F.I.N (TaDaiki Universtiy!Verse Series)
Title: F.I.N (TaDaiki University!verse Series) - Final chapter
Author: keeconk
Pairing: TaDaiki
Rating: PG
Word count: 6,080 (sorry, I got carried away :/)
Disclaimer: I only own the plot.
Summary: Daiki knows that they won't be by each other side all the time. But he never knows that having Takaki away from him can actually drive him insane.
A.N.: It's unbeta'ed. AU setting. Read previous chapters before reading this one.
( Takaki's Little Diary )
( Daiki's Little Problem )
( Necessity?! )
( Hair Complex )
( Meet the Parents )
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Usually, I would wake up to Takaki’s soothing voice. And usually, Takaki would pop into my shower, asking me what I want for breakfast. Usually, my mornings were really lively because of him. Yet, just like for the past one semester, I wake up because my alarm is ringing intensely, determined to piss me off for at least one round of the second’s arrow. And just like for the past one semester, I sit up on my bed, staring at the bright sunlight that goes through the window, before then making my way to the bathroom.
I live alone now. No more Takaki. Just me. Not that Takaki moved out on purpose and not that we broke up or anything. He graduated, you know. As in Takaki. He tried to find a job here in Tokyo, but he couldn't. It took him almost three months to find a job, and when he actually did, it was in Kobe. He was reluctant at first, but I told him that he shouldn’t be such a baby and that he should give it a shot. Well, a shot both at this job and a long distance relationship.
People say long distance relationship is almost impossible to keep. And I think I agree. True, we didn’t break up or anything, but he gets busy with work every single day and he rarely has any energy left to talk to me on the phone after work. And if he does call me, I tend to be the one that’s busy with my final year thesis and all. Things aren’t working out right now. Especially not if the last time I saw my boyfriend was on webcam chat about two months ago.
“Morning, Dai-chan!” Inoo greets me as I enter my Financial Analysis class.
“What are you doing in my class?” I frown in wonder.
“I’m bored, and I’m free until my afternoon class. So I though I shall go to your class to kill some time,” the architecture student grins at me.
I just smile, a small one. It’s just me and Inoo now. No more Yabu or HIkaru on campus. I kind of miss Hikaru’s and Takaki’s mischievous acts in class, as well as the time when Yabu would scold them for it. It is good that I get to concentrate better in class with the three of them graduated, but sometimes, just sometimes, I miss their presence. And I miss Takaki’s little snore when he fell asleep in class. It is also undeniably cute when he forced me to explain to him what the lecture was all about once we got home.
“I met Hikaru the other day,” Inoo whispers when the lecturer enters the class. “He was with his girlfriend. Her name is Ayaka or something like that,” he added.
“He has a girlfriend now? Wow,” I murmured back.
“Good for him, ne,” Inoo gives a little approval nod. “So how’s Takaki? Managing just fine in Kobe?”
“I think so. Although he seems to overwork himself a little..” yeah, to the extend that he doesn't actually have time to call me. Sigh. Like hell I can tell Inoo that. He would definitely make a big fuss over it and he would definitely, I repeat, definitely willing to go all the way to Kobe just to threaten Takaki to call me more often.
“Well, it’s his first job after all. It’s not a surprise that he’s so into it. Just give it some time and I’m sure he will know how not to overwork himself,” said Inoo firmly.
I can only smile at that. Well, I hope Inoo is right, just like he always does. If this time his theory is wrong, it’s such a bad timing to be wrong.
------
“And my boss is such a dick. He freaking gave me three new possible HR policies to review. He expects me to come out with their possible benefits and drawbacks, profit wise, by next week!” Takaki goes on and on about his newly found enemy, his boss.
“But you found a job in HR department just like you wanted to. You should try to enjoy it,” I reply back.
Tonight is one of those rare nights where Takaki manages to call me. I never do the calling, simply because I don’t want to call in a wrong time. I don't want to disturb him, just in case he is busy doing some sort of project. And I’ve made it clear to him that I won’t make the first call because I want him to get used to his job without me disturbing him.
“He’s still a dick, nonetheless,” Takaki states.
I just laugh at his little sulking slash mopping tone. Gosh. I miss it so much. The way he talks, the way he pouts, or the way he dorkily grins at his own stupidity (or my stupidity). I miss all of those things. I never know that being separated from him like this can actually somewhat feel this frustrating at times, because like it or not, it sucks. But that’s life. I still have to go through this no matter what.
“Sometimes I wish I can call in sick and run away back to Tokyo,” he adds.
“You can’t do that. It hasn’t been a year since you work there.”
“Still,” he groans.
“Just hang in there. You’ll get used to your stupid boss after some time. Beside, you can always kill him if you can’t stand him,” I suggest to him.
Takaki laughs, and that’s good. At least although I can’t give him a small kiss or a warm big hug to cheer him up anymore, I can still make him laugh with my silly (and yet lack of quality) jokes. It is good to know that I can still do something for him although I’m far away from him.
“Ne, Diaki..”
“Hmm?”
“I really want to talk more, but I have a lot more to do. I’m still in the office actually. I’ll call you again when I’m free, ok?” he says, somehow in an apologetic manner.
“Ok. Good luck with work, Yuya. Don’t overwork youself.”
“Yes, mommy.”
“Oh, shut up. Just do your overtime work already,” I chuckle.
“Hahaha. Night, Daiki.”
“Night.
And who knows when the next phone call will be.
------
It has become too much for me to live alone. Every single corner of my flat reminds him of Takaki’s warm presence. The living room where we watched our DVD together (and sometimes porn). The kitchen, where Takaki often ranted around about neighbour’s dog as I cooked. Or our bed, the one place that made me feel safe because of Takaki’s warm cuddle every single night. The one place where we made love and said each other’s name in need. I just can’t stand remembering all those times we spent together in this flat anymore.
“Are you sure about this, Dai-chan?” my brother carries up the last box that I’ve packed.
“Yeah. I think it would be better if I move back home. I’ll be able to concentrate more on my thesis without have to worry about laundry, food, or cleaning up,” I lie to him. I cannot just tell him that I’m moving back to my parents’ house because it’s just too much for me to live here.
I might sound too dramatic, but really, the fact that Takaki and I are still together makes it even worse than mourning over your ex-boyfriend. To know that I’m still technically his boyfriend, despite of our lack of communication, kind of irks me in a frustrating level. I can’t hug him, kiss him, or just stare at his sleeping face anymore. It hurts so much because I still have the privilege to do all of those stuff, but I can’t because the distance doesn’t allow me to.
“Have you told your boyfriend that you’re moving out from the flat?” asks my brother when we got to his car.
“Yeah. I texted him.”
“Texted him?! You should have called him, Dai-chan,” my brother rolls his eyes, and still trying to concentrate on the road in the same time.
“I don't want to disturb him. His work is being a bitch, and I don’t want to burden him with such unimportant call.”
My brother turns his head to me (occasionally checking on the road), and frowns questioningly. “I don't understand your logic at all. His work being a bitch is more reason for you to call him. Shower him with love and all.”
“Well, he still call me every now and then. So I guess that’s enough,” I reply.
“And how often is this every now and then?”
Sigh. It seems that it’s just impossible for me to fool my brother. He’s a lot older and has more experience in life. And sometimes, the way he’s always able to read my mind is kind of freaking me out.
“Are you guys breaking up?”
“We’re not,” I murmured.
“Then?” he asked again. “You don’t sound as excited as you’ve always be when you talk about him. I was god damn sure that I would have him as a brother in law.”
I glare at him, giving him the aura that I don’t like his joke at all. It’s not funny, especially when I’m not sure where our relationship is heading. It’s just so not funny to make fun of other people ‘in-crisis’ relationship.
“Anyway, Dai-chan, joke aside. You should call him.”
“But..”
“He might not saying anything about it, but if he loves you and misses you, he definitely is waiting for your phone call. We are both guys and we understand well this thing about men and their ego. And I know that you do realise that as guys, we just do not want to go into any argument.”
“I know.”
“So call him.”
I wish it’s that easy. Just like what he said, there’s this thing called men and their ego. And I’m a man, and my ego doesn't let me being all whiny and call Takaki for the sake of calling.
------
“What?” I stare at my mom with hands leaving the keyboard as I turn my body to her.
I’ve been locking myself in my room, doing my thesis for the past few months. With deadline coming nearer, and with stupid winter killing my bones, there are two dark circles under my eyes. Thank god that my mom is being the greatest mom of all time. She doesn’t let anyone to bother me and she always make sure that she makes omelette rice more often than usual.
“I said, your brother is coming for dinner with his girlfriend. He said he wanted all of us to meet her because they might get married during spring or something. Well, I met her a couple of times before though. It’s just you and dad that never met her,” she repeats herself.
“But mom, I have my thesis to do and..”
“Dai-chan. It’s new year. Take a break. You didn’t even go out during Christmas,” she gives me a meaningful look.
“Fine.”
I couldn’t argue more with her. But really, I just have so much to do with my dissertation and it is just so hard to actually take some time off. Besides, the idea of my brother bringing his girlfriend home is just.. I don’t know. It’s depressing? It’s like why he just has to bring her home when I’m all depressed about my own relationship?!
Okay, I’m pretty much being such a drama queen right now. I really shouldn’t let my personal life problem become some sort of reason to hate my brother’s girlfriend even before I met her.
Things still aren’t doing so well between Takaki and I. He has a new project due by the end of the week, and I have my dissertation slash thesis to finish. And as expected, Takaki calls me even less often than before. Sometimes just about twice or thrice a month. We do text each other, but to get a reply right away is almost impossible. I really do not know how much longer I can stand this.
Putting my fucked up love life aside, my brother’s girlfriend is kind of, well normal?! She’s not that pretty and she’s not that thin or whatever either. She’s just average. Since she stepped into the house till she’s sitting right in front of me in our dining table, my eyes just cannot stop staring at her, trying to check every single detail of her appearance.
I don't’ understand really. Her hair is black, she didn’t dye it or whatever. Her make up is just thin, but I do notice that her skin is good. She doesn’t really wear anything cute or adorable in particular. But somehow, she looks stunning. She looks so normal and average that it’s refreshing to look at her. Her smile and laugh is sincere, nothing is being faked or what so ever. And she doesn’t hesitate to actually whack my brother’s head if he said anything stupid.
“So Daiki-kun is in that uni, right? My brother studied there too!” she grins at me.
“Your brother?”
“Uhn. Kou-chan studied there. He just graduated early of this year,” she explains.
“Eh?” Could it be someone I know?! That would epic. “What is your surname again? Sorry, I wasn’t really listening.”
“Yabu.”
I stare at her as if her surname is the most bizarre thing to hear. I mean, seriously?! Yabu?! And Kou-chan that she was talking about might be Yabu Kota?! Ha?! Are you fucking serious?! That’s like the most shocking thing that ever occur to me!! Okay, the second most shocking after my highschool crush became my roommate (read: Takaki).
“Meaning, Yabu Kota is your brother?! Really?!” for the first time that night, there’s a smile on my face.
“Yes, he is! Gosh! Such a small world, isn’t it!” she beams up just as excited as I am.
“We used to have a couple of classes together! And one of his bestfriends is my boyf-.. was my flatmate.”
“Really?! Cool!”
“Not only flatmate, but boyfriend as well,” my brother gives me a long glance before sipping into his tea. And he looks as if it isn’t a god damn problem to announce that his brother is gay to his future wife!! What the fuck!
His girlfriend stares at me, without blinking (which is kind of scary). Great. Now she will think of me as a freak even before she becomes part of the family, thanks to that stupid brother of mine! Argh! Can he wait until they get married to tell her about his little brother sexual preference?
“Takaki-kun’s….” she speaks slowly to me.
“Eh?”
“You can’t be Takaki’s boyfriend, can you?! Or you are?” she frowns.
“He is,” my brother answers for me.
My hand instantly grabs my napkin and throws it to him, and somehow he manages to dodge it without any problem. And yeah, my mom glares at me for being rude in front of our guest and my dad just chuckles lightly. It’s not my fault! He started it! He was like spilling every single information about my private life as if it’s nobody’s businesss!!
And now my grandmother looks at me disapprovingly. Arghhhh! I can’t say anything if my grandmother gives me that stare! That one stare where she makes you feel that you are about to get you death punishment soon!
“Hahaha. You have a really interesting brother, Arioka!” she laughes, amused.
“Can you call me with my name already?! We’re getting married for goodness sake,” he complains.
“Ne, Daiki-kun. Takaki-kun sometimes comes over with Kou-chan if that little brother of mine visits me. And I can ensure you that he cannot stop talking about his boyfriend once Kou-chan hits the topic,” she grins.
“Don’t ignore me!” my brother glares at her.
“Really?” I ask.
“Yup, you should see how excited he gets when he talks about you. It makes me worry that Kou-chan doesn’t have a girlfriend just yet,” she sighs.
A smile crafted nicely on my face. Takaki never really praised me for anything or whatever. He does sometimes, but often unconsciously. And to know that he gets all excited talking about me really makes me happy. At least, for some weird reason, I can feel his love from my brother’s fiancé’s story.
Wait. I bet that my brother knows that she knows Takaki! If not he wouldn’t even bring the topic up! Argh!
------
To: Takaki Yuya, 15 Jan 2010 13:19
Yuya..
I don’t think this is working out.
Daiki.
Sent! Fiuh~. It took me almost a year to type that message. I don’t know, really. First of all, I just never know how he’s doing anymore. And when I don’t know anything about his life, weird thoughts start to haunt me. What if he found someone else? What if he’s cheating on me? What if he thinks I’m not that important to him anymore?
I was expecting a reply, but instead, I got a phone call. Now what should I do?! Should I pick it up? Should I not?! Fuck, Daiki. Why did you send that message to begin with?!
“Moshi moshi..” I answer.
“What the fuck do mean by you don’t think this is working out?!” Takaki sounds awfully mad on the other line.
“I..”
“I’m not breaking up with you just because I’ve been busy with work!” he adds, sounding just as mad as before.
“Yuya.. it’s working hour. You shouldn’t be calling me.”
“Fuck work. I need to talk to you, and work can wait. And you better explain to me what’s with that freaking message.”
I hate mad Takaki. I don’t like it when he’s mad. Because when he’s mad, he’s always right. When he’s mad, it’s usually my fault. Just because when he’s mad, it means I’m being such a whiny girl. And I hate it that I always realise that I’m being such a girl only after he’s mad.
“I’m sorry,” I say at the end.
“For what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Dai-chan..” he sighs. “I should be the one that say sorry for not calling you often.”
Gosh. It hurts. Suddenly it just hurts. He called me Dai-chan. He never did. Why?! Why he calls me Dai-chan when we are far away like this? This is not fair. Life is fucking not fair. Why it has to play with me like this? Does it have any idea that being away from him is already a torture?! Then let alone hearing him calling me timidly with my nickname that he never used before?
“We can work things out. I know that we can. Please, don’t give up yet. One more month and I can take my first leave, and I promise you that I’ll be there for you,” says Takaki, somehow sounding a little depressed.
“One month is a long time, Yuya. It’s going to feel so fucking long,” I reply back. This time, I notice that I sound a little bit shaky, and I hate it.
“We’ve gotten this far, and we’re not giving up. No we’re not. I refuse to.”
“But why?! We don’t even see each other anymore. And we’re rarely talk on the phone.”
“Because I love you. Do you need any other reason to it?! Don’t be absurd, Daiki.”
Life is freaking unfair. Why?! Just why on earth does he have to say he loves me when we are like this?! He never freaking told me he loves me before! He never did. Can he not make this even harder?! How the hell I can break up with him after hearing that?
“Daiki… are you there?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t ever message me anything as illogical as that anymore. If you want to, I can try to call you every single night,” says Takaki, this time in a much more controlled tone. He sounds less mad.
“You don’t have to.. really..”
Groaning, he’s groaning on the other line. Did I just have something wrong? I believe I didn’t. It’s just ridiculous to demand him to call me every single day just so that this relationship can go on. I don’t want to become a burden or anything to him.
“You know. I don’t have time for this,” he says at the end. “I’ll call you back.”
And he cut the line without saying goodbye.
------
“Dai-chan!! Do you want any tea or something? Your brother just sent us some matcha and sweets,” my mom shouts from the kitchen.
“Sure~,” I reply back.
I’m in my room right now, finishing up my dissertation. One last paragraph for my conclusion and I’m done! I have no more classes and if I pass this dissertation tomorrow, I will have the rest of the academic year free!! And then I need to look for a job. Sigh. A job! Arggghhh!
“Dai-chan, I’m coming in~,” my mom suddenly singsongs right out side my room.
“Just come in. I didn’t lock it,” I reply, with hands are pretty much still on my keyboard.
The door cracks open and I can hear it being closed carefully. My mom seems to be really cautious about the door. Gosh, it’s not it’s going to break or anything. I believe the door isn’t that old that she really need to close it with so much care. Busy typing, I don’t really say anything to her. I let her put down the matcha and sweets on my desk, right beside my keyboard. I steal a glace at her hand, only to find that it’s not her hand!
Okay, this is creepy. My mom definitely doesn’t wear any oh-so-blink-blink skull ring! And she definitely doesn't wear any braided bracelet! Chill, Daiki! Chill. Turn your head up slowly. Don’t freak out. Maybe your mom is playing trick on you. Slowly, steady, yes yes, a bit more, and…
“Yuya?!”
“Yo~,” he grins.
Eh?! What?! Ha? What the fuck is he doing here?! Aren’t he supposed to be in Kobe?! I try to stand up to take a better look at his face, just to make sure that it is indeed him. But too bad for me, I trip over my own slippers and fall back to my chair, only to fall even further to the floor with the chair following me right away. Argh!
“Ittai!” I yelp as I rub my hurting butt.
Takaki laughs at my super epic moment, but then he holds out his hand, offering me some help to get up. Well, my mind is still pretty much in a massive shock that my hand just automatically grab his hand to let my body stand up without me telling it to. I blink, stare, blink again, and my mouth opens out when I realise that it is indeed him.
“YOU!!!” I squeak at the end, with hands harshly press their palms against Takaki’s cheeks. “YOU ALMOST GAVE ME HEART ATTACK!!”
“Well, I thought I might give you a surprise,” he smirks.
“That was not a surprise! That was close to horror!” I complain.
Can you imagine that?! After not seeing each other for about 7 months, your boyfriend just showed up in front of you as if it wasn’t a big deal?! And what the fuck?! He could at least tell me that he was coming. A text message would be good enough. Just don’t freaking give me a heart attack like that!!
Then again, as much as I want to be mad at him, or as much as I feel like whacking his head, I still end up reaching out for his neck and hug him tightly. He still smells the same, feels the same, and the way he hugs me back still feels like it has always been.
Nothing changed much from him, other than his hair. It’s still short, but the colour is dark. Either he dyed it dark, or he just doesn't have time to fix the colour once it fades away. He looks the same, appearance wise. A bit buffer actually. I think he grabs take out food most of the time. Well, he needs that. He was too thin for my liking anyway.
“You lost weight?” he asks.
“Ha?”
Takaki hug suddenly transform into one of those weird moments where he grabs every single inch of mybody. Oi! That’s ticklish. No! Stop. Hahaha. Ticklish, idiot!! Damn it, now get your freaking hands of my butt. “What the fuck, Yuya!” I push him off at the end and give his head my signature whack.
“You lost weight!” he exclaims, with hands now resting on my belly. “No more flabby tummy!!” he adds. “Wait, don’t tell me I’m touching some abs here.”
“Non-sense,” I flick his head lightly. Did he lose his insanity because of his work?
“Then what is this?” he pulls up my shirt glances at my exposed stomach before looking back at me.
“My stomach?” I roll my eyes, not amused with his little joke (if, it’s even a joke).
“Flat stomach,” he corrects me.
“I wasn’t fat, so stop being stupid!”
“I never said you were fat. I was just saying that you used to have flabby tummy~,” he grins.
“I didn’t have flab-.. Argh! Nevermind!”
I push him aside and quickly sat back on my chair; eyes set their vision back to my PC’s monitor. Ugh. What the hell. I was so happy that he’s here, but he got to my nerves with his weird sense of humour! I did not have flabby tummy before!! Stupid Takaki. He should know my body well, stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!
Okay. I did have flabby belly. Huh.
“When did you arrive?” I asked at the end.
“An hour ago. I only got here about 30 minutes ago though,” he answers again, this time leaning his butt against the edge of my table.
“Are you on leave then?”
“Uhn. Just for today, though. I purposely took Friday off so that I won’t waste my annual leave days and yet I can still have fun with you at least until Sunday night,” he explains.
“How did you find my parents’ house anyway?”
Takaki doesn’t really reply me back, but instead he slowly presses both of his palms against my stiff shoulders; massaging them gently. “It doesn’t really matter how I find it, right? You should just concentrate on your dissertation,” he leans forward as he whispers to my ear.
To be honest, it gives me some sort of goose bump. It has been ages since I heard his voice this close, especially that timidly. Obviously, being me, the always-complaining-and-grumbling boyfriend ever, I feel like shoving him away and tell him to stop being all lovey dovey like that and let me do my work. But instead, I turn my head and reach out for his neck for the second time. I pull him closer, and press our lips against each other.
“Miwwing mi toww mach?” Takaki mumbles.
“What?”
He pulls away and rolls his eyes. “I said, missing me too much?”
“Idiot. Too much would be such an understatement.”
------
“Ne..”
“Ehm?”
“This is so embarrassing, in case you are too stupid to realise it,” I glare at Takaki.
“What is so embarrassing?”
“This!!” I roll my eyes as I pull out my hand, which is being held by him tightly.
Stopping his steps, Takaki turns his head to me and sighs. “Well, I used to hold your hand all the time too before. I don’t see what’s so wrong about it now.”
“That’s because we’re not on campus or anywhere else where we usually hold hands together! We’re in Kitano, Kobe, for goodness sake!” I groal.
“Well, look who’s talking?! You were the one that insisted that you wanted to come along with me to Kobe this morning!”
“That’s because I don’t have anything to do until my graduation. So I figured I could just hit your place for the time being,” I pout.
Takaki chuckles at my statement. No, he laughs at it and ruffles my hair!! Argh! Doesn't he know how long it took me to wax my hair properly?! Of course he does!!! He lived with me for almost two years! And can he stop treating me as if I’m some sort of kid or something?! He has been doing that since he came over to my parents house.
For example, he happily joined forces with my brother (he came over during the weekend) to make fun of my height. And he made friend with my grandmother! He sat beside her wooden chair every single night before dinner and listened to her story about my childhood. I don’t mind really, but she didn’t have to tell him about me peeing on my pants when I was in kindergarten right?!
“You live in a house?! What?!”
Right in front me right now, a single story house with river stones cemented on the front wall stands proudly. It’s a small house, but it’s definitely lovely. Just like any other house in Kitano, it has a Westernised mixed with some Japanese feeling in it. “How can you afford such place? The rent must be really expensive!”
“I don’t rent it,” he smirks, wrapping an arm on my shoulder as he drags me inside.
“Eh?”
“My uncle owned this place. I kind of like my job although my boss is such a bitch. So I though I might as well settle down here in Kobe. I kind of bought it with only half market price. Of course, with loans. I won’t be able to pay it all at once,” he explains.
Wait the minute. Did I hear that right?! He’s planning on settling down here in Kobe?! And he didn’t even discuss it with me at all?! I’m his boyfriend and I have the right to know about this! “Why didn’t you tell me?!” I frown at him with a serious face.
“Because now, if I ask you to find a job in Kobe, you wouldn’t be able to say no~,” he grins.
“Ha?”
“Gosh. Meaning, I bought it so that you wouldn’t be able to give me any excuse if I asked you to move in with me here, in Kobe. Because really, I would be spending most of my saving on this house for nothing if you refuse to move here.”
“WHAT?!”
“I still don’t have much inside though. Just a couple of furniture that I need to use everyday. It has a small backyard too. Oh, maybe we can bring what ever we have from our flat!” he beams up at his own idea.
“I didn’t recall saying yes to move in with you!! And you didn’t even ask me!”
Takaki literally ignores me and hops to the living room. There is a kitchen right beside it, about two by two meters in size. The living room slash TV room is in a lower ground that there are a couple of stair steps going downwards to it, and the steps are surrounding the TV areas, making it somehow like a ‘pool’ inside the house.
“Maybe I can leave the decorating the house job to you~. Since apparently I really suck at it,” he adds.
“Oi! I didn’t say I agree to all this!”
“Why not?” he tilts his head.
“Because.. because it’s just absurd! What if I said no? It would mean that you bought this money for nothing, right?! Are you stupid?!”
“Well, would you actually say no?”
“I..”
Argh! Of course I can’t say no to that!!! Who can?! Everyone would be too shocked to say no if their boyfriend suddenly showed them his new house and told them that he was expecting them to move in with them! And it’s a house! It’s as if he wants to start a family or something! That’s not even biologically possible!! Well, unless I’m a mutant and have a womb inside me.
“I wanted to ask you after your graduation though, but since you are here, I think I should just ask you now,” he walks over to where I was standing.
“I won’t just say yes if you’re asking me to move in now,” I frowns.
“No, not that.”
“Then?”
“First, I’m sorry that this is so not romantic,” he pecks my cheek.
“Eh?”
He stares at me with his eyes, somehow giving me a pleading expression. A little bit weird really, especially because he never gave me pleading eyes before! Is he about to say something bizarre?! If he is, it better be good or I’d whack him hard for confusing me with that expression.
Wrapping his hands on my waist, Takaki embraces me slowly with chin resting on my shoulder. I can hear his breathing very clearly, and to be honest, this is making me really nervous. I never know that asking me to move in with him would need such action, really. “I don’t want to live separately from you any more,” he says at the end.
“Me too. But this is just too sudden. I can’t just move in and try to find a job just like that. I’m graduating this spring, and my brother is getting married as well. Not only that, there are other stuff I need to think about to. Depending on my result, I might consider continuing my study and all.”
“You can always get into a university here. So we can still live together.”
“But I won’t have any income. And I will need to pay rent to you as well. A house wouldn’t be cheap either.”
“You don’t have to pay rent, Daiki. Why would I charge you?” he pulls away and faces me with a frown.
“But you’re still paying this house on loan. And…”
“Listen. You, don’t have to pay the rent,” he emphasises.
“Why?”
“Because the thing that I wanted to ask you is not about you moving in.”
“Ha?” I tilt my head, pretty much do not understand what Takaki is talking about. He didn’t bang his head somewhere on our way to Kobe, did he? “Then what it is the thing that you wanted to ask me?”
Takaki inhales a long breath before closing his eyes, giving me the impression that he’s trying to find some courage to ask this question. Slowly, he opens his eyes and gives me the most unreadable stare ever. His eyes are kind of sparkly, but I won’t say that it’s because he’s happy or anything. More like, he’s excited.
“Let’s go to Canada and get married,” he beams. “And for real. I’m not joking.”
I think I’m fainting.
O . M . A . K . E
Placing the tako-shape wiener sausage to the medium size black bento box, I can feel the clock ticking with every beat of my heart. Argh, damn it! Why do I have to wake up late on such important day! And why on earth it has to be my turn to make breakfast and lunch boxes!!!
“Hua~. Never knew that the suits suit you. I thought you would look weird with it when we bought it, especially with that pink glossy tie,” Takaki commented as he sat on one of the eat-in kitchen chair. And he’s pretty much fully dressed for work.
“Oh shut up. I’m almost late for my entrance ceremony!”
“Gosh. Chill. You can leave it. I’ll arrange my bento, and I’ll make my breakfast myself then. Just go. We don’t want our freshly entered postgraduate student to be late for his entrance ceremony, do we,” he grins.
“Thanks,” I smile.
I quickly grab my bag and make my way to the front door. Stopping at the mirror on the hallway, I do a quick check on my suit, tie, and of course hair. Great~. Everything is perfect and I can definitely go in confidence now. Yosh! Here we go again! New campus, new place, and new people!
“Ne, Daiki!” Takaki runs out to the front door when I’m about to reach the house gate.
“You forgot your ring,” he frowns, throwing a silver ring to me. “Don’t just put it around like that each time you cook.”
A big grin is crafted nicely on my face. Mumbling a sorry, I quickly put that one ring on my left finger. “It doesn’t make me less of a husband for forgetting my ring, idiot,” I stick out my tongue before running off to the train station.
--------
It's already its sixth month, and it's time to say good-bye to this series T______T. University!verse is one of my favourite pieces ever and I had so much fun writing it. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much for reading until the very end. And don't worry. I'll put up a new TaDaiki AU multichap fic on January.
Hate it? Love it? Hate/love me? Comments are loved!
P.S. I'm still looking for a beta'er with good English. Pm me if you are interested. And there's a new community named tadaiki_ai if you are interested. There's a TaDaiki Love A-thon to celebrate this community formation as well. And like always, I haven't checked for mistake. Will do it tomorrow.
Author: keeconk
Pairing: TaDaiki
Rating: PG
Word count: 6,080 (sorry, I got carried away :/)
Disclaimer: I only own the plot.
Summary: Daiki knows that they won't be by each other side all the time. But he never knows that having Takaki away from him can actually drive him insane.
A.N.: It's unbeta'ed. AU setting. Read previous chapters before reading this one.
( Takaki's Little Diary )
( Daiki's Little Problem )
( Necessity?! )
( Hair Complex )
( Meet the Parents )
---------
Usually, I would wake up to Takaki’s soothing voice. And usually, Takaki would pop into my shower, asking me what I want for breakfast. Usually, my mornings were really lively because of him. Yet, just like for the past one semester, I wake up because my alarm is ringing intensely, determined to piss me off for at least one round of the second’s arrow. And just like for the past one semester, I sit up on my bed, staring at the bright sunlight that goes through the window, before then making my way to the bathroom.
I live alone now. No more Takaki. Just me. Not that Takaki moved out on purpose and not that we broke up or anything. He graduated, you know. As in Takaki. He tried to find a job here in Tokyo, but he couldn't. It took him almost three months to find a job, and when he actually did, it was in Kobe. He was reluctant at first, but I told him that he shouldn’t be such a baby and that he should give it a shot. Well, a shot both at this job and a long distance relationship.
People say long distance relationship is almost impossible to keep. And I think I agree. True, we didn’t break up or anything, but he gets busy with work every single day and he rarely has any energy left to talk to me on the phone after work. And if he does call me, I tend to be the one that’s busy with my final year thesis and all. Things aren’t working out right now. Especially not if the last time I saw my boyfriend was on webcam chat about two months ago.
“Morning, Dai-chan!” Inoo greets me as I enter my Financial Analysis class.
“What are you doing in my class?” I frown in wonder.
“I’m bored, and I’m free until my afternoon class. So I though I shall go to your class to kill some time,” the architecture student grins at me.
I just smile, a small one. It’s just me and Inoo now. No more Yabu or HIkaru on campus. I kind of miss Hikaru’s and Takaki’s mischievous acts in class, as well as the time when Yabu would scold them for it. It is good that I get to concentrate better in class with the three of them graduated, but sometimes, just sometimes, I miss their presence. And I miss Takaki’s little snore when he fell asleep in class. It is also undeniably cute when he forced me to explain to him what the lecture was all about once we got home.
“I met Hikaru the other day,” Inoo whispers when the lecturer enters the class. “He was with his girlfriend. Her name is Ayaka or something like that,” he added.
“He has a girlfriend now? Wow,” I murmured back.
“Good for him, ne,” Inoo gives a little approval nod. “So how’s Takaki? Managing just fine in Kobe?”
“I think so. Although he seems to overwork himself a little..” yeah, to the extend that he doesn't actually have time to call me. Sigh. Like hell I can tell Inoo that. He would definitely make a big fuss over it and he would definitely, I repeat, definitely willing to go all the way to Kobe just to threaten Takaki to call me more often.
“Well, it’s his first job after all. It’s not a surprise that he’s so into it. Just give it some time and I’m sure he will know how not to overwork himself,” said Inoo firmly.
I can only smile at that. Well, I hope Inoo is right, just like he always does. If this time his theory is wrong, it’s such a bad timing to be wrong.
------
“And my boss is such a dick. He freaking gave me three new possible HR policies to review. He expects me to come out with their possible benefits and drawbacks, profit wise, by next week!” Takaki goes on and on about his newly found enemy, his boss.
“But you found a job in HR department just like you wanted to. You should try to enjoy it,” I reply back.
Tonight is one of those rare nights where Takaki manages to call me. I never do the calling, simply because I don’t want to call in a wrong time. I don't want to disturb him, just in case he is busy doing some sort of project. And I’ve made it clear to him that I won’t make the first call because I want him to get used to his job without me disturbing him.
“He’s still a dick, nonetheless,” Takaki states.
I just laugh at his little sulking slash mopping tone. Gosh. I miss it so much. The way he talks, the way he pouts, or the way he dorkily grins at his own stupidity (or my stupidity). I miss all of those things. I never know that being separated from him like this can actually somewhat feel this frustrating at times, because like it or not, it sucks. But that’s life. I still have to go through this no matter what.
“Sometimes I wish I can call in sick and run away back to Tokyo,” he adds.
“You can’t do that. It hasn’t been a year since you work there.”
“Still,” he groans.
“Just hang in there. You’ll get used to your stupid boss after some time. Beside, you can always kill him if you can’t stand him,” I suggest to him.
Takaki laughs, and that’s good. At least although I can’t give him a small kiss or a warm big hug to cheer him up anymore, I can still make him laugh with my silly (and yet lack of quality) jokes. It is good to know that I can still do something for him although I’m far away from him.
“Ne, Diaki..”
“Hmm?”
“I really want to talk more, but I have a lot more to do. I’m still in the office actually. I’ll call you again when I’m free, ok?” he says, somehow in an apologetic manner.
“Ok. Good luck with work, Yuya. Don’t overwork youself.”
“Yes, mommy.”
“Oh, shut up. Just do your overtime work already,” I chuckle.
“Hahaha. Night, Daiki.”
“Night.
And who knows when the next phone call will be.
------
It has become too much for me to live alone. Every single corner of my flat reminds him of Takaki’s warm presence. The living room where we watched our DVD together (and sometimes porn). The kitchen, where Takaki often ranted around about neighbour’s dog as I cooked. Or our bed, the one place that made me feel safe because of Takaki’s warm cuddle every single night. The one place where we made love and said each other’s name in need. I just can’t stand remembering all those times we spent together in this flat anymore.
“Are you sure about this, Dai-chan?” my brother carries up the last box that I’ve packed.
“Yeah. I think it would be better if I move back home. I’ll be able to concentrate more on my thesis without have to worry about laundry, food, or cleaning up,” I lie to him. I cannot just tell him that I’m moving back to my parents’ house because it’s just too much for me to live here.
I might sound too dramatic, but really, the fact that Takaki and I are still together makes it even worse than mourning over your ex-boyfriend. To know that I’m still technically his boyfriend, despite of our lack of communication, kind of irks me in a frustrating level. I can’t hug him, kiss him, or just stare at his sleeping face anymore. It hurts so much because I still have the privilege to do all of those stuff, but I can’t because the distance doesn’t allow me to.
“Have you told your boyfriend that you’re moving out from the flat?” asks my brother when we got to his car.
“Yeah. I texted him.”
“Texted him?! You should have called him, Dai-chan,” my brother rolls his eyes, and still trying to concentrate on the road in the same time.
“I don't want to disturb him. His work is being a bitch, and I don’t want to burden him with such unimportant call.”
My brother turns his head to me (occasionally checking on the road), and frowns questioningly. “I don't understand your logic at all. His work being a bitch is more reason for you to call him. Shower him with love and all.”
“Well, he still call me every now and then. So I guess that’s enough,” I reply.
“And how often is this every now and then?”
Sigh. It seems that it’s just impossible for me to fool my brother. He’s a lot older and has more experience in life. And sometimes, the way he’s always able to read my mind is kind of freaking me out.
“Are you guys breaking up?”
“We’re not,” I murmured.
“Then?” he asked again. “You don’t sound as excited as you’ve always be when you talk about him. I was god damn sure that I would have him as a brother in law.”
I glare at him, giving him the aura that I don’t like his joke at all. It’s not funny, especially when I’m not sure where our relationship is heading. It’s just so not funny to make fun of other people ‘in-crisis’ relationship.
“Anyway, Dai-chan, joke aside. You should call him.”
“But..”
“He might not saying anything about it, but if he loves you and misses you, he definitely is waiting for your phone call. We are both guys and we understand well this thing about men and their ego. And I know that you do realise that as guys, we just do not want to go into any argument.”
“I know.”
“So call him.”
I wish it’s that easy. Just like what he said, there’s this thing called men and their ego. And I’m a man, and my ego doesn't let me being all whiny and call Takaki for the sake of calling.
------
“What?” I stare at my mom with hands leaving the keyboard as I turn my body to her.
I’ve been locking myself in my room, doing my thesis for the past few months. With deadline coming nearer, and with stupid winter killing my bones, there are two dark circles under my eyes. Thank god that my mom is being the greatest mom of all time. She doesn’t let anyone to bother me and she always make sure that she makes omelette rice more often than usual.
“I said, your brother is coming for dinner with his girlfriend. He said he wanted all of us to meet her because they might get married during spring or something. Well, I met her a couple of times before though. It’s just you and dad that never met her,” she repeats herself.
“But mom, I have my thesis to do and..”
“Dai-chan. It’s new year. Take a break. You didn’t even go out during Christmas,” she gives me a meaningful look.
“Fine.”
I couldn’t argue more with her. But really, I just have so much to do with my dissertation and it is just so hard to actually take some time off. Besides, the idea of my brother bringing his girlfriend home is just.. I don’t know. It’s depressing? It’s like why he just has to bring her home when I’m all depressed about my own relationship?!
Okay, I’m pretty much being such a drama queen right now. I really shouldn’t let my personal life problem become some sort of reason to hate my brother’s girlfriend even before I met her.
Things still aren’t doing so well between Takaki and I. He has a new project due by the end of the week, and I have my dissertation slash thesis to finish. And as expected, Takaki calls me even less often than before. Sometimes just about twice or thrice a month. We do text each other, but to get a reply right away is almost impossible. I really do not know how much longer I can stand this.
Putting my fucked up love life aside, my brother’s girlfriend is kind of, well normal?! She’s not that pretty and she’s not that thin or whatever either. She’s just average. Since she stepped into the house till she’s sitting right in front of me in our dining table, my eyes just cannot stop staring at her, trying to check every single detail of her appearance.
I don't’ understand really. Her hair is black, she didn’t dye it or whatever. Her make up is just thin, but I do notice that her skin is good. She doesn’t really wear anything cute or adorable in particular. But somehow, she looks stunning. She looks so normal and average that it’s refreshing to look at her. Her smile and laugh is sincere, nothing is being faked or what so ever. And she doesn’t hesitate to actually whack my brother’s head if he said anything stupid.
“So Daiki-kun is in that uni, right? My brother studied there too!” she grins at me.
“Your brother?”
“Uhn. Kou-chan studied there. He just graduated early of this year,” she explains.
“Eh?” Could it be someone I know?! That would epic. “What is your surname again? Sorry, I wasn’t really listening.”
“Yabu.”
I stare at her as if her surname is the most bizarre thing to hear. I mean, seriously?! Yabu?! And Kou-chan that she was talking about might be Yabu Kota?! Ha?! Are you fucking serious?! That’s like the most shocking thing that ever occur to me!! Okay, the second most shocking after my highschool crush became my roommate (read: Takaki).
“Meaning, Yabu Kota is your brother?! Really?!” for the first time that night, there’s a smile on my face.
“Yes, he is! Gosh! Such a small world, isn’t it!” she beams up just as excited as I am.
“We used to have a couple of classes together! And one of his bestfriends is my boyf-.. was my flatmate.”
“Really?! Cool!”
“Not only flatmate, but boyfriend as well,” my brother gives me a long glance before sipping into his tea. And he looks as if it isn’t a god damn problem to announce that his brother is gay to his future wife!! What the fuck!
His girlfriend stares at me, without blinking (which is kind of scary). Great. Now she will think of me as a freak even before she becomes part of the family, thanks to that stupid brother of mine! Argh! Can he wait until they get married to tell her about his little brother sexual preference?
“Takaki-kun’s….” she speaks slowly to me.
“Eh?”
“You can’t be Takaki’s boyfriend, can you?! Or you are?” she frowns.
“He is,” my brother answers for me.
My hand instantly grabs my napkin and throws it to him, and somehow he manages to dodge it without any problem. And yeah, my mom glares at me for being rude in front of our guest and my dad just chuckles lightly. It’s not my fault! He started it! He was like spilling every single information about my private life as if it’s nobody’s businesss!!
And now my grandmother looks at me disapprovingly. Arghhhh! I can’t say anything if my grandmother gives me that stare! That one stare where she makes you feel that you are about to get you death punishment soon!
“Hahaha. You have a really interesting brother, Arioka!” she laughes, amused.
“Can you call me with my name already?! We’re getting married for goodness sake,” he complains.
“Ne, Daiki-kun. Takaki-kun sometimes comes over with Kou-chan if that little brother of mine visits me. And I can ensure you that he cannot stop talking about his boyfriend once Kou-chan hits the topic,” she grins.
“Don’t ignore me!” my brother glares at her.
“Really?” I ask.
“Yup, you should see how excited he gets when he talks about you. It makes me worry that Kou-chan doesn’t have a girlfriend just yet,” she sighs.
A smile crafted nicely on my face. Takaki never really praised me for anything or whatever. He does sometimes, but often unconsciously. And to know that he gets all excited talking about me really makes me happy. At least, for some weird reason, I can feel his love from my brother’s fiancé’s story.
Wait. I bet that my brother knows that she knows Takaki! If not he wouldn’t even bring the topic up! Argh!
------
To: Takaki Yuya, 15 Jan 2010 13:19
Yuya..
I don’t think this is working out.
Daiki.
Sent! Fiuh~. It took me almost a year to type that message. I don’t know, really. First of all, I just never know how he’s doing anymore. And when I don’t know anything about his life, weird thoughts start to haunt me. What if he found someone else? What if he’s cheating on me? What if he thinks I’m not that important to him anymore?
I was expecting a reply, but instead, I got a phone call. Now what should I do?! Should I pick it up? Should I not?! Fuck, Daiki. Why did you send that message to begin with?!
“Moshi moshi..” I answer.
“What the fuck do mean by you don’t think this is working out?!” Takaki sounds awfully mad on the other line.
“I..”
“I’m not breaking up with you just because I’ve been busy with work!” he adds, sounding just as mad as before.
“Yuya.. it’s working hour. You shouldn’t be calling me.”
“Fuck work. I need to talk to you, and work can wait. And you better explain to me what’s with that freaking message.”
I hate mad Takaki. I don’t like it when he’s mad. Because when he’s mad, he’s always right. When he’s mad, it’s usually my fault. Just because when he’s mad, it means I’m being such a whiny girl. And I hate it that I always realise that I’m being such a girl only after he’s mad.
“I’m sorry,” I say at the end.
“For what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Dai-chan..” he sighs. “I should be the one that say sorry for not calling you often.”
Gosh. It hurts. Suddenly it just hurts. He called me Dai-chan. He never did. Why?! Why he calls me Dai-chan when we are far away like this? This is not fair. Life is fucking not fair. Why it has to play with me like this? Does it have any idea that being away from him is already a torture?! Then let alone hearing him calling me timidly with my nickname that he never used before?
“We can work things out. I know that we can. Please, don’t give up yet. One more month and I can take my first leave, and I promise you that I’ll be there for you,” says Takaki, somehow sounding a little depressed.
“One month is a long time, Yuya. It’s going to feel so fucking long,” I reply back. This time, I notice that I sound a little bit shaky, and I hate it.
“We’ve gotten this far, and we’re not giving up. No we’re not. I refuse to.”
“But why?! We don’t even see each other anymore. And we’re rarely talk on the phone.”
“Because I love you. Do you need any other reason to it?! Don’t be absurd, Daiki.”
Life is freaking unfair. Why?! Just why on earth does he have to say he loves me when we are like this?! He never freaking told me he loves me before! He never did. Can he not make this even harder?! How the hell I can break up with him after hearing that?
“Daiki… are you there?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t ever message me anything as illogical as that anymore. If you want to, I can try to call you every single night,” says Takaki, this time in a much more controlled tone. He sounds less mad.
“You don’t have to.. really..”
Groaning, he’s groaning on the other line. Did I just have something wrong? I believe I didn’t. It’s just ridiculous to demand him to call me every single day just so that this relationship can go on. I don’t want to become a burden or anything to him.
“You know. I don’t have time for this,” he says at the end. “I’ll call you back.”
And he cut the line without saying goodbye.
------
“Dai-chan!! Do you want any tea or something? Your brother just sent us some matcha and sweets,” my mom shouts from the kitchen.
“Sure~,” I reply back.
I’m in my room right now, finishing up my dissertation. One last paragraph for my conclusion and I’m done! I have no more classes and if I pass this dissertation tomorrow, I will have the rest of the academic year free!! And then I need to look for a job. Sigh. A job! Arggghhh!
“Dai-chan, I’m coming in~,” my mom suddenly singsongs right out side my room.
“Just come in. I didn’t lock it,” I reply, with hands are pretty much still on my keyboard.
The door cracks open and I can hear it being closed carefully. My mom seems to be really cautious about the door. Gosh, it’s not it’s going to break or anything. I believe the door isn’t that old that she really need to close it with so much care. Busy typing, I don’t really say anything to her. I let her put down the matcha and sweets on my desk, right beside my keyboard. I steal a glace at her hand, only to find that it’s not her hand!
Okay, this is creepy. My mom definitely doesn’t wear any oh-so-blink-blink skull ring! And she definitely doesn't wear any braided bracelet! Chill, Daiki! Chill. Turn your head up slowly. Don’t freak out. Maybe your mom is playing trick on you. Slowly, steady, yes yes, a bit more, and…
“Yuya?!”
“Yo~,” he grins.
Eh?! What?! Ha? What the fuck is he doing here?! Aren’t he supposed to be in Kobe?! I try to stand up to take a better look at his face, just to make sure that it is indeed him. But too bad for me, I trip over my own slippers and fall back to my chair, only to fall even further to the floor with the chair following me right away. Argh!
“Ittai!” I yelp as I rub my hurting butt.
Takaki laughs at my super epic moment, but then he holds out his hand, offering me some help to get up. Well, my mind is still pretty much in a massive shock that my hand just automatically grab his hand to let my body stand up without me telling it to. I blink, stare, blink again, and my mouth opens out when I realise that it is indeed him.
“YOU!!!” I squeak at the end, with hands harshly press their palms against Takaki’s cheeks. “YOU ALMOST GAVE ME HEART ATTACK!!”
“Well, I thought I might give you a surprise,” he smirks.
“That was not a surprise! That was close to horror!” I complain.
Can you imagine that?! After not seeing each other for about 7 months, your boyfriend just showed up in front of you as if it wasn’t a big deal?! And what the fuck?! He could at least tell me that he was coming. A text message would be good enough. Just don’t freaking give me a heart attack like that!!
Then again, as much as I want to be mad at him, or as much as I feel like whacking his head, I still end up reaching out for his neck and hug him tightly. He still smells the same, feels the same, and the way he hugs me back still feels like it has always been.
Nothing changed much from him, other than his hair. It’s still short, but the colour is dark. Either he dyed it dark, or he just doesn't have time to fix the colour once it fades away. He looks the same, appearance wise. A bit buffer actually. I think he grabs take out food most of the time. Well, he needs that. He was too thin for my liking anyway.
“You lost weight?” he asks.
“Ha?”
Takaki hug suddenly transform into one of those weird moments where he grabs every single inch of mybody. Oi! That’s ticklish. No! Stop. Hahaha. Ticklish, idiot!! Damn it, now get your freaking hands of my butt. “What the fuck, Yuya!” I push him off at the end and give his head my signature whack.
“You lost weight!” he exclaims, with hands now resting on my belly. “No more flabby tummy!!” he adds. “Wait, don’t tell me I’m touching some abs here.”
“Non-sense,” I flick his head lightly. Did he lose his insanity because of his work?
“Then what is this?” he pulls up my shirt glances at my exposed stomach before looking back at me.
“My stomach?” I roll my eyes, not amused with his little joke (if, it’s even a joke).
“Flat stomach,” he corrects me.
“I wasn’t fat, so stop being stupid!”
“I never said you were fat. I was just saying that you used to have flabby tummy~,” he grins.
“I didn’t have flab-.. Argh! Nevermind!”
I push him aside and quickly sat back on my chair; eyes set their vision back to my PC’s monitor. Ugh. What the hell. I was so happy that he’s here, but he got to my nerves with his weird sense of humour! I did not have flabby tummy before!! Stupid Takaki. He should know my body well, stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!
Okay. I did have flabby belly. Huh.
“When did you arrive?” I asked at the end.
“An hour ago. I only got here about 30 minutes ago though,” he answers again, this time leaning his butt against the edge of my table.
“Are you on leave then?”
“Uhn. Just for today, though. I purposely took Friday off so that I won’t waste my annual leave days and yet I can still have fun with you at least until Sunday night,” he explains.
“How did you find my parents’ house anyway?”
Takaki doesn’t really reply me back, but instead he slowly presses both of his palms against my stiff shoulders; massaging them gently. “It doesn’t really matter how I find it, right? You should just concentrate on your dissertation,” he leans forward as he whispers to my ear.
To be honest, it gives me some sort of goose bump. It has been ages since I heard his voice this close, especially that timidly. Obviously, being me, the always-complaining-and-grumbling boyfriend ever, I feel like shoving him away and tell him to stop being all lovey dovey like that and let me do my work. But instead, I turn my head and reach out for his neck for the second time. I pull him closer, and press our lips against each other.
“Miwwing mi toww mach?” Takaki mumbles.
“What?”
He pulls away and rolls his eyes. “I said, missing me too much?”
“Idiot. Too much would be such an understatement.”
------
“Ne..”
“Ehm?”
“This is so embarrassing, in case you are too stupid to realise it,” I glare at Takaki.
“What is so embarrassing?”
“This!!” I roll my eyes as I pull out my hand, which is being held by him tightly.
Stopping his steps, Takaki turns his head to me and sighs. “Well, I used to hold your hand all the time too before. I don’t see what’s so wrong about it now.”
“That’s because we’re not on campus or anywhere else where we usually hold hands together! We’re in Kitano, Kobe, for goodness sake!” I groal.
“Well, look who’s talking?! You were the one that insisted that you wanted to come along with me to Kobe this morning!”
“That’s because I don’t have anything to do until my graduation. So I figured I could just hit your place for the time being,” I pout.
Takaki chuckles at my statement. No, he laughs at it and ruffles my hair!! Argh! Doesn't he know how long it took me to wax my hair properly?! Of course he does!!! He lived with me for almost two years! And can he stop treating me as if I’m some sort of kid or something?! He has been doing that since he came over to my parents house.
For example, he happily joined forces with my brother (he came over during the weekend) to make fun of my height. And he made friend with my grandmother! He sat beside her wooden chair every single night before dinner and listened to her story about my childhood. I don’t mind really, but she didn’t have to tell him about me peeing on my pants when I was in kindergarten right?!
“You live in a house?! What?!”
Right in front me right now, a single story house with river stones cemented on the front wall stands proudly. It’s a small house, but it’s definitely lovely. Just like any other house in Kitano, it has a Westernised mixed with some Japanese feeling in it. “How can you afford such place? The rent must be really expensive!”
“I don’t rent it,” he smirks, wrapping an arm on my shoulder as he drags me inside.
“Eh?”
“My uncle owned this place. I kind of like my job although my boss is such a bitch. So I though I might as well settle down here in Kobe. I kind of bought it with only half market price. Of course, with loans. I won’t be able to pay it all at once,” he explains.
Wait the minute. Did I hear that right?! He’s planning on settling down here in Kobe?! And he didn’t even discuss it with me at all?! I’m his boyfriend and I have the right to know about this! “Why didn’t you tell me?!” I frown at him with a serious face.
“Because now, if I ask you to find a job in Kobe, you wouldn’t be able to say no~,” he grins.
“Ha?”
“Gosh. Meaning, I bought it so that you wouldn’t be able to give me any excuse if I asked you to move in with me here, in Kobe. Because really, I would be spending most of my saving on this house for nothing if you refuse to move here.”
“WHAT?!”
“I still don’t have much inside though. Just a couple of furniture that I need to use everyday. It has a small backyard too. Oh, maybe we can bring what ever we have from our flat!” he beams up at his own idea.
“I didn’t recall saying yes to move in with you!! And you didn’t even ask me!”
Takaki literally ignores me and hops to the living room. There is a kitchen right beside it, about two by two meters in size. The living room slash TV room is in a lower ground that there are a couple of stair steps going downwards to it, and the steps are surrounding the TV areas, making it somehow like a ‘pool’ inside the house.
“Maybe I can leave the decorating the house job to you~. Since apparently I really suck at it,” he adds.
“Oi! I didn’t say I agree to all this!”
“Why not?” he tilts his head.
“Because.. because it’s just absurd! What if I said no? It would mean that you bought this money for nothing, right?! Are you stupid?!”
“Well, would you actually say no?”
“I..”
Argh! Of course I can’t say no to that!!! Who can?! Everyone would be too shocked to say no if their boyfriend suddenly showed them his new house and told them that he was expecting them to move in with them! And it’s a house! It’s as if he wants to start a family or something! That’s not even biologically possible!! Well, unless I’m a mutant and have a womb inside me.
“I wanted to ask you after your graduation though, but since you are here, I think I should just ask you now,” he walks over to where I was standing.
“I won’t just say yes if you’re asking me to move in now,” I frowns.
“No, not that.”
“Then?”
“First, I’m sorry that this is so not romantic,” he pecks my cheek.
“Eh?”
He stares at me with his eyes, somehow giving me a pleading expression. A little bit weird really, especially because he never gave me pleading eyes before! Is he about to say something bizarre?! If he is, it better be good or I’d whack him hard for confusing me with that expression.
Wrapping his hands on my waist, Takaki embraces me slowly with chin resting on my shoulder. I can hear his breathing very clearly, and to be honest, this is making me really nervous. I never know that asking me to move in with him would need such action, really. “I don’t want to live separately from you any more,” he says at the end.
“Me too. But this is just too sudden. I can’t just move in and try to find a job just like that. I’m graduating this spring, and my brother is getting married as well. Not only that, there are other stuff I need to think about to. Depending on my result, I might consider continuing my study and all.”
“You can always get into a university here. So we can still live together.”
“But I won’t have any income. And I will need to pay rent to you as well. A house wouldn’t be cheap either.”
“You don’t have to pay rent, Daiki. Why would I charge you?” he pulls away and faces me with a frown.
“But you’re still paying this house on loan. And…”
“Listen. You, don’t have to pay the rent,” he emphasises.
“Why?”
“Because the thing that I wanted to ask you is not about you moving in.”
“Ha?” I tilt my head, pretty much do not understand what Takaki is talking about. He didn’t bang his head somewhere on our way to Kobe, did he? “Then what it is the thing that you wanted to ask me?”
Takaki inhales a long breath before closing his eyes, giving me the impression that he’s trying to find some courage to ask this question. Slowly, he opens his eyes and gives me the most unreadable stare ever. His eyes are kind of sparkly, but I won’t say that it’s because he’s happy or anything. More like, he’s excited.
“Let’s go to Canada and get married,” he beams. “And for real. I’m not joking.”
I think I’m fainting.
O . M . A . K . E
Placing the tako-shape wiener sausage to the medium size black bento box, I can feel the clock ticking with every beat of my heart. Argh, damn it! Why do I have to wake up late on such important day! And why on earth it has to be my turn to make breakfast and lunch boxes!!!
“Hua~. Never knew that the suits suit you. I thought you would look weird with it when we bought it, especially with that pink glossy tie,” Takaki commented as he sat on one of the eat-in kitchen chair. And he’s pretty much fully dressed for work.
“Oh shut up. I’m almost late for my entrance ceremony!”
“Gosh. Chill. You can leave it. I’ll arrange my bento, and I’ll make my breakfast myself then. Just go. We don’t want our freshly entered postgraduate student to be late for his entrance ceremony, do we,” he grins.
“Thanks,” I smile.
I quickly grab my bag and make my way to the front door. Stopping at the mirror on the hallway, I do a quick check on my suit, tie, and of course hair. Great~. Everything is perfect and I can definitely go in confidence now. Yosh! Here we go again! New campus, new place, and new people!
“Ne, Daiki!” Takaki runs out to the front door when I’m about to reach the house gate.
“You forgot your ring,” he frowns, throwing a silver ring to me. “Don’t just put it around like that each time you cook.”
A big grin is crafted nicely on my face. Mumbling a sorry, I quickly put that one ring on my left finger. “It doesn’t make me less of a husband for forgetting my ring, idiot,” I stick out my tongue before running off to the train station.
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It's already its sixth month, and it's time to say good-bye to this series T______T. University!verse is one of my favourite pieces ever and I had so much fun writing it. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much for reading until the very end. And don't worry. I'll put up a new TaDaiki AU multichap fic on January.
Hate it? Love it? Hate/love me? Comments are loved!
P.S. I'm still looking for a beta'er with good English. Pm me if you are interested. And there's a new community named tadaiki_ai if you are interested. There's a TaDaiki Love A-thon to celebrate this community formation as well. And like always, I haven't checked for mistake. Will do it tomorrow.