends were there after all, and if they saw Jun, they could probably tell his parents about Jun’s background and banning him from meeting him ever again.
Also, Sho’d probably be there too.
Ohno rubbed his forehead in annoyance as he shook his head. “No. No, it’s better if you just go.”
“But -“
“Please. It’d be better that way.” Ohno said; he twisted on the seat and he reached to the backseat to get his canvas. “I’m sorry.”
“No problem.” Jun mumbled, but then he added, “Can I ask for your number then?”
“Huh?”
“So I can make sure that you’re okay, and that they aren’t grounding you or something. Besides, I don’t feel like communicating with you via notes in the library when you have a phone.” Jun snatched his phone from his seat and he inserted his number there. After a while, his phone ring, and he returned his phone. “I’ll text you tonight.”
Ohno took his phone back, holding it tightly on his hand as he nodded. “Okay.”
“You know, usually at times like this, people parted with a kiss.”
“I don’t have time for a kiss, I’m in big trouble.” Ohno replied bluntly as he stuffed his phone back into his pocket, but it was because his heart started thumping too loudly, and he wasn’t sure if it was because for the promise of a kiss or because he really was in a big trouble; probably the first. “After I go out, I need you to immediately go, okay? Don’t wait until I get inside.”
“Fine.” Jun huffed, and he unlocked the door. “See you later.”
“Yeah, see you. Thanks for tonight.” Ohno stalled for a moment, but then he finally grab the handle and went outside, into the cold night. As promised, Jun quickly started his car again and drove away, not giving Ohno a chance to take a glimpse of his expression anymore. Sighing, he walked to his house, taking his sweet time on getting to the front door, before he finally opened the unlocked door. “Tadaima.” He called out.
Her mother immediately appeared in the doorway, her face was a mix of fear and worries, and Ohno felt bad almost immediately when she approached him. “Where have you been?!” She screamed.
He blinked; his mother has never raised her voice before. He looked past her shoulder to see his father and his friends and Sho coming out from the kitchen, all of them looking worried too, though not as hysterical as his mother. “I’m sorry, I was going out with my friend, and I forgot to tell you.” He said quietly.
“With who?” His mother pressed, and Ohno was raking his brain for other names his mother known of when Nino made a little, gasping sound.
He knew.
Everyone’s eyes were at Nino at once, but Nino was staring at Ohno, and Ohno, too, was frantically begging with his eyes, willing for him to never say Jun’s name, ever. “Kazu?” His mother called Nino out by his first name. “What’s wrong?”
“Ah. No. I…I think I know who he went along with.” Nino said, eyes shifting between Ohno and his mother.
“Oh? Who?”
Please Nino, please don’t.
Nino stared at him like he was going to say, I can’t believe you.
“It must be Shige-kun!” Aiba broke the heavy silence, and Ohno turned to his angel-like friends. “I remember just now - he’s in the same class as you, right? And if I’m not wrong you guys are working on the art project together!”
Nino stared at his boyfriend like he was going to say, I can’t believe you either.
At any other time, Ohno’d laugh at the face Aiba was making while he was lying; his eyes were dilated and he was blinking too much and he started sweating, but now, he couldn’t find it in himself to laugh. Instead, he nodded vigorously; glad for the lie Aiba provided him with. “Yes, I was out with Shige-kun for our art project - we’ve been hunting for places with great views!”
His mother was still suspicious, he could tell, but she finally turned back to Aiba and shook her head. “You should’ve told me before, Masaki-kun.”
“S-sorry. I forgot.”
“It’s okay.” His mother dismissed him. “Anyway, Satoshi. You should’ve called us. Do you know how worried we are? We thought something bad happened to you - we almost asked Sho’s father to look for you.”
Ohno cringed - asking Sho’s father was really taking it too much. Sho’s father worked in a police department, and his position was one with a great influence, and Ohno was pretty sure that if asked, he’d probably send polices out to look for him, which was embarrassing and unnecessary as hell. “I’m sorry, mom, I really forgot. But seriously, I’m an adult now, and I can take care of myself just fine.”
His mother frowned. “But Satoshi, we’re just really worried -”
“Nothing bad will happen to me, mom. It’s not like someone will kidnap me or anything.”
He meant it as a joke, but his mother expression was so horrified it almost looked like Ohno just slapped her across her face. He fidgeted nervously, unsure on why his mother looked so shocked like that, when his father finally spoke, “Satoshi, go to your room now.”
Ohno looked up at his father, and he saw the same horrified look, but his was masked in anger. “But -“
“Go to your room right now.”
“It’s not fair!” Ohno tried to argue. “I’m not a kid anymore, I’m -“
“You’re living under my roof and as long as you’re here, you’ll listen to me!” His father bellowed, surprising everyone in the room. “Go to your room. Now!”
Ohno’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment; he finally pushed forward while keeping his eyes down, too angry to even look at any of them in the eyes. He bumped into Sho while trying to make his way upstairs, but he didn’t stop to apologize, not even when Sho was calling his name out softly. He just marched upstairs and slammed the door behind him. He threw the canvas and his backpack carelessly to the floor, and then he locked his door and his window and drawn the curtain, because he didn’t want anyone to bother him. Once done, he finally threw himself to the bed, burying himself under the pillows as he felt tears pricking his eyes. That was really unexpected - sure, he expected his parents to be angry at him because this was the very first time he had ever done this, but it didn’t make sense how his parents seemed to be so afraid with him going out without noticing them like that. He knew that he was their only son, but their protectiveness towards him was too much - it was too stifling.
It was almost as if they were afraid of something else.
Someone knocked on his door, but Ohno didn’t bug. He stayed on his bed until the knocking on his door was gone, and he stayed on his bed when someone was knocking on his window - probably Sho. Sho was more persistent though, and even though he wasn’t knocking anymore, Ohno could tell that he was sitting on the veranda, waiting for him. Sighing, Ohno finally moved from his bed and opened the curtain, though he didn’t unlock the window. Sho turned around almost immediately, and he tilted his head as he mouthed, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Ohno shook his head. “I want to sleep.”
“Okay.” Sho mouthed. He gave Ohno a small smile, and then he finally stepped away. “Good night, Satoshi-kun.”
“Good night.” He whispered. He watched Sho crawling over the ladder again, and then he drawn the curtain shut, feeling bad for turning him away but at the same time, he really wasn’t in mood to talk to anyone else. He walked back to his bed and decided to just sleep it off, when he remembered about his phone and he took it out from his pocket.
There were some LINE notifications from Aiba and Nino, which he decided to ignore, and then there were messages from both Sho and Jun. He opened Sho’s first, and he read,
I’m here if you want to talk about it. Just call me and I’ll be there.
He sighed heavily, and then he opened the one from Jun’s.
I hope you’re okay. I feel bad for getting you in trouble, but I don’t regret taking you out for dinner.
That nagging feeling was there again; the guilt that made him feel as if he was cheating. But he wasn’t. He really wasn’t…right?
Ohno turned his phone off instead of answering, and then he put it on his nightstand.
He didn’t want to deal with any of it right now. He needed a break.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 3
Pairing: Juntoshi, Yama, Ninoai
Genre: Angst, Drama, Romance
Rating: R-ish (later in the following chapters)
Summary: Ohno Satoshi lived a perfect, happy life. He was raised in a loving family, enrolled to a famous college with his bestfriends, and had a special someone that he'd possibly marry someday. His life was perfectly planned out and Ohno thought it'd stay that way, but then Matsumoto Jun came along with the very purpose to ruin his life...or so he thought, but Ohno finally started doubting his so-called 'perfect life', which turned out to be not that perfect after all.
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Arashi.
A/N: This is one is another long chapter, and it could probably get boring but well... theyre just starting after all! XD Sorry for taking so long though! I keep telling myself that I need to finish this (and lots of other fics) but these days I'm easily distracted. One of the distraction being Osomatsu-san. Damn, I love that anime to bits. Favorite is Jyushimatsu and Totty! XD Ugh I gotta stop rambling about anime here! Anyway, enjoy! Comments will be loved! Muscle muscle hustle hustle! <3
Matsumoto Jun was stubborn, though not as stubborn as Aiba and Nino combined.
Still, he was stubborn. Despite how Nino had harshly called him off, he still showed up at the library the following day. And then the day after that. And the whole weeks after that too. He made it seemed like he was a regular at that library, even when he wasn’t. He showed up whenever Ohno’s shift started, choosing random books from the shelves, and then he’d sit in the table in the corner of the library until Ohno’s shift ended, surrounded by books that he didn’t really touch, let alone read. Most of the time, he’d work on his homework, but when he didn’t have any, he’d make this barrier of books on the table, giving Ohno a headache because he knew that in the end, Jun wouldn’t return them to their respective shelves. But Ohno actually enjoyed it, because Jun picked the most random book possible; he once laughed out loud when Jun stacked the book about the tough and brave women in World War II with this romantic, trashy chick-lit about a girl who couldn’t make her mind between two ridiculously handsome boys.
So when the next day he saw Jun picking up lots of books from the shelves, Ohno couldn’t help but grin.
Their interaction stayed that way for weeks because Nino and Aiba were persistent on not letting Ohno having a talk with him. Even though he knew that his friends didn’t like to hang out at the library that much, they did anyway; Nino’d usually play with his DS while Aiba’d read his manga, but their eyes would never left Ohno. Whenever Ohno made a round in the library, they followed behind him, making it seemed like they were chatting happily while Ohno knew that it was all just a scheme. Whenever Ohno was done returning the books and just have to wait by the counter until his shift was over, they’d drag the chairs to the counter to keep him company - or to keep him away from Jun, he wasn’t sure. Sometimes while chatting, Nino’d casually (he didn’t know how he did this) drop a little fact about Jun here and there, something like, “I heard Jun was very rude - a lecturer once cried because he snapped at her” or “Speaking about mafia, there’s a rumor that Jun’s father is a yakuza.”
Ohno could only rolled his eyes; he’d love to tell Nino that his brainwashing was not effective at all, because every time Jun left, he’d eagerly took the books he had left and secretly laughed at the random titles, and all bad things about Jun that Nino had tried to stuff to his head was all gone. This man got some great humor sense going on, and the bad attitude seemed mismatched; sometimes Ohno wasn’t even sure that they were talking about the same man, because the impression was totally different in Ohno’s mind.
Still, Ohno said nothing to his friends; he just nodded and went along with it.
One day though, Jun upped their little interaction. Ohno was busy taking care of the books he had left behind, silently giggling at the titles, when he saw a small post-it being plastered on one of the book’s back cover. Looking around to make sure that his friends weren’t looking his way, Ohno ducked his head to read the note, his heart speeding up at the unfamiliar handwriting.
Don’t your bodyguards ever take a break? They’re so tense; even I’m getting tired of seeing them around.
J.
Ohno smiled at that; there was no doubt that Jun was referring to his friends, meaning that all this time, he has been watching over them silently too. Ohno wondered if he should take this notes away and keep it, but then he pulled out a pen and scribbled an answer on the empty space.
They’re taking a break whenever I’m not on my shift; tomorrow is one of those days.
I’ll be painting somewhere in this college.
O.
Once done, Ohno quickly plastered it again on the same book and then he put them back in their shelves; there was a chance that the book would be taken from someone else, and if Jun ever gotten his hands on it, there was still a chance for him to never find Ohno, because whenever Ohno said somewhere, he meant it literally. He could be painting anywhere, at the most unexpected places, and there was a chance that Jun wouldn’t meet him.
But it seemed safer that way, because as much as he wanted to talk to him, there was a part of him that still doubted him either - this part of him was clearly there because of all the brainwashing Nino did to him, he was sure of that.
So Ohno left the book to where it was belong; he stared at it for a long while, weighing whether he should hide it even deeper or not so other people wouldn’t find it, but then he decided against it, and slowly, he made his way back to his friends.
A part of him wished that Jun would never find it.
A part of him wished he would.
***
A player hit the ball.
Ohno watched as the ball fly through the golden sky; it was a very nice evening, and he was seated in an empty classroom by the window, enjoying the wind as he watched the baseball club practicing on the ground. Beside him, an empty canvas stood in silence, waiting for him to get inspired and started something, but today, Ohno didn’t really feel like creating anything. He has been here for an hour, staring outside the window without even touching his pencil to draw something. He convinced himself that it was because he didn’t have any inspiration, but he knew that he was lying; he couldn’t concentrate enough because he was wondering whether Jun’d find him or not.
And it was stupid, really. Their college was big enough to get lost in it and never return, and finding someone in it was always a pain; that, and also the fact that Jun might have never find the book. Or he did, but he wasn’t willing to go at such length to seek Ohno out.
Which, if that was the case, then Ohno’d bury himself in embarrassment.
He glanced at his clock; it was 5 pm already, and he thought of going home. Usually, Aiba would drive him home, but since today he decided to be alone, both his friends has gone on a date, and so Ohno would have to just ride the train…at their busiest hours.
Well. Maybe another hour then.
He was changing his position beside the window and stretching a bit when suddenly the door slide opened, to his surprise.
And Jun stood there, with a smile on his rather red face, looking as stylish as ever today even though he was just wearing a black v-neck with jeans and sneakers.
“Found you.” He said breathlessly in a sing-song tone, and Ohno watched silently as Jun slide the door closed and locked it. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere; can’t you be more specific?”
And all of the sudden his worries rocketed to the sky.
He isn’t going to kill me right? He isn’t going to beat me up in this empty classroom right? God, Satoshi, why are you so stupid? Why choosing an empty classroom of all the places you could ever choose? How did he find you anyway???
“Hey, relax.” Jun said, bringing him back from his internal panicking. “I’m not going to hurt you or anything like that.”
Ohno felt his cheeks flushed from having his thoughts being exposed like that; it lasted only for a second though, because soon guilt started replacing that. Staring at Jun like this, he could immediately tell that even though he tried to look nonchalant, it must’ve hurt him that he had to reassure someone every time he wanted to talk to them; all because of that mistake he did and the stupid, ridiculous rumors that came along with it (like yakuza; seriously?). “I’m sorry.” He said softly. “I didn’t mean to - I guess I can’t help but worry, more so because people only badmouthed you all day.”
“And you believe them?” Jun asked, and despite his stoic face, Ohno could tell that he was going to leave the moment Ohno said yes.
So instead, Ohno threw him a smile - it surprised him how nerve-wrecking a smile could be - and then he said, “Not until I heard it from you.”
It seemed like Jun wasn’t expecting that answer, because for a moment, he looked lost. Ohno wondered when was the last time someone decided to trust him, to the point that when someone did, he looked completely lost. Making sure that the smile was still etched on his face, Ohno dragged one of the empty chair to where he sit, putting them close but not too close, and then he looked up at Jun. “Let’s talk.”
The way Jun smiled was almost child-like - his face simply brightens, and he wasted no time to sit beside Ohno, not worrying about his eagerness showing. “Hey.” He said once he was seated beside Ohno.
“Hey.” Ohno replied, and then they giggled - it was stupid, really, and Ohno felt like they were as stupid as those teenagers in the chick-lit Jun used to read, no, compiled. But it helped with the mood. He could see that Jun was more laid-back now, he leaned against his seat, crossed his legs, and then he looked at Ohno expectantly. “So, I wanted to talk to you about things.”
“Okay.”
“First of all, I’m sorry for scaring you out back then.” He said nervously, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “I wasn’t trying to hit on you; I really thought you were someone else.”
“…Okay.” Ohno said, unsure on what to make out of it. Jun seemed to realize it though, and he quickly added, “Not that I won’t hit on you, of course. I would, for God sake, I would. I just wasn’t doing it last time.”
Ohno smiled sheepishly, somewhat happy for that clarification. “Okay.” He said again. “And don’t worry, you’re not scaring me.”
“Yeah, I can see that it wasn’t what scared you.” Jun tilted his head back, and he huffed as he said this, “You’re more scared about the rumor.”
“Is that just a rumor?” He asked carefully, and his stomach dropped when Jun shook his head slowly, solemnly.
“I beat him for real.” He admitted, his eyebrows furrowed deeply as he said that. “There was a reason for it, of course, but he didn’t deserve that… Well, he deserved to get beaten, but not until, well…”
“Do you feel guilty about it?”
Jun turned to him, blinked, and then he quietly said, “For beating him? No. For making him deaf? Yes.”
The air turned heavy after that; Jun was looking down at his sneakers now, while Ohno was still trying to process everything. So he did beat that guy for real; it should’ve scared him, but if anything, Ohno felt something akin to relief - he was glad that Jun was being honest with him, even though not completely. But to know that Jun was feeling guilty made him trust him even more; it made him realized that Jun would never hurt him, like he said. “I want to ask you something.”
Jun tensed up. “What?”
“Is it true that your father is a yakuza?”
Jun immediately cracked up; his laughter was contagious, really, and Ohno found himself chuckling along, while silently patting himself on the back for being able to make the loner laugh.
“God, no. Who told you that?” Jun said between his laughter. “My father works in a company - that has nothing to do with the underground world like yakuza.”
“That’s a relief. I was scared if that’s true.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not a gangster or a mafia or a yakuza; I’m just…me.” He finished up as he grinned to Ohno. “Hope you don’t mind with just me.”
“I prefer just you, Matsumoto-kun -“
“Jun.” He said. “Call me Jun.”
“Jun…kun.” Ohno added the suffix in the end, because otherwise it’d be too weird to call his first name just like that. “And you can call me Oh-chan, if you want.”
“Ah, but that’s what your bodyguards calls you, isn’t it?” Jun smirked. “I’d rather call you something else.”
“Like?”
“Satoshi?”
Ohno tried to stop the shiver that was running through his body, but it couldn’t be helped. He hugged himself as the warmth came rushing through, unable to speak or think since he was overwhelmed by how it affected him so much. Jun seemed to have a different idea though; he frowned, then after a moment, he looked a bit sad as he said, “Ah, of course I can’t call you that. You have a boyfriend.”
That helped stopping the shiver, though Ohno didn’t like the way it made him feel guilty, like he was doing something as bad as cheating - he wasn’t though, since he wasn’t in any relationship. “I don’t have a boyfriend.” He explained. “I do have someone close to me, but we’re not in a relationship.”
At this, Jun perked up. He sat a little straighter on his seat. “But do you like him? Are you after him?”
Ohno couldn’t really answer that. Did he? Saying no was absolutely ridiculous, because of course Ohno liked Sho, but he wasn’t really after him, wasn’t he? Sho was already there, placed in front of him like a wrapped gift - he didn’t have to run after him anymore. “I…don’t know.”
“That’s good.” Jun said instead as he tilted his head. “That’s good if you don’t know - I still have my chance then.”
Before Ohno could properly respond to that, Jun had already turned his attention to the empty canvas. He reached forward, fingers running to the surface of the canvas, before then he finally turned around. “You said you’re going to paint something.” Jun said, half-accusing.
“I am, but I don’t have any inspiration for now.” He said with a sigh; he started moving the canvas from the easel and put it in the floor, knowing that he wouldn’t get any drawing done, he wouldn’t even sketch anything. He started packing back the brushes and paints back into his backpack, when Jun suddenly chirped up.
“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
“Huh?” Ohno looked at him in a surprise. “Dinner?”
“Yup! I know some restaurant with great view - you might get inspired in the end.” He leaped to his feet energetically, and then he stared down at Ohno with a smile. “Also, I’d like to treat you as my way to apologize for my bad first impression.”
Ohno stared at him; he wasn’t sure whether to take the offer or not because really, it was a bad idea. He could imagine the look on Nino and Aiba’s face if they ever find out; they’d probably even lock him down at home then, or putting a leash around him so they could always keep him close. They’d definitely talk nonstop about how dangerous it was to go with Jun, over and over again. “I can’t believe you did this.” Nino would say. “I can’t believe you.”
Yeah, I can’t believe myself either.
“Satoshi?” Jun said tentatively, as if tasting how his name felt on his tongue. “You don’t want to?”
Ohno licked his dry lips, and then he found himself smiling as he said,
“Sure. Why not?”
***
Jun wasn’t kidding when he said he knew restaurant with great views.
Ohno couldn’t stop staring at the stretching sea in front of his eyes; the sun was setting in the distance, and the sky was glowing, transitioning from orangeish to dark blue, blending together into a breathtaking shade of purple. The salty wind was blowing slowly, teasingly, and Ohno inhaled them with a small smile on his face, knowing that he’d recall this addicting scent of sea and salt before going to bed tonight.
“Do you like this place?”
He didn’t want to tear away his eyes from the sea, but he wanted to show how grateful he was, so he turned to face Jun, who was smiling gently at him, waiting for an answer. Ohno gulped. “I love it.”
“Thanks god.” Jun replied, before then he turned his attention back to the menu. “This seaside restaurant not only has the best view, but their foods are also very delicious; try their fish and chips.”
“I’d like that.” Ohno said, not really caring on what to eat as he turned his face to the sea again. “And for the drink, if they have lemon squash -“
“Consider it done.” Jun called for the waitress and ordered their food with Ohno only half-listening and half-mumbling when Jun asked him whether he wanted to order anything else. He didn’t miss the way the waitress blinked her eyes a little bit too fast while taking the orders though, and it was so hilarious that Ohno couldn’t help but biting his lips, holding back his laughter when it was clear that Jun didn’t care about her and couldn’t wait to dismiss her when he was done ordering. When Jun caught a glimpse of his face, the man raised his eyebrow, “What?”
“She’s trying to hit on you.” Ohno pointed out with a giggle. “She’s batting her eyelashes all the time; it’s quite funny.”
“Is she?” Jun looked behind him for a few seconds before turning back to face Ohno. “Nope, not interested.”
“Not pretty enough?”
“I prefer guys.” Jun deadpanned.
At that, Ohno only laughed harder. “Me too.”
“I know.” Jun replied with a smirk. “I saw how you looked at me.”
At that, Ohno’s laughter died down. He fixed his posture, and he leaned forward across the table. “How?” He whispered, afraid that he was giving too much by the way he looked at him. But then again, he wasn’t even sure how, exactly, did he look at Jun. He could only hope it was an appropriate kind of stare.
Jun leaned forward too, and all of sudden they were too close; Ohno could see the moles in his face clearly, the mischievous twinkling of his brown eyes, the fleeting scent of his perfume -
“That’s only for me to enjoy, Satoshi.”
The shivers were back again. Ohno could feel them crawl under his skin, spreading through his body like fire, and he was pretty sure that his cheeks were giving his feelings away; even without touching it, he could tell that his cheeks were burning.
And by the way Jun was grinning, Ohno could tell that he was enjoying this, that asshole.
Ohno struggled to say something, anything, so Jun wouldn’t be the one that was having the last words. But of course the waitress has to come at that time; of course she had to cleared her throat loudly, making them break apart nervously while the waitress placed their drinks with a scowl in her face.
The funny thing was, Jun scowled back at her.
That helped a lot actually; once she walked away, Ohno started laughing, and then Jun followed too, his voice a little bit too loud, but he didn’t mind at all. It surprised him how easy it was to be around Jun - sure, sometimes he felt a little weirded out, and he hated whenever Jun managed to make him shivered, but aside from that, he was completely rest assured that Jun was…normal. Seeing him smiling and laughing like that, he looked perfectly normal, and Ohno swore he was going to change how Nino and Aiba saw him; it wasn’t fair if he was alienated because he made a mistake, in which he was already feeling guilty enough by it - they didn’t have the right to punish him too.
“What are you thinking, Satoshi?” Jun called out, and Ohno was snapped out of his train of thoughts. “You looked like you’re going somewhere else just now.”
“I’m just thinking about what a great guy you are.” He said slowly, fingers playing with the straw of his lemon squash. “And how you didn’t deserve to be treated that way.”
“What way?”
“Casted away.” Ohno met his gaze nervously. “I could see that, well, people didn’t like to be around you. They pushed you away, and I think it’s not fair. I mean, I’m not going to justify your action; you are wrong, as you admitted so, but at the very least, you’re beating yourself for it too. And that, in itself, are enough punishment.”
Jun’s lips was pursed into a tight line and his eyebrows furrowed deeply as he looked away to the darkened sky; he stayed that way for a long time, and Ohno knew then that he had hit a nerve. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Jun beat him into it.
“I have friends too, you know. They are not in the same faculty as me, so we couldn’t hang out that often, more so when they’re preparing to graduate. But still, I have friends - Toma and Shun. The two of them stick with me despite the bad reputation I get, and that helped a lot.” He turned towards Ohno with a small, sad smile. “It was tough, but they stay with me, so I managed, somehow.”
“They sounded nice.” Ohno said sincerely, and Jun nodded happily at that.
“They are; I dare say that they’re as nice as your bodyguards.” Before Ohno could reply, he added. “And then, there’s also you.”
Jun reached out slowly, and even though he felt like he should’ve stopped him, he didn’t. He let Jun took his hand, holding it on the table loosely, but it was enough to make his heart flutter.
“Thank you.” Jun said; the words were so gently whispered and the crowded restaurant threatened to drown the words out, but Ohno didn’t miss it - he couldn’t miss it for the world. “Thank you very much, Satoshi. It means a lot to me.”
The waitress came with their foods, but they didn’t let go.
They didn’t.
***
Ohno was in trouble once he got home.
He forgot to tell his parents that he was out with Jun, and since his phone was on silent, he didn’t hear them calling. That has clearly sent his parents on hysteria because when Jun dropped him off on the driveway, he saw Aiba’s car, and by putting one and two together, he could tell that his parents has probably called them.
A look on his phone and the endless missed calls from his parents and friends, Ohno was almost certain now that he was in trouble.
Jun could probably sense it, because he stared at Ohno, and then at his driveway, and he asked, “Are you in trouble?”
“Yeah.” Ohno mumbled as he put his phone between his legs. “I forgot to tell my parents that I will go out for dinner.”
“You’re an adult, aren't you?”
“I’m their only kid.” Ohno shrugged as he took his backpack and slung it across his shoulder.
“That explained why everyone is so protective towards you.” Jun grinned, but even Ohno could tell that he was feeling a bit responsible with what happened. “Should I go and explain to your parents?”
Ohno was totally horrified with the idea; his friends were there after all, and if they saw Jun, they could probably tell his parents about Jun’s background and banning him from meeting him ever again.
Also, Sho’d probably be there too.
Ohno rubbed his forehead in annoyance as he shook his head. “No. No, it’s better if you just go.”
“But -“
“Please. It’d be better that way.” Ohno said; he twisted on the seat and he reached to the backseat to get his canvas. “I’m sorry.”
“No problem.” Jun mumbled, but then he added, “Can I ask for your number then?”
“Huh?”
“So I can make sure that you’re okay, and that they aren’t grounding you or something. Besides, I don’t feel like communicating with you via notes in the library when you have a phone.” Jun snatched his phone from his seat and he inserted his number there. After a while, his phone ring, and he returned his phone. “I’ll text you tonight.”
Ohno took his phone back, holding it tightly on his hand as he nodded. “Okay.”
“You know, usually at times like this, people parted with a kiss.”
“I don’t have time for a kiss, I’m in big trouble.” Ohno replied bluntly as he stuffed his phone back into his pocket, but it was because his heart started thumping too loudly, and he wasn’t sure if it was because for the promise of a kiss or because he really was in a big trouble; probably the first. “After I go out, I need you to immediately go, okay? Don’t wait until I get inside.”
“Fine.” Jun huffed, and he unlocked the door. “See you later.”
“Yeah, see you. Thanks for tonight.” Ohno stalled for a moment, but then he finally grab the handle and went outside, into the cold night. As promised, Jun quickly started his car again and drove away, not giving Ohno a chance to take a glimpse of his expression anymore. Sighing, he walked to his house, taking his sweet time on getting to the front door, before he finally opened the unlocked door. “Tadaima.” He called out.
Her mother immediately appeared in the doorway, her face was a mix of fear and worries, and Ohno felt bad almost immediately when she approached him. “Where have you been?!” She screamed.
He blinked; his mother has never raised her voice before. He looked past her shoulder to see his father and his friends and Sho coming out from the kitchen, all of them looking worried too, though not as hysterical as his mother. “I’m sorry, I was going out with my friend, and I forgot to tell you.” He said quietly.
“With who?” His mother pressed, and Ohno was raking his brain for other names his mother known of when Nino made a little, gasping sound.
He knew.
Everyone’s eyes were at Nino at once, but Nino was staring at Ohno, and Ohno, too, was frantically begging with his eyes, willing for him to never say Jun’s name, ever. “Kazu?” His mother called Nino out by his first name. “What’s wrong?”
“Ah. No. I…I think I know who he went along with.” Nino said, eyes shifting between Ohno and his mother.
“Oh? Who?”
Please Nino, please don’t.
Nino stared at him like he was going to say, I can’t believe you.
“It must be Shige-kun!” Aiba broke the heavy silence, and Ohno turned to his angel-like friends. “I remember just now - he’s in the same class as you, right? And if I’m not wrong you guys are working on the art project together!”
Nino stared at his boyfriend like he was going to say, I can’t believe you either.
At any other time, Ohno’d laugh at the face Aiba was making while he was lying; his eyes were dilated and he was blinking too much and he started sweating, but now, he couldn’t find it in himself to laugh. Instead, he nodded vigorously; glad for the lie Aiba provided him with. “Yes, I was out with Shige-kun for our art project - we’ve been hunting for places with great views!”
His mother was still suspicious, he could tell, but she finally turned back to Aiba and shook her head. “You should’ve told me before, Masaki-kun.”
“S-sorry. I forgot.”
“It’s okay.” His mother dismissed him. “Anyway, Satoshi. You should’ve called us. Do you know how worried we are? We thought something bad happened to you - we almost asked Sho’s father to look for you.”
Ohno cringed - asking Sho’s father was really taking it too much. Sho’s father worked in a police department, and his position was one with a great influence, and Ohno was pretty sure that if asked, he’d probably send polices out to look for him, which was embarrassing and unnecessary as hell. “I’m sorry, mom, I really forgot. But seriously, I’m an adult now, and I can take care of myself just fine.”
His mother frowned. “But Satoshi, we’re just really worried -”
“Nothing bad will happen to me, mom. It’s not like someone will kidnap me or anything.”
He meant it as a joke, but his mother expression was so horrified it almost looked like Ohno just slapped her across her face. He fidgeted nervously, unsure on why his mother looked so shocked like that, when his father finally spoke, “Satoshi, go to your room now.”
Ohno looked up at his father, and he saw the same horrified look, but his was masked in anger. “But -“
“Go to your room right now.”
“It’s not fair!” Ohno tried to argue. “I’m not a kid anymore, I’m -“
“You’re living under my roof and as long as you’re here, you’ll listen to me!” His father bellowed, surprising everyone in the room. “Go to your room. Now!”
Ohno’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment; he finally pushed forward while keeping his eyes down, too angry to even look at any of them in the eyes. He bumped into Sho while trying to make his way upstairs, but he didn’t stop to apologize, not even when Sho was calling his name out softly. He just marched upstairs and slammed the door behind him. He threw the canvas and his backpack carelessly to the floor, and then he locked his door and his window and drawn the curtain, because he didn’t want anyone to bother him. Once done, he finally threw himself to the bed, burying himself under the pillows as he felt tears pricking his eyes. That was really unexpected - sure, he expected his parents to be angry at him because this was the very first time he had ever done this, but it didn’t make sense how his parents seemed to be so afraid with him going out without noticing them like that. He knew that he was their only son, but their protectiveness towards him was too much - it was too stifling.
It was almost as if they were afraid of something else.
Someone knocked on his door, but Ohno didn’t bug. He stayed on his bed until the knocking on his door was gone, and he stayed on his bed when someone was knocking on his window - probably Sho. Sho was more persistent though, and even though he wasn’t knocking anymore, Ohno could tell that he was sitting on the veranda, waiting for him. Sighing, Ohno finally moved from his bed and opened the curtain, though he didn’t unlock the window. Sho turned around almost immediately, and he tilted his head as he mouthed, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Ohno shook his head. “I want to sleep.”
“Okay.” Sho mouthed. He gave Ohno a small smile, and then he finally stepped away. “Good night, Satoshi-kun.”
“Good night.” He whispered. He watched Sho crawling over the ladder again, and then he drawn the curtain shut, feeling bad for turning him away but at the same time, he really wasn’t in mood to talk to anyone else. He walked back to his bed and decided to just sleep it off, when he remembered about his phone and he took it out from his pocket.
There were some LINE notifications from Aiba and Nino, which he decided to ignore, and then there were messages from both Sho and Jun. He opened Sho’s first, and he read,
I’m here if you want to talk about it. Just call me and I’ll be there.
He sighed heavily, and then he opened the one from Jun’s.
I hope you’re okay. I feel bad for getting you in trouble, but I don’t regret taking you out for dinner.
That nagging feeling was there again; the guilt that made him feel as if he was cheating. But he wasn’t. He really wasn’t…right?
Ohno turned his phone off instead of answering, and then he put it on his nightstand.
He didn’t want to deal with any of it right now. He needed a break.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 3