Aiba/Jun - The Game We Play, chapter 18 of 22
So I come back with another chapter of this fic. Since this is already done I might as well post it soon LOL
The Game We Play
Pairings: Aiba Masaki/Matsumoto Jun, Ninomiya Kazunari/Sakurai Sho, Ohno Satoshi/Ikuta Toma, Tegoshi Yuuya/Masuda Takahisa
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Drama, AU
Summary: Four princes of JE academy were bored with their always-the-same lives. So they decided to play a game that will change their life forever.
A/N: It's a complete AU, means all the characters have different personality from their real life version. It's my challenge to see whether I can get it to work. And because I love Aiba/Jun so much I have to write something about them. In this fic, Aiba is a real jerk (but a softie at heart) and an animal lover, Jun CAN actually sing, Nino is the playboy with bitter past, Sho CAN actually draw, and Ohno is not quiet. Other than that, enjoy the story!
Previous: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
Chapter 18
“So you are the new student that will live with us from now on at the west dorm?” Yamashita asked as he eyed the new student in front of him. This new student was wearing a white fitting t-shirt that showed his nicely toned body with a pair of black jeans, looking gorgeous like the model Yamashita often seen on the television. It’s not that Yamashita was ogling after him, it’s just that he appreciated good things when he see it.
Ryo didn’t appreciate Yamashita eyeing him so intensely like that. He was just a normal boy with normal clothes and normal appearances. Yamashita shouldn’t look at him like he was an interesting object to study.
Ryo didn’t say his thought out loud to Yamashita though. He wanted to make a good first impression to his dorm mates and soon to be workmates too, since he would be added to the student council as an assistant to the Club’s Supervisor. He’d been told by the director that the Club’s Supervisor, Hideaki Takizawa, was on his final year in the academy so they had to find a replacement for him.
The director chose him because he thought that Ryo fitted to be part of student council, though from what angle he’d seen it Ryo didn’t know. He accepted the job because he thought it would be fun. He could keep an eye on his brother too when Toma visited Ohno in his office as Hikaru told him that Toma often went to Ohno’s office to work with him.
He tried to just let Yamashita’s odd behavior slip as he gave Yamashita his best smile and bowed. “Nice to meet you. I’m Nishikido Ryo. I’ll be your now roommates from now on.”
“Are you somehow related to Ikuta Toma, Nishikido Ryo-san?” Yamashita suddenly realized something when Ryo smiled at him. That smile was identical with the smile Toma usually gave him when the journalist greeted him.
“Ikuta Toma is my little brother.” Ryo answered, though a little bit confused as to why his brother’s name was suddenly mentioned.
“That’s why you two are both gorgeous like some hot models in the magazine. Same genes, I see.”
Yamashita’s blunt words shocked Ryo a little. He had heard from Toma that the head of the newspaper club was weird and obnoxious sometimes but he’s a good person when his brother heard about him getting accepted to be part of the student council. Ryo had wondered whether his little brother said that out of experience.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” Yamashita stared right at Ryo’s eyes. “I’m sure you are not deaf since Toma was not. And I hope you’re not too slow like your brother.”
Ryo knew that his brother was really slow sometimes and that he was too carefree for his own good, but still, Toma was his brother and he felt the need to defend his cute little brother. “Toma is a good kid and he’s perfectly fine. He’s also not slow. He’s just a bit-” Ryo paused, didn’t know what to say anymore.
“Stupid? Retarded?” Yamashita supplied and Ryo sighed in defeat. This person seemed to know his brother so well. He felt sorry for not being able to stand for Toma though.
“Please just don’t say bad things about him. He’s still my brother.”
Yamashita just waved his hands at Ryo. “Forget what I’ve said. So, welcome to the student council?”
Ryo took the hand that Yamashita offered to him and shook it firmly. “Thanks for welcoming me.”
“No problem.” Yamashita grinned.
And before Ryo could say anything else to Yamashita, he was a bit taken a back when two people came out of the kitchen, a taller man was scolding the slightly shorter man who was holding a bowl filled with cookies. Ryo couldn’t hear what the taller man said to the other man but he’s sure it was not an endearing words or the man wouldn’t scowl so darkly like that.
“-and I’ve told you that these cookies are important! Why couldn’t you bring it properly? Your hands are so big they should be able to hold the bowl without making it fall!”
“But that’s not my fault! It’s just slipped out of my hands! I- Oh, who’s that Yamashita?”
The taller man’s attention was quickly turned to him and his eyes widened in surprise when he recognized Ryo. He quickly sauntered over to Ryo with a graceful move and Ryo had to wonder whether this person was really a man.
“You would be Nishikido Ryo, the new transfer student who would work under me as my assistant, right? The director told me that the person was gorgeous and tall and you indeed gorgeous.”
Ryo was left dumbfounded at the frankness way of the boy asking him questions. He began to wonder whether people in this academy were lacking of communication skill. They seemed to blurt out whatever they had in mind without thinking it first. Yamashita was like that, and now this person too.
“I’m Nishikido Ryo, that’s right. Nice to meet you.” He bowed slightly and he felt the smaller man hit him playfully in the arms.
“Oh, he’s so polite, isn’t he Yamashita? It’s nice to have good boy in our student council’s body for once.”
The shorter man just rolled his eyes. “Just ignore him. He’s on his sugar high today, ate too much cookies since yesterday. Anyway, I’m Imai Tsubasa. Nice to meet you.”
Ryo quickly bowed to Tsubasa. “I’m Nishikido Ryo. Nice-”
“See! He’s bowing again! He is totally a polite boy. I like him!”
“Takki, stop saying suggestive things like that. You will scare that poor boy.”
“Ow, are you jealous, Tsubasa? Don’t worry big bear, I love only you!”
Ryo was stunned to see the person called Takki pounced on the man called Tsubasa and kissed him on the spot. He then turned to Ryo and smiled at him before he grabbed Tsubasa’s hand and pulled him forcefully inside a bedroom, the bowl of cookies lay forgotten on the dinner table where Tsubasa put it. Ryo blinked rapidly at the scene he just witnessed. What the!?
“Don’t worry about them. They are always like that. No one knows why they haven’t been a couple yet with how they are acting.”
Yamashita’s voice startled him. He almost forgot that Yamashita was there due to the distraction that appeared before his eyes.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind at all.” Ryo quickly said.
“That’s good.” Yamashita’s grin widened and somehow Ryo was afraid of what the other man was thinking to make him grinning so widely like that. He hoped it wasn’t something weird.
++++
Nino felt nervous as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt while standing like a fool in front of Sho’s art class. He was actually afraid to enter the class even though Sho’s classmates had told him Sho was alone because he was working on his project for the art competition that will be held in two weeks’ time. Sho was the only person from this academy who entered the competition so he tried his best to win it. He wanted to keep his pride winning another competition after he outdone himself two years ago for winning a very prestigious competition in Paris.
Nino steeled himself and turned the handle of the door. He prepared himself to face a very angry Sho and he had to explain himself with one hundred reasons as he entered the classroom and was greeted by his own face smiling at him.
Nino thought he was dreaming.
There, in the middle of the class, stood proudly a big painting of him, smiling while reading a book on the park bench near the school gate, looking so peaceful and so in love.
Nino gasped at the sight that greeted him, his loud noise interrupting the person who was currently sitting in front of the painting. The painter stiffened but didn’t bother to look back as he already knew who the intruder was.
“Ninomiya-san, why don’t you sit beside me while I’m working on this painting? I’m almost done with it.” Sho still had his back facing Nino, working on his painting again as he added a black color to the painting.
Dazed, Nino just stood there as he watched Sho work his magic, making the painting look even more real than they should be. This was Sho’s talent, as he had read in the newspaper that reported Sho’s win two years ago in a competition in Paris - the way he could make a painting looked alive and real. That’s the main reason why Sho was awarded as the best new talented artist for the year, earning himself a scholarship into JE academy without much difficulty.
Now Nino knew why people always considered Sho as genius in art. This was why.
With the last stroke of his brush, Sho finished his painting as he left it there to cool off and turned to Nino. Sho’s expression was calm and almost expressionless, but Nino could see the trace of nervousness in it with the way Sho kept fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
“Sho.” Nino stared at the younger boy before him straight in the eyes. “Why are you painting me? And before you’ve said you didn’t want to paint a person anymore.”
Sho looked down at his hands, avoiding his stare. “Because I don’t have any other choice.”
“What do you mean with that?”
Sho felt horrible. Why did Nino choose to visit him today? No one knew about this painting, not even his friends in art class because he always covered it and only worked on it when class was over and his friends were all gone. He didn’t want everyone to know that he painted Nino and then told the other about it. He wanted it to be a secret. No one supposed to know until he submitted it for the competition.
All his attempts to hide the painting were useless since Nino was standing there looking at the painting directly and asking him why he painted him. He still had to explain to Nino why he chose to paint the other when he clearly said that he wouldn’t paint any one again because of his past.
Looking up to see Nino, Sho made up his mind and opened his mouth. “The theme for the competition is ‘Things that you love’. I want to paint flowers that I like or scenery that I adore, but somehow, I could only see you in my mind. I could only imagine how my painting would be with you as the object. So I chose you.”
Nino gulped. Did Sho just say ‘love’? Or was he heard it wrong? Maybe he did hear it wrong.
“Sho-”
“If you are wondering whether I’m confessing to you, you got it right.” Sho saw the surprised in Nino’s expression and couldn’t help but to let out a bitter smile. “And I thought you would be happy to get those words from me. Isn’t it part of your challenge? Or maybe it’s not valid anymore since my brother had said it to Aiba-san first?”
Nino had anticipated that Sho already knew about the challenge. He and Jun were brothers after all. But still, it came out as a shock to him. “You know about the challenge?”
“I knew about it. And it’s not because my brother told me. I knew about the challenge long ago.”
Guilt stabbed Nino. So Sho knew about the challenge long before Tegoshi blurted it out to Jun? Why Sho was still hanging around him then? Why Sho acted like he didn’t know?
“Sho, why-”
“That’s because I love you, Ninomiya-san. I love you since I first saw you, and that’s long before you started the challenge. That’s why I chose you as my drawing object even though I’ve sworn to myself to not paint a person anymore. That’s because I couldn’t get you out of my mind no matter how hard I try. That’s because I could only see you.”
To say that Nino was shocked was not exactly correct. He was dumbfounded beyond his wildest imagination. He didn’t know that Sho had noticed him before he started talking to the younger boy due to the challenge. He never even spare Sho a glance before since he thought Sho was too pure and he didn’t want to mess with him.
Seeing Sho looking so confident telling him about his feelings toward him, his expression serious and sincere, Nino didn’t know how to react. He was nervous even though this was nothing new for him. Just for how many times he’d been confessed in a year? He’d lost count of it.
This is Sho, his mind told him, that’s because he’s different from others. Whether to embrace him and accept his feelings or push him away, Nino didn’t know because he’s afraid to hurt him.
Confused as to how he should answer Sho’s confession he fell silent not wanting to say something wrong that could hurt Sho. Considering someone’s feelings before he accepted them or rejected them was something new to him. Usually he wouldn’t care what would happen to the person confessing to him. He’d simply walk away from them the time he lost interest in them.
The air between them was uncomfortable so Nino avoided seeing Sho directly and his eyes landed on the painting stood there beside Sho, the painting of himself looking happy and content with his life. He never knew he could be that happy again after what his ex-girlfriend did to him years ago. She had ruined his life completely, making him the bitter and sarcastic person he was.
Looking at the painting intently, he couldn’t help but to think that he’s always happy whenever he’s with Sho. It didn’t matter whether they were just sitting in the art classroom while Sho was painting and he sit beside Sho watching him do his work, or if they just sit in the park without exchanging any words, he’d felt happy.
If Sho could really make him happy, and he was already tired of numerous affairs he had that’s why he chose to go on with the challenge, he thought, why not? If Sho could still love him even if he knew about the challenge already, that meant Sho really loved him and wouldn’t hurt him like what his ex-girlfriend did to him.
Nino turned to look at Sho, his eyes determined. “If I say that I don’t love you yet, but I feel happy whenever I’m with you, what do you say?”
Sho’s gaze was still steady and calm, only little hit of nervousness could be seen. Nino had seen the painting, he had confessed, he had no secret to keep anymore so he felt strangely free. He had expected Nino to turn his back from him the time he confessed so it’s surprised him that Nino still stood there, pondering of an answer. And when Nino throw his question at him, Sho was bewildered. He never expected it, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t happy with it.
“I say that I want to try, because I know that I could make you love only me.” Sho answered confidently.
Nino smiled at Sho’s confidence. He walked closer to Sho, invading the boy’s personal space. He saw that Sho was starting to look nervous again when he was near. Nino smirked at this revelation. He could use this later if he wanted to have some fun with Sho.
Without saying anything, Nino leaned closer and claimed Sho’s lips in a sweet kiss. He broke the kiss moment later and smiled warmly at Sho. “You are mine now, Sakurai Sho.”
Sho wouldn’t want it any other way.
++++
Aiba felt like dying.
This was his first time being sick ever since he was a child and he didn’t enjoy at all, especially since he still need to go to the school and do his work. Not to mention he hadn’t seen Jun for the past two days. It felt like hell to Aiba.
Slouched on the desk in his office, his body still burning with fever that couldn’t go down no matter what medicine he took, his mind drifted to the event where he confessed to Jun and the other rejected him coldly after knowing about the challenge. He would never forget the coldness Jun showed to him that day, the way his smile didn’t reach his eyes and the way he looked down at him like he was nothing.
Aiba closed his eyes, wanting to get rid of the pain but to no avail. The pain was still there, hurting him so badly he almost couldn’t breathe. How he wanted to turn back the time where he stupidly suggested about the challenge. How he wished he just shut his mouth up and instead chose to chase Jun in the correct way. Then everything wouldn’t end up so wrongly like this.
Sighing, he stood up from his chair and looked outside the window. It was so beautiful outside, and yet his mood was so dark he couldn’t appreciate it.
Just when he was about to sigh again, Aiba heard the door of his office being swung open.
“Aiba? I want to talk to you about something.”
Aiba turned at the sound of Nino’s voice. “What is it, Nino?”
It’s the first time Aiba saw Nino look so nervous. He never expected to see his playboy and always confident friend this nervous. “What happen, Nino?”
Nino smiled nervously at him. “Well, I know this would sound stupid saying this just now, but still-”
“It’s okay, Nino. Tell me.”
“Masaki, I-“ Nino cleared his throat loudly. “I’m quitting the challenge.”
Aiba smiled. He knew that this day would come soon though he never expected it to be this soon. “And I think that you will never say it, Nino.”
Nino laughed. “Yeah, I never expect myself to say it too.”
The two of them fell into a comfortable silent as Nino seated himself on the sofa in Aiba’s office and Aiba back sitting on his chair. Aiba was daydreaming about Jun when Nino’s words snapped him back into reality.
“Don’t you want to go and talk to Jun, Masaki?”
“You don’t know just how hard I’ve tried to talk to him, Nino.” Aiba smiled sadly at his friend as he recalled his attempt to explain himself to Jun but Jun didn’t even spare him a glance. He was really sad when Jun avoided meeting him whenever he approached Jun.
Nino stared at his friend with pity in his eyes. He never expected Jun to be that stubborn. Sho could forgive him but why Jun couldn’t forgive Aiba? It’s not like he didn’t know how Aiba felt toward him. Aiba had been obvious enough about his feelings so it’s impossible to misunderstand it.
Nino sighed. He started this challenge so that Aiba could have an excuse to go chasing Jun but it seemed like it had backfired. And since this was his fault he felt responsible to take care of this mess before it’s getting too late. But even the great Ninomiya Kazunari didn’t know what to do.
“Well, I’ve said what I wanted to say so I think I better go.” Nino said.
“You want to go visiting Sakurai Sho?”
“Yes.”
Aiba smiled fondly at his friend as he saw Nino standing up from the sofa and straightened his shirt. He never saw this happy expression on his friend’s face ever since that day his ex-girlfriend broke his heart completely.
“See you later on the dorm, then?”
“See you later, Masaki.”
The Game We Play
Pairings: Aiba Masaki/Matsumoto Jun, Ninomiya Kazunari/Sakurai Sho, Ohno Satoshi/Ikuta Toma, Tegoshi Yuuya/Masuda Takahisa
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Drama, AU
Summary: Four princes of JE academy were bored with their always-the-same lives. So they decided to play a game that will change their life forever.
A/N: It's a complete AU, means all the characters have different personality from their real life version. It's my challenge to see whether I can get it to work. And because I love Aiba/Jun so much I have to write something about them. In this fic, Aiba is a real jerk (but a softie at heart) and an animal lover, Jun CAN actually sing, Nino is the playboy with bitter past, Sho CAN actually draw, and Ohno is not quiet. Other than that, enjoy the story!
Previous: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
Chapter 18
“So you are the new student that will live with us from now on at the west dorm?” Yamashita asked as he eyed the new student in front of him. This new student was wearing a white fitting t-shirt that showed his nicely toned body with a pair of black jeans, looking gorgeous like the model Yamashita often seen on the television. It’s not that Yamashita was ogling after him, it’s just that he appreciated good things when he see it.
Ryo didn’t appreciate Yamashita eyeing him so intensely like that. He was just a normal boy with normal clothes and normal appearances. Yamashita shouldn’t look at him like he was an interesting object to study.
Ryo didn’t say his thought out loud to Yamashita though. He wanted to make a good first impression to his dorm mates and soon to be workmates too, since he would be added to the student council as an assistant to the Club’s Supervisor. He’d been told by the director that the Club’s Supervisor, Hideaki Takizawa, was on his final year in the academy so they had to find a replacement for him.
The director chose him because he thought that Ryo fitted to be part of student council, though from what angle he’d seen it Ryo didn’t know. He accepted the job because he thought it would be fun. He could keep an eye on his brother too when Toma visited Ohno in his office as Hikaru told him that Toma often went to Ohno’s office to work with him.
He tried to just let Yamashita’s odd behavior slip as he gave Yamashita his best smile and bowed. “Nice to meet you. I’m Nishikido Ryo. I’ll be your now roommates from now on.”
“Are you somehow related to Ikuta Toma, Nishikido Ryo-san?” Yamashita suddenly realized something when Ryo smiled at him. That smile was identical with the smile Toma usually gave him when the journalist greeted him.
“Ikuta Toma is my little brother.” Ryo answered, though a little bit confused as to why his brother’s name was suddenly mentioned.
“That’s why you two are both gorgeous like some hot models in the magazine. Same genes, I see.”
Yamashita’s blunt words shocked Ryo a little. He had heard from Toma that the head of the newspaper club was weird and obnoxious sometimes but he’s a good person when his brother heard about him getting accepted to be part of the student council. Ryo had wondered whether his little brother said that out of experience.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” Yamashita stared right at Ryo’s eyes. “I’m sure you are not deaf since Toma was not. And I hope you’re not too slow like your brother.”
Ryo knew that his brother was really slow sometimes and that he was too carefree for his own good, but still, Toma was his brother and he felt the need to defend his cute little brother. “Toma is a good kid and he’s perfectly fine. He’s also not slow. He’s just a bit-” Ryo paused, didn’t know what to say anymore.
“Stupid? Retarded?” Yamashita supplied and Ryo sighed in defeat. This person seemed to know his brother so well. He felt sorry for not being able to stand for Toma though.
“Please just don’t say bad things about him. He’s still my brother.”
Yamashita just waved his hands at Ryo. “Forget what I’ve said. So, welcome to the student council?”
Ryo took the hand that Yamashita offered to him and shook it firmly. “Thanks for welcoming me.”
“No problem.” Yamashita grinned.
And before Ryo could say anything else to Yamashita, he was a bit taken a back when two people came out of the kitchen, a taller man was scolding the slightly shorter man who was holding a bowl filled with cookies. Ryo couldn’t hear what the taller man said to the other man but he’s sure it was not an endearing words or the man wouldn’t scowl so darkly like that.
“-and I’ve told you that these cookies are important! Why couldn’t you bring it properly? Your hands are so big they should be able to hold the bowl without making it fall!”
“But that’s not my fault! It’s just slipped out of my hands! I- Oh, who’s that Yamashita?”
The taller man’s attention was quickly turned to him and his eyes widened in surprise when he recognized Ryo. He quickly sauntered over to Ryo with a graceful move and Ryo had to wonder whether this person was really a man.
“You would be Nishikido Ryo, the new transfer student who would work under me as my assistant, right? The director told me that the person was gorgeous and tall and you indeed gorgeous.”
Ryo was left dumbfounded at the frankness way of the boy asking him questions. He began to wonder whether people in this academy were lacking of communication skill. They seemed to blurt out whatever they had in mind without thinking it first. Yamashita was like that, and now this person too.
“I’m Nishikido Ryo, that’s right. Nice to meet you.” He bowed slightly and he felt the smaller man hit him playfully in the arms.
“Oh, he’s so polite, isn’t he Yamashita? It’s nice to have good boy in our student council’s body for once.”
The shorter man just rolled his eyes. “Just ignore him. He’s on his sugar high today, ate too much cookies since yesterday. Anyway, I’m Imai Tsubasa. Nice to meet you.”
Ryo quickly bowed to Tsubasa. “I’m Nishikido Ryo. Nice-”
“See! He’s bowing again! He is totally a polite boy. I like him!”
“Takki, stop saying suggestive things like that. You will scare that poor boy.”
“Ow, are you jealous, Tsubasa? Don’t worry big bear, I love only you!”
Ryo was stunned to see the person called Takki pounced on the man called Tsubasa and kissed him on the spot. He then turned to Ryo and smiled at him before he grabbed Tsubasa’s hand and pulled him forcefully inside a bedroom, the bowl of cookies lay forgotten on the dinner table where Tsubasa put it. Ryo blinked rapidly at the scene he just witnessed. What the!?
“Don’t worry about them. They are always like that. No one knows why they haven’t been a couple yet with how they are acting.”
Yamashita’s voice startled him. He almost forgot that Yamashita was there due to the distraction that appeared before his eyes.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind at all.” Ryo quickly said.
“That’s good.” Yamashita’s grin widened and somehow Ryo was afraid of what the other man was thinking to make him grinning so widely like that. He hoped it wasn’t something weird.
++++
Nino felt nervous as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt while standing like a fool in front of Sho’s art class. He was actually afraid to enter the class even though Sho’s classmates had told him Sho was alone because he was working on his project for the art competition that will be held in two weeks’ time. Sho was the only person from this academy who entered the competition so he tried his best to win it. He wanted to keep his pride winning another competition after he outdone himself two years ago for winning a very prestigious competition in Paris.
Nino steeled himself and turned the handle of the door. He prepared himself to face a very angry Sho and he had to explain himself with one hundred reasons as he entered the classroom and was greeted by his own face smiling at him.
Nino thought he was dreaming.
There, in the middle of the class, stood proudly a big painting of him, smiling while reading a book on the park bench near the school gate, looking so peaceful and so in love.
Nino gasped at the sight that greeted him, his loud noise interrupting the person who was currently sitting in front of the painting. The painter stiffened but didn’t bother to look back as he already knew who the intruder was.
“Ninomiya-san, why don’t you sit beside me while I’m working on this painting? I’m almost done with it.” Sho still had his back facing Nino, working on his painting again as he added a black color to the painting.
Dazed, Nino just stood there as he watched Sho work his magic, making the painting look even more real than they should be. This was Sho’s talent, as he had read in the newspaper that reported Sho’s win two years ago in a competition in Paris - the way he could make a painting looked alive and real. That’s the main reason why Sho was awarded as the best new talented artist for the year, earning himself a scholarship into JE academy without much difficulty.
Now Nino knew why people always considered Sho as genius in art. This was why.
With the last stroke of his brush, Sho finished his painting as he left it there to cool off and turned to Nino. Sho’s expression was calm and almost expressionless, but Nino could see the trace of nervousness in it with the way Sho kept fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
“Sho.” Nino stared at the younger boy before him straight in the eyes. “Why are you painting me? And before you’ve said you didn’t want to paint a person anymore.”
Sho looked down at his hands, avoiding his stare. “Because I don’t have any other choice.”
“What do you mean with that?”
Sho felt horrible. Why did Nino choose to visit him today? No one knew about this painting, not even his friends in art class because he always covered it and only worked on it when class was over and his friends were all gone. He didn’t want everyone to know that he painted Nino and then told the other about it. He wanted it to be a secret. No one supposed to know until he submitted it for the competition.
All his attempts to hide the painting were useless since Nino was standing there looking at the painting directly and asking him why he painted him. He still had to explain to Nino why he chose to paint the other when he clearly said that he wouldn’t paint any one again because of his past.
Looking up to see Nino, Sho made up his mind and opened his mouth. “The theme for the competition is ‘Things that you love’. I want to paint flowers that I like or scenery that I adore, but somehow, I could only see you in my mind. I could only imagine how my painting would be with you as the object. So I chose you.”
Nino gulped. Did Sho just say ‘love’? Or was he heard it wrong? Maybe he did hear it wrong.
“Sho-”
“If you are wondering whether I’m confessing to you, you got it right.” Sho saw the surprised in Nino’s expression and couldn’t help but to let out a bitter smile. “And I thought you would be happy to get those words from me. Isn’t it part of your challenge? Or maybe it’s not valid anymore since my brother had said it to Aiba-san first?”
Nino had anticipated that Sho already knew about the challenge. He and Jun were brothers after all. But still, it came out as a shock to him. “You know about the challenge?”
“I knew about it. And it’s not because my brother told me. I knew about the challenge long ago.”
Guilt stabbed Nino. So Sho knew about the challenge long before Tegoshi blurted it out to Jun? Why Sho was still hanging around him then? Why Sho acted like he didn’t know?
“Sho, why-”
“That’s because I love you, Ninomiya-san. I love you since I first saw you, and that’s long before you started the challenge. That’s why I chose you as my drawing object even though I’ve sworn to myself to not paint a person anymore. That’s because I couldn’t get you out of my mind no matter how hard I try. That’s because I could only see you.”
To say that Nino was shocked was not exactly correct. He was dumbfounded beyond his wildest imagination. He didn’t know that Sho had noticed him before he started talking to the younger boy due to the challenge. He never even spare Sho a glance before since he thought Sho was too pure and he didn’t want to mess with him.
Seeing Sho looking so confident telling him about his feelings toward him, his expression serious and sincere, Nino didn’t know how to react. He was nervous even though this was nothing new for him. Just for how many times he’d been confessed in a year? He’d lost count of it.
This is Sho, his mind told him, that’s because he’s different from others. Whether to embrace him and accept his feelings or push him away, Nino didn’t know because he’s afraid to hurt him.
Confused as to how he should answer Sho’s confession he fell silent not wanting to say something wrong that could hurt Sho. Considering someone’s feelings before he accepted them or rejected them was something new to him. Usually he wouldn’t care what would happen to the person confessing to him. He’d simply walk away from them the time he lost interest in them.
The air between them was uncomfortable so Nino avoided seeing Sho directly and his eyes landed on the painting stood there beside Sho, the painting of himself looking happy and content with his life. He never knew he could be that happy again after what his ex-girlfriend did to him years ago. She had ruined his life completely, making him the bitter and sarcastic person he was.
Looking at the painting intently, he couldn’t help but to think that he’s always happy whenever he’s with Sho. It didn’t matter whether they were just sitting in the art classroom while Sho was painting and he sit beside Sho watching him do his work, or if they just sit in the park without exchanging any words, he’d felt happy.
If Sho could really make him happy, and he was already tired of numerous affairs he had that’s why he chose to go on with the challenge, he thought, why not? If Sho could still love him even if he knew about the challenge already, that meant Sho really loved him and wouldn’t hurt him like what his ex-girlfriend did to him.
Nino turned to look at Sho, his eyes determined. “If I say that I don’t love you yet, but I feel happy whenever I’m with you, what do you say?”
Sho’s gaze was still steady and calm, only little hit of nervousness could be seen. Nino had seen the painting, he had confessed, he had no secret to keep anymore so he felt strangely free. He had expected Nino to turn his back from him the time he confessed so it’s surprised him that Nino still stood there, pondering of an answer. And when Nino throw his question at him, Sho was bewildered. He never expected it, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t happy with it.
“I say that I want to try, because I know that I could make you love only me.” Sho answered confidently.
Nino smiled at Sho’s confidence. He walked closer to Sho, invading the boy’s personal space. He saw that Sho was starting to look nervous again when he was near. Nino smirked at this revelation. He could use this later if he wanted to have some fun with Sho.
Without saying anything, Nino leaned closer and claimed Sho’s lips in a sweet kiss. He broke the kiss moment later and smiled warmly at Sho. “You are mine now, Sakurai Sho.”
Sho wouldn’t want it any other way.
++++
Aiba felt like dying.
This was his first time being sick ever since he was a child and he didn’t enjoy at all, especially since he still need to go to the school and do his work. Not to mention he hadn’t seen Jun for the past two days. It felt like hell to Aiba.
Slouched on the desk in his office, his body still burning with fever that couldn’t go down no matter what medicine he took, his mind drifted to the event where he confessed to Jun and the other rejected him coldly after knowing about the challenge. He would never forget the coldness Jun showed to him that day, the way his smile didn’t reach his eyes and the way he looked down at him like he was nothing.
Aiba closed his eyes, wanting to get rid of the pain but to no avail. The pain was still there, hurting him so badly he almost couldn’t breathe. How he wanted to turn back the time where he stupidly suggested about the challenge. How he wished he just shut his mouth up and instead chose to chase Jun in the correct way. Then everything wouldn’t end up so wrongly like this.
Sighing, he stood up from his chair and looked outside the window. It was so beautiful outside, and yet his mood was so dark he couldn’t appreciate it.
Just when he was about to sigh again, Aiba heard the door of his office being swung open.
“Aiba? I want to talk to you about something.”
Aiba turned at the sound of Nino’s voice. “What is it, Nino?”
It’s the first time Aiba saw Nino look so nervous. He never expected to see his playboy and always confident friend this nervous. “What happen, Nino?”
Nino smiled nervously at him. “Well, I know this would sound stupid saying this just now, but still-”
“It’s okay, Nino. Tell me.”
“Masaki, I-“ Nino cleared his throat loudly. “I’m quitting the challenge.”
Aiba smiled. He knew that this day would come soon though he never expected it to be this soon. “And I think that you will never say it, Nino.”
Nino laughed. “Yeah, I never expect myself to say it too.”
The two of them fell into a comfortable silent as Nino seated himself on the sofa in Aiba’s office and Aiba back sitting on his chair. Aiba was daydreaming about Jun when Nino’s words snapped him back into reality.
“Don’t you want to go and talk to Jun, Masaki?”
“You don’t know just how hard I’ve tried to talk to him, Nino.” Aiba smiled sadly at his friend as he recalled his attempt to explain himself to Jun but Jun didn’t even spare him a glance. He was really sad when Jun avoided meeting him whenever he approached Jun.
Nino stared at his friend with pity in his eyes. He never expected Jun to be that stubborn. Sho could forgive him but why Jun couldn’t forgive Aiba? It’s not like he didn’t know how Aiba felt toward him. Aiba had been obvious enough about his feelings so it’s impossible to misunderstand it.
Nino sighed. He started this challenge so that Aiba could have an excuse to go chasing Jun but it seemed like it had backfired. And since this was his fault he felt responsible to take care of this mess before it’s getting too late. But even the great Ninomiya Kazunari didn’t know what to do.
“Well, I’ve said what I wanted to say so I think I better go.” Nino said.
“You want to go visiting Sakurai Sho?”
“Yes.”
Aiba smiled fondly at his friend as he saw Nino standing up from the sofa and straightened his shirt. He never saw this happy expression on his friend’s face ever since that day his ex-girlfriend broke his heart completely.
“See you later on the dorm, then?”
“See you later, Masaki.”