Wandering For Love -chapter 30-
Title : Wandering For Love
Author : kame_kiyumi
Pairing : Akame
Rating : PG-13
Genre : Romance, friendship
Summary: When two persons meet one another at a cross-junction, will there be a turning point or everything will remain intact? Does true love come by so easily? What will true love bring upon to the two persons? Fate will decide them all. But before they can get the happiness they want, they have to cross a few obstacles…
Chapter 30:
“I’m sorry.” Keita muttered softly.
“H-huh? Why did you apologize to me?” Jin asked, baffled.
“Because I seemed to have done something that caused some misunderstanding between us?”
“Oh… no, not at all. Nothing of that sort.” Jin said; voice laced with awkwardness.
‘Come on, Jin! Admit defeat! You are not even gentleman enough like him! What do you even want to compare with him for?!’
“But… you looked kind of irritated whenever I appeared in front of you, or well, at least in the presence of Kazu. Or probably you will like to enlighten me what I have done before that may have annoy you in some ways? I will apologize for it. Just tell me, I am sure I did not do it on purpose.” Keita tried.
“Hmm… no. Really. Well, I apologized for my rudeness but you really did nothing that irritated me. I guess I was just being too jaded previously that’s why my emotions were not well-handled.” Jin replied, feeling slightly penitent.
“Are you sure? Then what about today?”
“Today?”
“Yeah… you looked happy just before you stepped in this room and…”
“Oh… erm…” ‘That’s because you are around.’ “Maybe I just get moody? You know, like normal mood swings… But no worries, I am fine now.” Jin smiled, this time being more sincere, though jealousy was still evident.
“Hmm… okay… just let me know whenever you need someone to talk to?” Keita asked with concern.
“Sure. Thank you.” Jin smiled again.
“Anyway, I heard from Kazu that he bought Vanilla-chan together with you.” Keita tried to steer the topic into a new direction so that they wouldn’t meet with the problem of lacking in topics. And he succeeded.
“Yeah… he was so excited when he first saw Ran-chan and Vanilla-chan. He even started calling Ran-chan his first love in the shop!” Jin started to talk feistier. “When he first named Vanilla-chan as Vanilla, I thought ‘wow~ can make a pair with my Chocolate’ but then I realized later that Vanilla is actually for you…” Jin’s laughter subsided a bit.
“Ah… I see. Thank you anyway, for taking care of Vanilla.” Keita smiled poignantly. ‘Jin! You are really jealous ne… Ahh… now, how should I make you see the apparent point…?’
“By the way, Chocolate is…?” Keita asked inquisitively.
“Oh! It’s my dog, a toy poodle.” Jin smiled upon mentioning his beloved dog.
“I see… maybe we can organize a date somehow and bring all our dogs out…”
“…Together with Pi’s dogs!” Both Keita and Jin exclaimed in raved unison. They looked at each other and laughed, feeling silly.
At the same time, Kazuya and Yamapi were getting up from the couch and heard their laughter.
“What are they laughing about?” Yamapi nudged Kazuya who only shrugged.
“Let’s go over and find out.”
They walked over and placed themselves down beside the duo.
“So what are you guys talking about, Kei?” Yamapi asked.
“Ah… we were chatting about the dogs.” Keita responded.
“And we were saying we can organize a date to bring all our dogs out.” Jin supplied.
“Then both of us mentioned you and your dogs at the same time~” Keita and Jin laughed out once again. “We have got chemistry ne~”
Kazuya looked back and forth at Keita and Jin and gave out a small inconspicuous smile. ‘I’m glad they are getting on fine…’
“Ne, Kei, since you are with us tonight, why not join us for our mini graduation celebration too?” Kazuya asked Keita who was busy dodging Yamapi’s mischievous ‘konkon’ attack.
“Yes, I would like to. Thank you, Kazu!” Keita shouted, laughing at the same time while still trying his best to dodge Yamapi’s playful attack.
~*~
“Cheers!” Four slightly drunken voices could be heard over the dining table where all the nice sumptuous food was laid down on, although most of the plates were already being wiped out.
They gulped down the glasses of wine and started relaxing on their seats. Kazuya, as usual was seated at the only first seat at the beginning of the long table while Jin was on his left side alone. Keita and Yamapi sat on the other side of the table.
“This is not only for our graduation celebration. It can be considered as Keita’s graduation celebration too!” Yamapi cheered vividly.
“Of course!” Kazuya shouted, giggling at the same time; alcohol seemed to be working on him slightly faster as he had already drunk a lot of wine and vodka. His left hand crept over the table quietly, finding Jin’s right hand blindly and clasping it tightly pertaining to no reason, to which Jin found it to be just… cute.
Jin looked at Kazuya who was beaming adorably back at him with his shimmering orbs, probably due to the effects of the alcohols, then back to their intertwined hands. Kazuya’s smile could just melt Jin’s heart in an instant without making any efforts. No matter whether was Jin feeling downcast, feeling sorrowful or simply feeling lonely, he always wanted to see Kazuya’s radiant smile. Jin likes it whenever Kazuya's smile is directed straight at him because that is the only reason why Jin can smile too.
In the night when I’m feeling lonely, I always wanted to meet you… for the reason that whenever you show me your radiant, genuine smile, I will feel better again. Your smile is my energy.
Jin released a smile that was directing to no one in particular and at the same time, grasping Kazuya’s hand in his tighter.
‘This really seems to be Kazuya’s unique way.’
The most sober ones were Jin and Keita. They were betting under the table that the first one to be knocked out was going to be Kazuya and the second one in tow would be Yamapi. The ‘high’ factor flowing in their body seemed to be working very well now. The both slightly drunken men were babbling non-stop about nothing in particular but yet, giggling and laughing out loudly, like mad people.
Just then, Keita remembered something and immediately shot out of his seat. “OH! Before I actually forget it…” and he left the dining room, leaving three baffled faces.
He returned shortly after a while with an elegant paper bag in hand. He sat back down and took out the first small jewellery box, placing the paper bag on the floor beside his chair. He noticed three pairs of curious eyes following his every movement inquisitively. He gave a small chuckle and raised an eyebrow, looking questioningly back at them.
“Yes?”
“Ne, ne, ne… what is inside the paper bag?” Yamapi nudged Keita at his arm.
“Well, you’ll see.” He handed the first box he took out and gave it to Yamapi, then he reached for the paper bag and took out the second and last box.
“What is this?” Yamapi asked, holding the box in front of his face, examining it thoroughly yet he did not open the box. “Are you going to perform magic for us now?”
“Don’t be stupid, Pi. Open it and you will know. It meant to be a surprise for you guys.” Keita responded playfully while stretching his hand out to hand Jin and Kazuya theirs. Kazuya reluctantly removed his hand from Jin’s and accepted the present in thankfulness.
“Well, it’s just a gift for you guys actually. But Jin, there’s something I need to tell you beforehand. Kazu’s and Pi’s ones were customized as I was the one who designed their pendants and sent them for customization ever since some time back. But as for yours, because I just met you that time when I came back so basically, well, I had no time to design and customize one for you, so instead, I got a nice designated one for you from the same shop. I hope you will like it.” Keita explained.
“Oh… it’s alright. I ought to be grateful that you have still bought one for me. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.” Jin bowed and smiled earnestly.
“You’re welcomed. Oh! By the way, there’s something in common with these three pendants.”
“What was that?” Kazuya asked.
“These three pendants are the one and only in this whole world. You will never find the second similar piece, unless people start to imitate yours. So Jin, same with yours too, one and only piece even though it’s not being customized.” Keita elaborated further.
“Oh! Thank you! Thank you very much!” Jin beamed. No one had ever bought such an exclusive gift for him before. Just for that one second, he had forgotten that the other was supposed to be his rival. ‘Esh! Stupid Jin! Don’t get too happy with just one present, would you? Have some self-control!’
“Hey, open up, guys! You want to keep the present without even sparing it a look? I will feel hurt then.” Keita joked.
“OH!”
Yamapi was the first one to react. “GOD! Keita! You got me this!?” He flashed the cute little pendant in the air and exclaimed loudly.
It was a silver cupid angel, spreading his wings and his hands wide open as if spreading all the peace and love to the world.
“Yeah.”
“I like it! Thanks!” He leaned over to give Keita a hug.
“You designed this? You are so awesome!”
“Yeah, I knew you like peace, so well, I thought just by designing a peace sign for you is a bit boring, so I drew this cupid angel along, welcoming peace and love.” Keita explained.
Jin gaped in awe. ‘He’s really amazing. He even thought of so many in-depth details to designing a pendant?’
“Cool! Ne Kame-chan, what is yours?” Yamapi asked, just like how a child was being curious about a new thing.
“Hmm…” Kazuya opened up his box and stared at the pendant. “It’s…” He looked up to see Keita grinning at him. Kazuya beamed in delight and took out the pendant to show it to them.
It’s a silver plate that bore a perfectly drawn heart-shaped with an arrow in the middle. The heart and the arrow signified the common one that people always drew together with cupids. When this design came into sight, Kazuya’s heat fluttered in glee while Jin’s heart sank into the deep ocean once more.
‘Does this pendant signify their love?’ Jin thought sadly. ‘I am destined to lose when I don’t even get the chance to fight for him?’
Jin looked at how joyful Kazuya was and his mood was soured to the worst.
“Thank you, Kei! I love this so much!” Kazuya squealed and stood up to go over and gave him a tight hug from the back while admiring the necklace dangling in front of their faces.
“I am glad you love it. I spent quite a lot of time perfecting this design. I was so sure that you would like this. As much as I wish to design one with a skull since you loves skull designs so much, but it wouldn’t be nice to make you one when I am supposed to give it to you as a significance of my return, right?” Keita winked.
“Hn! I don’t mind it! Thank you!” Kazuya smiled and let go of Keita slowly and straightened himself when he noticed Jin’s sullen face.
‘Uh-oh.’
“Ne, Jin, what’s yours?” Kazuya asked in a small voice, before anyone could notice Jin’s behavior and his own uneasiness of this whole helpless situation they were in.
“.. I… got a…” Jin unwrapped the box and took out his own necklace.
It’s a pendant, the design showing a fairy standing, with her flapping black wings on her back. The whole thing was silver but only the black wings were made of black crystals. Jin seemed enticed by it and kept staring at it for a long time, lost for words.
“Hmm, Jin? You don’t like the design?” Keita inquired, fearing that he might get something that Jin disliked.
“… What? Oh… No, no, no! I like it… just that I find that this design seemed be quite unique and possessed its own character in it. I like it a lot. Thank you very much!” Jin explained. “But it is not cheap, right?”
“I am glad to hear that you like it.” Keita laughed out. His smile broadened when he saw how Jin immediately took out the necklace and started wearing it on his neck. “Don’t worry about the price. I am thankful that you like the design I picked! I was so afraid that I got you something you might abhor.”
They went on, chatting and drinking for what felt like ages before Kazuya was the first one to be knocked out.
~*~
A/N: da dang~ I felt that I totally failed in this update despite Kate’s encouragement. Gomenasai. T.T I hope you guys will not kill me… As usual, comments will be loved and treasured… so don’t leave here anonymously ne? ^^