“Is everything inside the bag?” Shige asked the little kid who was lacing his sneakers.
“Haru check!!!”
“Ok, you check” He opened the bag and named every little thing they needed for the day.
“Keys?”
“Check!”
“Wallet, mine and yours?”
The boy took out a big LV wallet and a smaller Spiderman wallet. “Check”
“Ok, water, tissues and snacks?”
“Check! Check! Check!!”
“Your inhaler?”
“….Oops?”
“Go and take it” Shige sighed with a smile. The kid always tries to trick him and leave the medicine at home.
Then the little boy came running with his hand raised. “Check! Can we go now?”
“Yes, we can. C’mon”
“Yay!!!”
As Shige opened the door, the boy ran to the street, screaming at Shige for being soooo slow.
They went to the park near Haru’s house and then to Shibuya to buy a present for Shige’s mum upcoming birthday. They came into clothes’ shop, accessories’ shop, a perfumery, a ‘who-knows-what-was-that’ shop and a few more without success. Everything was too ugly or not appropriate to give to your mom or too expensive, although Haru wanted to participate with his so hardly saved 500 yen.
The last shop was ‘Tower Records’. Shige went straight to the Enka section (his mother loved a new young singer) and after 5 minutes, Haru grasped his pants.
“Nani?”
“Can I go to Johnny’s section?” He asked with the puppy eyes he knew Shige couldn’t resist.
“Where is it?” Shige asked and the little boy pointed a big sign in pink and bright green with sparkling words.
“Ok, but don’t break anything!! And don’t move until I come to you ok?”
“Ok!!” the child ran to the stand and disappeared behind it. Since Shige gave him a CD of one of the Johnny’s boys for his birthday, Haru became obsessed to be one of them.
After a search without success there, Shige approached a dark-haired worker a bit shorter than him.
“Excuse me, I can’t find Subaru-san’s new album, do you have it??”
The worker groaned and startled Shige answering with his hands above his head.
“That’s because it’s not in the Enka section, idiot. It’s rock. ROCK!!” and then turned around murmuring something about ‘stupid clients’ and ‘don’t recognise good music’.
So Shige went to the rock section. But then he saw Haru running to him
“Shige-nii! Shige-nii!!!”
“Haru! Didn’t I tell you to stay there until I came?”
“But Shige!!! It’s Akanishi!!”
“Eh?? What Akanishi?” He didn’t understand why the kid was saying that.
“Akanishi!! The one that okaasan always says his hips should be forbidden and otousan always glare at when we watch him on TV! He’s here!!! Look!” He pointed a man with ripped jeans, black boots, a white tank-top, a white vest and a light brown hat with a bit of blue in it, who was looking at some DVD’s.
“I want his sing!!” the little boy said excited
“Haru, he’s here because it’s his day off, so he’s like you right now, normal people. Don’t disturb him ok?”
“But…”
“Besides, you should know how busy a person like him is, ne? Don’t you think he has the right to enjoy his day like us?”
“It’s ok, I don’t mind” a voice said from behind him
Shige turned around and his jaw dropped at the same time his eyes widened. Akanishi Jin was in front of him and smiling at him. Yeah you read well, at him.
Jin kneeled in front of the little boy.
“What’s your name kiddo?”
“H-Haru”
“Ok, Haru. Do you have a paper?”
The kid pouted. “…No”
“Then go to that worker and ask him for a paper and a pen” Jin said ruffling the kid’s hair.
“Can I, niichan?? Can I? Can I??”
“Yeah… but don’t run too fast!!” Shige said but the kid was far by then. He turned to face the older man.
“I’m really sorry, you don’t have to do this, I can explain him…”
“Don’t worry, really. He’s just a kid, not one of those crazy fans that just scream hysterically when they see me”
“Don’t push your luck” Shige mumbled as he looked at the little human ball that was going to them with a paper in hand.
“Here!!” Haru gave the paper and pen to the idol and the latest wrote a few things in it, giving it again to the kid when he finished.
“Waaaa, arigatou!!!” the little kid vowed “Look niichan!! I have it for real!!”
“Awesome. Now, do you think we can go to pay my cd?”
“Can’t we stay with Akanishi-nii a bit more??”
“No, he’s tired and we’re just making him loose his time here and…”
“I was thinking about going to get ice-cream. Haru-chan, do you want one too?”
“Yes!! Please!! please niichan? Pretty please with whipped cream and a Spiderman figure on top??” the kid pleaded
The idol looked confused about the Spiderman figure thing, but he let it pass.
Shige looked at Haru and sighed.
“Is it really ok for us to accompany you??” He asked the other.
“Of course it is, I can have random friends with little brothers and treat them to ice-cream, ne Haru?”
“Hai!! Please Shige-nii…”
“Yeah, please Shige-nii…” the idol teased. Both of them had that puppy look in their faces and Shige sighed again.
“Do I have other option? It’s 2vs1!”
“Yay!! Ice-cream!!” the other two cheered.
Jin took Haru’s little hand and they were out the store, Shige behind them looking everywhere for a sign of any paparazzi.
They went to get their ice cream and then walked around a bit. At every toy’s store, Haru tried to go in, asking to buy anything and everything he saw (“Can we buy this?” “No” “But it’s a talking Spiderman!!”) And Jin ended buying a cap with “CHUPA” writing on it for him and another one with the word “Buiby” for Haru. Oh! And a soccer ball too. He asked Shige if he wanted a cap too, but the younger boy refused; he knew a bit of Spanish and didn’t want to have something with “Lick it” written on his head.
Later they found out an empty park and the three of them played soccer, but early Shige sat down on a bank and looked at them. Haru was chasing the older man and then the other way around. He couldn’t help but smile.
A bit later, Jin couldn’t play anymore so he left Haru kicking the ball; “training” he said.
Jin sat beside Shige, letting his arm fall behind Shige’s shoulders and making the younger a little bit tense.
“Your brother is an awesome kid” Jin said
“Who? Haru? Yeah, he’s a really good kid, but he’s not my brother”
“No? But he calls you niichan”
“That’s because we’ve lived together for almost two years now. I’m his… I take care of him because his parents are always working or travelling”
“So… you’re his nanny?” Jin asked trying not to laugh… too much.
“Care giver, it’s care giver! I’m not a girl”
“Ok, Ok, care giver. And you live in the same house? And you don’t get tired??”
“No, Haru is the best kid ever, we go to may places and he has a great brain, so he invents new games that we play later. Besides, I’m not always there, I’m almost every morning at college and I have two Sundays in a month free. But I take him if I go to meet a friend or if have to go shopping. He’s not a troublemaker. And I love being with him”
“You like him a lot right?”
“Yeah, we don’t share the same blood but he’s my kawaii kawaiii otouto” He smiled with his eyes on the child.
At that moment, Haru stopped suddenly and took his hand to his upper body. Shige saw it and ran to his side, sitting him on his lap and took the inhaler from the bag. He put it in the little kid’s mouth and pushed it a few times.
“It’s ok Haru, try to relax ne? Breath in… and out… in… out…” The kid did as he was told and early he was breathing normally again.
“You ran so much today, and you know you can’t” he said in a brotherly way and hugged him.
“S-Sorry niichan” Haru buried his face in Shige’s chest and sniffed a bit
“Hey, don’t cry Haru. I’m not mad”
“R-really?” he looked at Shige with a hopeful face
“Really, I was just worried. Don’t do it next time ok?” And the kid nodded with his face again in Shige’s chest.
Jin was a few feet away from them. He had run with Shige when they saw the kid like that, but he didn’t know what to do, but it wasn’t necessary because Shige knew it. The younger man controlled the situation perfectly and made the kid relax. It amazed him how Shige gives all of him to take care of a 6-years-old child who is not blood related with him without complain. He looked at Shige rocking the kid in his arms, with his legs positioned weirdly but not moving. He stepped forward to them.
“Is he ok?” he asked
“Yeah, it was just that he ran too much. He’s asthmatic” Shige stroked the child hair and kissed his forehead, noticing he was asleep. “Can you take us home?” He asked Jin.
“Sure”
Jin parked the car in front of the house. He went out and carried the sleeping Haru in his arms. Shige smiled at him as he opened the door. They put him on his bed and went to the living room.
“Thank you for drive us and carry him… And well, for today too”
“It’s ok, I enjoyed it so much. Haru is a really good kid”
“He enjoyed it too, I’m sure” Shige said with a smile.
“And Shige-nii? Did Shige-nii enjoy it too?” Jin looked straight at Shige, and the later flushed
“Yeah, I enjoyed it too” he said shyly.
The silence fell in the room, just with some looks and blushed faces.
“Well… I should g…”
“Do you want to stay??” Shige said hurriedly, and then feeling like palming his face. “I-I mean… you treated us too much a-and…His parents are in a trip… I mean… I-I w-was going to make dinner; we didn’t eat so… I-if you don’t h-have nothing to do and y-you want to…”
“I would love it, Thank you…Shige” The named boy blushed more. It was the first time the other say his name.
Jin watched TV while Shige was making dinner. He left a bit in case Haru would wake up and feel hungry. A few minutes later, he called Jin to the table and waited a bit worried for Jin to taste the food.
“Uwaaa, cho umae!!”
“Yokatta~ I was a bit worried, I mess it sometimes”
“What are you talking about? This is really good!!!” He sobbed his food inside his mouth.
“I’m glad you liked it” Shige said smiling, a little flush on his cheeks.
They talked about Shige’s studies, his life as a caregiver and the idol talked about his friends and how tired but so worthier his work was, leading the conversation to Haru and his obsession to be a Johnny and Spiderman.
“I was like him as a kid, but with Dragon ball instead. I used to try to knock my mum with the ‘Kame Hame Ha’. I was so disappointed every time I failed…” They laughed at that, but then a big t-shirt with legs and messy hair went into the kitchen.
“Niichan… I’m hungry” he said rubbing his eyes sleepily.
“Ok, come and sit here while I reheat it” But instead he went to the idol and sat on his lap, resting his little head on his chest.
“Hey, champ. How are you?” he said, stroking the child’s hair.
“Sleepy… and hungry”
“That’s a good sign”
“What are you doing there??” Shige said coming into the room with a plate and a cup with orange juice.
“I want to eat with Jin-nii”
“Well if Jin-nii is not uncomfortable…” Jin nodded his approve.
They continued eating with a calm feeling.
“Haru, eat your vegetables too” Shige said a bit later.
“But I don’t like them…” the child complained.
“But you need them. Don’t you know if you don’t eat them the part of your body that needs vegetables will be smaller than the other parts??”
“But… but Jin-nii didn’t eat his carrots!!” Haru said with a pout.
“Then his carrot’s side must be small” Shige looked down at Jin’s body with a smirk on his face.
Jin gasped. “I don’t have anything small, thank you very much”
“Really? That means you eat your carrots right?” the younger man said with an innocent smile.
Jin glared at him. “Yes. I always eat my carrots, see, Haru?” He took all of them and munched them fast so not to taste them too much.
“Besides, you can’t join Johnny’s with a leg or an arm smaller that the other one…”
“I’ll eat all of them!!” the kid said a bit worried and ate them, finishing his plate in a rush and cheering “Champion!!”
“Yeah, you’re the champion!! You can put your Hanamaru mark in the panel and then go wash your teeth” Shige smiled at him and Haru did as he was told, leaving the other two there.
“Hanamaru?” the idol asked, showing his confusion.
“If he eats all his food and don’t mess with it, he wins a Hanamaru mark in this panel. This way his parents can know if he ate well and congrats him when they’re back home”
“Ahhh….. Ne, Shige”
“Hmn?”
“I ate all my carrots… Did I win something?” Jin approached him.
“Eh? Do you want a Hanamaru mark too?” He said amused.
“But a special one” he stepped forwards a bit more.
“E-eh?” the younger said, sensing how near they were now.
“One just for me, that nobody can have but me…” He cornered Shige between the fridge and himself. He was leaning to him when a voice broke them apart.
“…Nii-chan?”
“Y-yeah??” Shige was as red as a tomato, but he approached the child, leaving an equal blushed Jin finding the post-it on the fridge really interesting.
“I want to go to sleep again”
“Ok, c’mon” and then they left the room. Jin groaned in frustration. He was almost there when the child has appeared… But it was a good sign, Shige had not complained, so that means the other was at least attracted to him too. It was a good start.
When Shige came back, the dishes were washed and Jin was drying his hands.
“Eh? Wha… Eh… You didn’t have to do it, it’s my task too”
“I was bored all alone here and I thought that I could do it”
“Well… Thank you” He smiled.
“… I’m sorry but now I really have to go. I have work tomorrow” The older man said without much enthusiasm.
“Oh… ok”
They went to the door and Shige opened it. “Today was great, thank you”
“Thank you for the dinner, it was delicious” he stepped out of the house.
“Oh! Haru gave me this for you, I think is a Spiderman stick or something” Jin took the envelope.
“Ok… Goodnight”
“Goodnight” Jin turned around but…
“Jin?”
He turned again and felt a pair of lips on his own. They disappeared when Shige stepped back.
“Your special Hanamaru mark” He said and hurriedly closed the front door, leaving a speechless Jin there.
He smiled and touched his lips while walking to his car. Inside, he opened the handmade envelope. It was indeed a Spiderman stick, but on its back was something a bit intelligible written:
Nii-chan
0910-4576-8231
“That kid is a fucking genius” He laughed and started the engine, putting the little stick inside his pocket.
END
A/N: How was it?? good? bad?? I worked really hard in this so i would be really glad if you left at least a small thank you ne?
And if you want to see tha caps, you can go to Janji's web, the net shop of Shirota Yuu's brother.
Oh!! and if someone is interested, this is what jin was wearing:
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