[One-shot] Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
Title: Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
Character(s): Hikanoo. Chinen.
Genre: Angst, fluff.
Rating: PG-13.
Disclaimer: Nope.
Summary: Being the competitive person he was, Inoo agreed when Hikaru challenged him to a game of hearts, wanting to prove to the younger boy that he could at least win something. But can a game really be successful when feelings are involved?
A/N: Prompt Game from 100 HSJ Fic Challenge. For shiroikazex who has been working super hard :) and thanks to hotfruits for beta'ing.
"Hah! I win, you lose!" Hikaru taunted, throwing his console in the air and stuck out his tongue, pointing towards Inoo. "Now go and do what you promised!"
Inoo grounded his teeth together, knuckles turning ghost white as he clutched onto his console tightly. He was clearly not satisfied with the outcome of the game, and he refused to admit defeat. "Another round! I'm sure I'll beat you this time!"
"No way!" Hikaru's high pitched voice shrieked. "You told me that five games ago and I still win! Just accept the fact that you can't compete against me, Inoo-chan~ Play Station is clearly not your forte." He smirked.
The slightly older boy grumbled under his breath, anger fuming out of his ears. Inoo himself knew that he wasn't good at video games, but he took on the challenge anyway because Hikaru didn't stop bugging him, calling him a 'chicken'. He wanted to prove Hikaru wrong, only his hands were already tired from all the furious button pressings and he knew that if he didn't do what he promised to, Hikaru would never leave him alone.
So he became the bigger boy.
And did what he had to do.
Slowly, Inoo got up, suddenly feeling his baggy clothes weighing him down. Hikaru trailed behind him enthusiastically like a little puppy as Inoo nervously opened the sliding doors to the backyard, where a few mothers (including his own) were having an evening tea ceremony. He walked up to them, fidgeting.
"Oh Inoo-san, it's your son," one of the women said.
"He's really pretty isn't he? Just like a girl," another spoke, a hint of awe in her voice.
Inoo's mother smiled. "Kei, do you need anything?"
Inoo shifted between his two feet, biting his lower lip. He looked back at Hikaru who was standing by the door, a stupid grin on his face, giving him a thumbs up. He could see the expectancy in the mother's faces as they waited for him to do something. With a loud sigh, Inoo spun around, and pulled his pants down, mooning the women behind him who all gasped in shock.
"Kei!" his mother cried out, quick by his side as she pulled his pants up. She looked back at her stunned friends and smiled in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, ladies. I don't know what drove him to do this," she apoligised.
After Inoo got scolded in hushed little whispers, he ran back into the house, face flushed with fiery and shame. He noticed Hikaru rolling on the floor, laughing loudly. "I swear, one day, I'll get back at you."
"R-relax, Inoo-chan," Hikaru tried to contain his laughter, wiping the tears at the corner of his eye, "It's just a game."
Not being able to stand Hikaru's mocking anymore, Inoo left the house with huff.
Of course, back then, everything had just been a game.
"Inoo-chan~" Hikaru prodded, pulling at Inoo's shirt. "Let's play a game."
"No." Inoo shrugged Hikaru away, scribbling furiously into his notebook. "Can't you see that I'm busy? I have to hand in this assignment tomorrow and I'm only half-way through."
"Mou~ you're no fun." The younger boy pouted, strolling away to bother someone else when the other members shifted into the dressing room.
Inoo twitched a little at what Hikaru had said but didn't let it get to him. I need to get this done. Heaving a heavy sigh, he continued his work, only to stop when he heard Hikaru complain to Yabu.
"Yabu~ play games with me? Inoo is being lame. He just doesn't want to lose to me like he always does." Hikaru snickered.
The pencil that was in Inoo's hand broke in half as he gripped it hard. They've played all types of games ever since they were young, be it board games or hop scotch, or even UNO but with games also came competitions.
And in all of the competitions they've had, Inoo never won. Not even once.
The chair Inoo had sat on fell back towards the floor with a loud clutter as he got up, raging. Every pair of eye in the room shifted towards Inoo as the boy jabbed Hikaru square in the chest.
"You," Inoo began, "Are an annoying brat. You want to play a game? Fine, it's on. Pick one."
Hikaru grinned in victory. "Are you sure you don't want to choose it?"
"Nope, I'm fine." The pretty boy crossed his arms, tapping his foot.
The whole room watched in anticipation as Hikaru carefully thought. A smile slowly began to creep its way to his face and he giggled.
"Well?" Inoo rose his eye-brows.
"This time, it's not like any other game we've played." Hikaru walked in circles around Inoo, hand to chin. "You and I are going to be in a relationship and whoever falls in love first, loses. Are you up for it?" He stopped in front of Inoo, waiting for his answer.
Inoo stood there with a blank look, mouth slightly ajar. He gulped, regretting the fact that he didn't choose the game when he had the chance. All different kinds of thoughts were running through his head when he felt a poke to his arm.
"Inoo-chan?" Hikaru waved his hand in front of him. "Wait, don't tell me...you have feelings for me?" He smirked.
The older boy shook his head. "Wha-what?" He laughed nervously, masking his fast beating heart. "Me? Feelings for you? You've got to be joking me."
"Well then, I'll take that as a yes. Our game will begin from tomorrow and go on until one of us wins."
"You're going down," Inoo announced.
"We'll see about that~" Hikaru smiled, skipping away, but not before giving Inoo a quick peck on the cheek, leaving the older boy frozen and shocked.
Inoo swallowed hard, clutching onto his hammering heart. This is going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride, he thought. And I don't like the feeling of it one bit.
Inoo jumped in surprise when he felt a hand slip into his as he entered the jimusho that morning. He turned his head to his right to see Hikaru looking ahead, whistling a happy tune, swinging their arms back and forth.
"What are you doing?" Inoo asked, looking at their entwined fingers.
"Hm?" Hikaru halted, causing Inoo to stop as well, and looked at the pretty boy. "Holding your hand. Isn't it obvious? And I thought you were the smart one."
Inoo rolled his eyes. "I can see that but...why?"
Hikaru blinked. "Eh? We're playing a game, remember?"
The older boy tried to recall everything that had happened the day before, and when he finally grasped the memory, he whispered, "Oh, that."
"What's wrong with you?" Hikaru chuckled, bumping his shoulder against Inoo, and started to walk again, pulling the other with him.
"No sleep. Assignment. Finish," Inoo mumbled groggily, yawning. He let Hikaru drag him into the dressing room, not noticing the warm feeling building up in his stomach as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes.
When they finally entered, the chatty atmosphere of the room quieted down and the other members stared at them, some with amused expressions and some with unreadable ones.
"What?" Inoo questioned, confused as to why everyone stopped their activities, only to realise later when Yabu pointed to his and Hikaru's linked hands. He immediately pulled away, cheeks heating up.
"Why did you do that?" Hikaru pouted, not caring about the others gazes. "We're in a relationship now. They should get used to us being all intimate." He took Inoo's hand again, gripping it hard as the older boy tried to squirm away.
"B-but Hika--"
"No buts. Guys, stop looking at us like we're aliens." Hikaru said, as he pulled Inoo further into the room, sitting on the couch.
"This is going to take some time getting used to." Inoo heard Yamada mutter to Yuto. "I mean, I kind of grew accustomed to their constant bickering and now they're all lovey-dovey like this. It's weird."
Inoo could only look down, idly playing with his fingers, feeling a slight tug to his heart.
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months as their game continued on. Neither won or lost yet and in fact, they were enjoying each others company. Occasionally, they would fight like normal couples do but it was usually over stupid things and they'd get back together in an instant. The other members too had adapted to their relationship and would only shout "get a room" when they were seen making out, just like they were doing now.
Only one person was truly concerned, and it was Chinen Yuri.
"Yuuyan, don't you think think we should stop them? Before one of them breaks?" Chinen looked at the couple in front of him, worry etched onto his face. He cringed when he heard Inoo moan quietly as Hikaru began to roughly scrape at the skin of his neck.
"Hm, just leave them alone~ They'll work things out for themselves." Takaki flipped to another page of the magazine.
"But--" Chinen started to tear. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. I've seen things, y'know. Inoo-chan really, truly likes Hika-chan and if things end up bad, he's the one to likely hurt more. And what if-- what if our group breaks apart just because of it?"
"You're thinking too much, Chii." The older boy put the magazine down, patting Chinen on the head. "Our group has a strong bond, I'm sure they'd still be friends even after the game is over. Now stop crying okay?" He thumbed the tears away, grabbing Chinen's hand. "I'll treat you to ice-cream, c'mon."
Chinen followed Takaki but before leaving the room, he took one last look at the two boys by the couch, a frown on his face. He had a feeling that things were going to turn out awful.
"Hey, hey, hey! Inoo-chan, slow down," Hikaru breathed, trying to catch up to the older boy. A few centimeters away, Hikaru reached out his hand, grabbing a hold of Inoo's wrist who tried to wriggle out of it.
"Let me go!" Inoo pulled away, though his attempt was futile because Hikaru held much more strength than him.
Annoyed with Inoo's antics, Hikaru pushed him against the wall, immediately trapping him. "What's your problem?" he seethed, hot breath hitting the nape of Inoo's neck.
Inoo shivered. "What's my problem?! What was with you back there?!" He tried to keep himself composed, away from the distraction that was Hikaru.
"What did I do?"
"You--!" Inoo inhaled, trying to calm his beating heart, "You were all over Yabu just now! Need I remind you that you're my boyrfiend?"
For a moment, Hikaru looked slightly shocked before falling into fits of chuckles, placing butterfly kisses on the neck of a struggling Inoo. "And need I remind you that this is all just pretend?"
Right. Inoo thought. How could I have forgotten. Closing his eyes, he sighed, letting himself drown in Hikaru's kisses, knowing that there was no meaning behind them.
But he couldn't help but wished that everything was real.
"Inoo-chan, please give up."
Inoo looked up from the textbook he was scanning to see Chinen looking at him with sad eyes. "What?"
"It hurts," Chinen cried, trying to stop the tears with his sleeves. "It hurts to see you suffer like this."
"Chii...what are you talking about?" The older boy pulled Chinen on to his lap, cupped his face and wiped the tears away with his thumb.
"You--and Hika-chan--" he hiccuped, "Stop all this nonsense. I can't-- I can't bear watching you go on like this."
"But Chii, I'm fine," Inoo assured, surprised that out of all the people in the group, Chinen was the one to see through him.
"No you're not!" the small boy wailed. "Don't you think I don't notice the way you look at Hikaru! Your eyes always want something more, something that's not there and it's just-- You're not happy. I don't like seeing my friends unhappy. I always hear you cry alone in the empty room."
"Chi..." Inoo hugged him, letting Chinen cry on his shoulder, wetting his t-shirt. "Hikaru-- might not return my feelings and I do admit that it's heart-breaking but I-- I am happy. As long as we're together, fake or not, I will be happy."
Chinen continued to weep, his cries muffled by the fabric of Inoo's shirt but in between his sobs, Inoo couldn't miss the plea, "Please, just let go."
Inoo woke up, stretching his limbs and walked towards the bathroom, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He washed his face and brushed his teeth, getting ready for work. As he opened his closet to pick out his clothes, he couldn't help but notice the red circle around a date on his calendar.
It's our three month anniversary. Inoo sighed. I wonder if he even knows.
Grabbing the last of his things, Inoo left the house with a small ittekimasu, not even bothering to eat breakfast. He slipped his hands in the pockets of his jackets, shuddering at the coldness of the air. When he finally arrived at the jimusho building, he breathed out in relief, thankful for the warm atmosphere.
Inoo thought it was odd, not having Hikaru there like always, to surprise him from behind and walk hand in hand to the dressing room. He felt a slight pang to his heart but shrugged it off, pulling the strap of his bag further up his shoulder.
Opening the door to the dressing room, he was surprised to see that no one was there, except Chinen who was snoring lightly by the couch. Inoo smiled, putting his bag down and brushed the bangs away from the younger boy's forehead, suddenly frowning as he thought about the words Chinen had said.
Please, just let go.
Inoo sighed. He had barely gotten any sleep, spending those restless nights thinking about whether he should just give in to the game. He was cut short from his thoughts when he heard a rattle coming from the small kitchen.
"Hikaru?" Inoo gasped, bewildered at the sight of Hikaru battling with a pan, trying to cook up...something. "What are you doing?"
Hikaru gave him a goofy grin. "Well, I was trying to make breakfast but this egg isn't cooking." He moved the pan on the stove, shaking it.
"Why? Didn't you eat at home?" Inoo approached him, checking if everything was in its right place. Realising what the problem was, Inoo whacked Hikaru across the head. "Idiot! You didn't even turn on the gas!" Moving Hikaru out of the way, he switched on the gas, turning the knob to the stove on ‘til fire came out. Inoo threw away the egg, putting the pan over the fire again and letting it heat up.
Hikaru chuckled, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "I fail at everything. I can't even make a simple breakfast for you."
"What?" Inoo's eyes widened a little, staring at Hikaru. Noticing the pan starting to get hot, he broke the eye contact, adding oil into it. Getting a cup from the cupboard, Inoo broke two eggs, whisking it with a chopstick.
"I know you don't usually eat breakfast. You always skipped it when we were small. That's why you look like a stick." He poked Inoo's bony arms. "Besides, it's our three month anniversary. I thought I'd do a little something special for you."
A sizzling sound could be heard as Inoo poured in the battered egg, spreading it all over the pan. "You knew?" he whispered, grabbing a spatula and played with the egg nonchalantly. He tensed up a bit when he felt Hikaru wrap his arms around his waist, pulling him close to his chest, placing his chin on Inoo's shoulder.
"Of course, I wouldn't forget it for the world." Hikaru kissed the crook of Inoo's neck.
Inoo flipped the egg over, feeling his eyes well up. "Hikaru...why are you doing this?"
"Hm? I told you, because of our anniversary? And you've always been good to me, Inoo-chan~ Always putting up--"
"Hikaru."
"--with my stupid behaviour and even though I annoy you, make you hand in your assignment--"
"Hikaru, I'm giving up. You win. I lose. The game's done."
"--late you still-- wait, what? What did you just say?"
Inoo turned off the stove, and plated the omelet. He unlatched Hikaru's arms from his waist and spun around, meeting the younger boy's confused expression.
"I thought I could win this time. I really thought I could but--" Inoo felt tears rolling down his cheeks. "--who was I kidding? I was a loser before the game even started." He moved away from Hikaru, getting out of the kitchen.
"Inoo-chan, what do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. You started the game. You put down the rules." Inoo smiled sadly, not bothering the wipe the tears and glanced at the sleeping Chinen. "Turns out, I wasn't the only one in pain. Through the process, I hurt someone else as well."
Hikaru followed Inoo's eyes. "What are you talking about? What does Chinen have to do with all of this?" he asked, getting even more puzzled.
"It's done, Hikaru. Game's over."
Inoo and Hikaru walked back to their shared hotel room after a tiring concert. It had been weeks since Inoo announced the end of their game.
After the incident, things had gone on normally. They still laughed, talked, joked, only Inoo felt like it wasn't the same because he no longer received those little fleeting touches and sweet kisses. Inoo sighed as he waited for Hikaru to open the door. We're better off just friends anyway.
As they strolled into the room, dragging their exhausted bodies, Inoo slumped onto his bed, burying his face into the pillows. Hikaru chuckled. "Do you want the shower or can I go first?"
"Help yourself," Inoo murmured, throwing an arm in the air as a gesture for Hikaru to go. When he heard the bathroom door click close, he rolled around, arms spread wide and stared at the ceiling before heading out to the balcony, feeling the need for some fresh air.
He shivered as he stepped out into the cold night, remaining in his sweaty costume from the concert, not caring to grab anything thicker. Staring at the stars, he let his mind drift off, causing him to jump slightly in surprise when he felt something being put on his shoulders. He turned around to face Hikaru, towel on head and fully dressed in crisp, clean clothes.
"You'll catch a cold if you don't take care of yourself." Hikaru smiled, accompanying Inoo by the railings.
"Thanks," Inoo mumbled, wrapping the jacket further around his thin body.
Silence fell between them, only the sounds of cars in the far distance being heard. Feeling a little uncomfortable, Inoo cleared his throat, "Um, I guess I'll go take a shower now." He turned his heel, ready to head inside the room again when he was pulled by the wrist, the sound of Hikaru's voice calling his name freezing his feet to the ground.
"Kei."
"Y-yeah?"
"I have to tell you the truth."
"T-truth? What truth?" Inoo spun around, meeting Hikaru's shining brown eyes.
"The other day, when you, um, called the game off, Chinen heard us. He wasn't really asleep."
"I figured." Inoo laughed nervously. "That little manipulative..." he muttered under his breath, quiet enough so Hikaru didn't hear.
"He told me everything."
Inoo's eyes suddenly widened, shifting them somewhere else. "Look Hikaru, I think the both of us know that we're better off this way. I mean, you have no feelings for me and I can forget you. I will forget you. Everything we ever had for the past few months was just a part of a game and--"
Hikaru cupped Inoo's cheeks, kissing the older boy to shut him up. "But there was no game in the first place." He leaned their foreheads against each other, breathes mingling.
Inoo's furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"
"Inoo-chan, I've had a crush on you for as long as I can remember. The only reason why I set the game was because I wanted you to like me."
"B-but the things you said..."
"It was all an act. I didn't mean to hurt you. I mean, you kept resisting me and I thought you didn't like me after all so I kept the game going, just so that I could stay by your side." He nuzzled Inoo's neck.
Inoo was still at a loss. "So...you like me?"
"That's what I just said."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I, um, I was afraid that you'd reject me after I played with your feelings." Hikaru detached himself from Inoo, giving him a goofy grin.
"Damn straight I would." Inoo put his hands on his hips.
Hikaru pouted. "So you won't--"
"I'm not done yet. I won't accept you unless you confess to me properly."
"You're such a girl." Hikaru laughed, pulling at Inoo's waist. "I love you, Kei. More than Romeo loved Juliet. But I wouldn't want us killing ourselves for each other, of course. I love you."
"That's the worst confession I've ever heard." Inoo wanted to laugh when Hikaru made a face. "But I'll accept it anyway." He smiled, throwing his arms around Hikaru's neck, inching closer. "I love you too, Hikaru."
Under the watch of the glowing white stars, they shared a kiss, hearts beating as one.
***
"Hikaru, you suck!" Inoo pouted, throwing the console away and crossing his arms over his chest. "You never let me win!"
"It's not my fault you fail at video games." Hikaru's laughter boomed. "Now, c'mon. Do what you promised to." He pointed to his own lips playfully.
Inoo got up and grumbled, kissing Hikaru despite being mad at the younger boy. Somehow, their innocent kissing turned into a full blown make out session, Inoo's body now pinned to the floor, hair disheveled, Hikaru straddling his hips.
"If all our games end up like this, maybe losing isn't so bad after all," Inoo said, a little breathless as Hikaru snickered, continuing to shower him with kisses.
Yeah, Inoo thought. Losing is the best thing he's ever done.
fin.
I know it's cliched but it's the only thing I could think of with the prompt ;_; I hope you like it, Saki ♥
Character(s): Hikanoo. Chinen.
Genre: Angst, fluff.
Rating: PG-13.
Disclaimer: Nope.
Summary: Being the competitive person he was, Inoo agreed when Hikaru challenged him to a game of hearts, wanting to prove to the younger boy that he could at least win something. But can a game really be successful when feelings are involved?
A/N: Prompt Game from 100 HSJ Fic Challenge. For shiroikazex who has been working super hard :) and thanks to hotfruits for beta'ing.
"Hah! I win, you lose!" Hikaru taunted, throwing his console in the air and stuck out his tongue, pointing towards Inoo. "Now go and do what you promised!"
Inoo grounded his teeth together, knuckles turning ghost white as he clutched onto his console tightly. He was clearly not satisfied with the outcome of the game, and he refused to admit defeat. "Another round! I'm sure I'll beat you this time!"
"No way!" Hikaru's high pitched voice shrieked. "You told me that five games ago and I still win! Just accept the fact that you can't compete against me, Inoo-chan~ Play Station is clearly not your forte." He smirked.
The slightly older boy grumbled under his breath, anger fuming out of his ears. Inoo himself knew that he wasn't good at video games, but he took on the challenge anyway because Hikaru didn't stop bugging him, calling him a 'chicken'. He wanted to prove Hikaru wrong, only his hands were already tired from all the furious button pressings and he knew that if he didn't do what he promised to, Hikaru would never leave him alone.
So he became the bigger boy.
And did what he had to do.
Slowly, Inoo got up, suddenly feeling his baggy clothes weighing him down. Hikaru trailed behind him enthusiastically like a little puppy as Inoo nervously opened the sliding doors to the backyard, where a few mothers (including his own) were having an evening tea ceremony. He walked up to them, fidgeting.
"Oh Inoo-san, it's your son," one of the women said.
"He's really pretty isn't he? Just like a girl," another spoke, a hint of awe in her voice.
Inoo's mother smiled. "Kei, do you need anything?"
Inoo shifted between his two feet, biting his lower lip. He looked back at Hikaru who was standing by the door, a stupid grin on his face, giving him a thumbs up. He could see the expectancy in the mother's faces as they waited for him to do something. With a loud sigh, Inoo spun around, and pulled his pants down, mooning the women behind him who all gasped in shock.
"Kei!" his mother cried out, quick by his side as she pulled his pants up. She looked back at her stunned friends and smiled in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, ladies. I don't know what drove him to do this," she apoligised.
After Inoo got scolded in hushed little whispers, he ran back into the house, face flushed with fiery and shame. He noticed Hikaru rolling on the floor, laughing loudly. "I swear, one day, I'll get back at you."
"R-relax, Inoo-chan," Hikaru tried to contain his laughter, wiping the tears at the corner of his eye, "It's just a game."
Not being able to stand Hikaru's mocking anymore, Inoo left the house with huff.
Of course, back then, everything had just been a game.
"Inoo-chan~" Hikaru prodded, pulling at Inoo's shirt. "Let's play a game."
"No." Inoo shrugged Hikaru away, scribbling furiously into his notebook. "Can't you see that I'm busy? I have to hand in this assignment tomorrow and I'm only half-way through."
"Mou~ you're no fun." The younger boy pouted, strolling away to bother someone else when the other members shifted into the dressing room.
Inoo twitched a little at what Hikaru had said but didn't let it get to him. I need to get this done. Heaving a heavy sigh, he continued his work, only to stop when he heard Hikaru complain to Yabu.
"Yabu~ play games with me? Inoo is being lame. He just doesn't want to lose to me like he always does." Hikaru snickered.
The pencil that was in Inoo's hand broke in half as he gripped it hard. They've played all types of games ever since they were young, be it board games or hop scotch, or even UNO but with games also came competitions.
And in all of the competitions they've had, Inoo never won. Not even once.
The chair Inoo had sat on fell back towards the floor with a loud clutter as he got up, raging. Every pair of eye in the room shifted towards Inoo as the boy jabbed Hikaru square in the chest.
"You," Inoo began, "Are an annoying brat. You want to play a game? Fine, it's on. Pick one."
Hikaru grinned in victory. "Are you sure you don't want to choose it?"
"Nope, I'm fine." The pretty boy crossed his arms, tapping his foot.
The whole room watched in anticipation as Hikaru carefully thought. A smile slowly began to creep its way to his face and he giggled.
"Well?" Inoo rose his eye-brows.
"This time, it's not like any other game we've played." Hikaru walked in circles around Inoo, hand to chin. "You and I are going to be in a relationship and whoever falls in love first, loses. Are you up for it?" He stopped in front of Inoo, waiting for his answer.
Inoo stood there with a blank look, mouth slightly ajar. He gulped, regretting the fact that he didn't choose the game when he had the chance. All different kinds of thoughts were running through his head when he felt a poke to his arm.
"Inoo-chan?" Hikaru waved his hand in front of him. "Wait, don't tell me...you have feelings for me?" He smirked.
The older boy shook his head. "Wha-what?" He laughed nervously, masking his fast beating heart. "Me? Feelings for you? You've got to be joking me."
"Well then, I'll take that as a yes. Our game will begin from tomorrow and go on until one of us wins."
"You're going down," Inoo announced.
"We'll see about that~" Hikaru smiled, skipping away, but not before giving Inoo a quick peck on the cheek, leaving the older boy frozen and shocked.
Inoo swallowed hard, clutching onto his hammering heart. This is going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride, he thought. And I don't like the feeling of it one bit.
Inoo jumped in surprise when he felt a hand slip into his as he entered the jimusho that morning. He turned his head to his right to see Hikaru looking ahead, whistling a happy tune, swinging their arms back and forth.
"What are you doing?" Inoo asked, looking at their entwined fingers.
"Hm?" Hikaru halted, causing Inoo to stop as well, and looked at the pretty boy. "Holding your hand. Isn't it obvious? And I thought you were the smart one."
Inoo rolled his eyes. "I can see that but...why?"
Hikaru blinked. "Eh? We're playing a game, remember?"
The older boy tried to recall everything that had happened the day before, and when he finally grasped the memory, he whispered, "Oh, that."
"What's wrong with you?" Hikaru chuckled, bumping his shoulder against Inoo, and started to walk again, pulling the other with him.
"No sleep. Assignment. Finish," Inoo mumbled groggily, yawning. He let Hikaru drag him into the dressing room, not noticing the warm feeling building up in his stomach as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes.
When they finally entered, the chatty atmosphere of the room quieted down and the other members stared at them, some with amused expressions and some with unreadable ones.
"What?" Inoo questioned, confused as to why everyone stopped their activities, only to realise later when Yabu pointed to his and Hikaru's linked hands. He immediately pulled away, cheeks heating up.
"Why did you do that?" Hikaru pouted, not caring about the others gazes. "We're in a relationship now. They should get used to us being all intimate." He took Inoo's hand again, gripping it hard as the older boy tried to squirm away.
"B-but Hika--"
"No buts. Guys, stop looking at us like we're aliens." Hikaru said, as he pulled Inoo further into the room, sitting on the couch.
"This is going to take some time getting used to." Inoo heard Yamada mutter to Yuto. "I mean, I kind of grew accustomed to their constant bickering and now they're all lovey-dovey like this. It's weird."
Inoo could only look down, idly playing with his fingers, feeling a slight tug to his heart.
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months as their game continued on. Neither won or lost yet and in fact, they were enjoying each others company. Occasionally, they would fight like normal couples do but it was usually over stupid things and they'd get back together in an instant. The other members too had adapted to their relationship and would only shout "get a room" when they were seen making out, just like they were doing now.
Only one person was truly concerned, and it was Chinen Yuri.
"Yuuyan, don't you think think we should stop them? Before one of them breaks?" Chinen looked at the couple in front of him, worry etched onto his face. He cringed when he heard Inoo moan quietly as Hikaru began to roughly scrape at the skin of his neck.
"Hm, just leave them alone~ They'll work things out for themselves." Takaki flipped to another page of the magazine.
"But--" Chinen started to tear. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. I've seen things, y'know. Inoo-chan really, truly likes Hika-chan and if things end up bad, he's the one to likely hurt more. And what if-- what if our group breaks apart just because of it?"
"You're thinking too much, Chii." The older boy put the magazine down, patting Chinen on the head. "Our group has a strong bond, I'm sure they'd still be friends even after the game is over. Now stop crying okay?" He thumbed the tears away, grabbing Chinen's hand. "I'll treat you to ice-cream, c'mon."
Chinen followed Takaki but before leaving the room, he took one last look at the two boys by the couch, a frown on his face. He had a feeling that things were going to turn out awful.
"Hey, hey, hey! Inoo-chan, slow down," Hikaru breathed, trying to catch up to the older boy. A few centimeters away, Hikaru reached out his hand, grabbing a hold of Inoo's wrist who tried to wriggle out of it.
"Let me go!" Inoo pulled away, though his attempt was futile because Hikaru held much more strength than him.
Annoyed with Inoo's antics, Hikaru pushed him against the wall, immediately trapping him. "What's your problem?" he seethed, hot breath hitting the nape of Inoo's neck.
Inoo shivered. "What's my problem?! What was with you back there?!" He tried to keep himself composed, away from the distraction that was Hikaru.
"What did I do?"
"You--!" Inoo inhaled, trying to calm his beating heart, "You were all over Yabu just now! Need I remind you that you're my boyrfiend?"
For a moment, Hikaru looked slightly shocked before falling into fits of chuckles, placing butterfly kisses on the neck of a struggling Inoo. "And need I remind you that this is all just pretend?"
Right. Inoo thought. How could I have forgotten. Closing his eyes, he sighed, letting himself drown in Hikaru's kisses, knowing that there was no meaning behind them.
But he couldn't help but wished that everything was real.
"Inoo-chan, please give up."
Inoo looked up from the textbook he was scanning to see Chinen looking at him with sad eyes. "What?"
"It hurts," Chinen cried, trying to stop the tears with his sleeves. "It hurts to see you suffer like this."
"Chii...what are you talking about?" The older boy pulled Chinen on to his lap, cupped his face and wiped the tears away with his thumb.
"You--and Hika-chan--" he hiccuped, "Stop all this nonsense. I can't-- I can't bear watching you go on like this."
"But Chii, I'm fine," Inoo assured, surprised that out of all the people in the group, Chinen was the one to see through him.
"No you're not!" the small boy wailed. "Don't you think I don't notice the way you look at Hikaru! Your eyes always want something more, something that's not there and it's just-- You're not happy. I don't like seeing my friends unhappy. I always hear you cry alone in the empty room."
"Chi..." Inoo hugged him, letting Chinen cry on his shoulder, wetting his t-shirt. "Hikaru-- might not return my feelings and I do admit that it's heart-breaking but I-- I am happy. As long as we're together, fake or not, I will be happy."
Chinen continued to weep, his cries muffled by the fabric of Inoo's shirt but in between his sobs, Inoo couldn't miss the plea, "Please, just let go."
Inoo woke up, stretching his limbs and walked towards the bathroom, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He washed his face and brushed his teeth, getting ready for work. As he opened his closet to pick out his clothes, he couldn't help but notice the red circle around a date on his calendar.
It's our three month anniversary. Inoo sighed. I wonder if he even knows.
Grabbing the last of his things, Inoo left the house with a small ittekimasu, not even bothering to eat breakfast. He slipped his hands in the pockets of his jackets, shuddering at the coldness of the air. When he finally arrived at the jimusho building, he breathed out in relief, thankful for the warm atmosphere.
Inoo thought it was odd, not having Hikaru there like always, to surprise him from behind and walk hand in hand to the dressing room. He felt a slight pang to his heart but shrugged it off, pulling the strap of his bag further up his shoulder.
Opening the door to the dressing room, he was surprised to see that no one was there, except Chinen who was snoring lightly by the couch. Inoo smiled, putting his bag down and brushed the bangs away from the younger boy's forehead, suddenly frowning as he thought about the words Chinen had said.
Please, just let go.
Inoo sighed. He had barely gotten any sleep, spending those restless nights thinking about whether he should just give in to the game. He was cut short from his thoughts when he heard a rattle coming from the small kitchen.
"Hikaru?" Inoo gasped, bewildered at the sight of Hikaru battling with a pan, trying to cook up...something. "What are you doing?"
Hikaru gave him a goofy grin. "Well, I was trying to make breakfast but this egg isn't cooking." He moved the pan on the stove, shaking it.
"Why? Didn't you eat at home?" Inoo approached him, checking if everything was in its right place. Realising what the problem was, Inoo whacked Hikaru across the head. "Idiot! You didn't even turn on the gas!" Moving Hikaru out of the way, he switched on the gas, turning the knob to the stove on ‘til fire came out. Inoo threw away the egg, putting the pan over the fire again and letting it heat up.
Hikaru chuckled, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "I fail at everything. I can't even make a simple breakfast for you."
"What?" Inoo's eyes widened a little, staring at Hikaru. Noticing the pan starting to get hot, he broke the eye contact, adding oil into it. Getting a cup from the cupboard, Inoo broke two eggs, whisking it with a chopstick.
"I know you don't usually eat breakfast. You always skipped it when we were small. That's why you look like a stick." He poked Inoo's bony arms. "Besides, it's our three month anniversary. I thought I'd do a little something special for you."
A sizzling sound could be heard as Inoo poured in the battered egg, spreading it all over the pan. "You knew?" he whispered, grabbing a spatula and played with the egg nonchalantly. He tensed up a bit when he felt Hikaru wrap his arms around his waist, pulling him close to his chest, placing his chin on Inoo's shoulder.
"Of course, I wouldn't forget it for the world." Hikaru kissed the crook of Inoo's neck.
Inoo flipped the egg over, feeling his eyes well up. "Hikaru...why are you doing this?"
"Hm? I told you, because of our anniversary? And you've always been good to me, Inoo-chan~ Always putting up--"
"Hikaru."
"--with my stupid behaviour and even though I annoy you, make you hand in your assignment--"
"Hikaru, I'm giving up. You win. I lose. The game's done."
"--late you still-- wait, what? What did you just say?"
Inoo turned off the stove, and plated the omelet. He unlatched Hikaru's arms from his waist and spun around, meeting the younger boy's confused expression.
"I thought I could win this time. I really thought I could but--" Inoo felt tears rolling down his cheeks. "--who was I kidding? I was a loser before the game even started." He moved away from Hikaru, getting out of the kitchen.
"Inoo-chan, what do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. You started the game. You put down the rules." Inoo smiled sadly, not bothering the wipe the tears and glanced at the sleeping Chinen. "Turns out, I wasn't the only one in pain. Through the process, I hurt someone else as well."
Hikaru followed Inoo's eyes. "What are you talking about? What does Chinen have to do with all of this?" he asked, getting even more puzzled.
"It's done, Hikaru. Game's over."
Inoo and Hikaru walked back to their shared hotel room after a tiring concert. It had been weeks since Inoo announced the end of their game.
After the incident, things had gone on normally. They still laughed, talked, joked, only Inoo felt like it wasn't the same because he no longer received those little fleeting touches and sweet kisses. Inoo sighed as he waited for Hikaru to open the door. We're better off just friends anyway.
As they strolled into the room, dragging their exhausted bodies, Inoo slumped onto his bed, burying his face into the pillows. Hikaru chuckled. "Do you want the shower or can I go first?"
"Help yourself," Inoo murmured, throwing an arm in the air as a gesture for Hikaru to go. When he heard the bathroom door click close, he rolled around, arms spread wide and stared at the ceiling before heading out to the balcony, feeling the need for some fresh air.
He shivered as he stepped out into the cold night, remaining in his sweaty costume from the concert, not caring to grab anything thicker. Staring at the stars, he let his mind drift off, causing him to jump slightly in surprise when he felt something being put on his shoulders. He turned around to face Hikaru, towel on head and fully dressed in crisp, clean clothes.
"You'll catch a cold if you don't take care of yourself." Hikaru smiled, accompanying Inoo by the railings.
"Thanks," Inoo mumbled, wrapping the jacket further around his thin body.
Silence fell between them, only the sounds of cars in the far distance being heard. Feeling a little uncomfortable, Inoo cleared his throat, "Um, I guess I'll go take a shower now." He turned his heel, ready to head inside the room again when he was pulled by the wrist, the sound of Hikaru's voice calling his name freezing his feet to the ground.
"Kei."
"Y-yeah?"
"I have to tell you the truth."
"T-truth? What truth?" Inoo spun around, meeting Hikaru's shining brown eyes.
"The other day, when you, um, called the game off, Chinen heard us. He wasn't really asleep."
"I figured." Inoo laughed nervously. "That little manipulative..." he muttered under his breath, quiet enough so Hikaru didn't hear.
"He told me everything."
Inoo's eyes suddenly widened, shifting them somewhere else. "Look Hikaru, I think the both of us know that we're better off this way. I mean, you have no feelings for me and I can forget you. I will forget you. Everything we ever had for the past few months was just a part of a game and--"
Hikaru cupped Inoo's cheeks, kissing the older boy to shut him up. "But there was no game in the first place." He leaned their foreheads against each other, breathes mingling.
Inoo's furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"
"Inoo-chan, I've had a crush on you for as long as I can remember. The only reason why I set the game was because I wanted you to like me."
"B-but the things you said..."
"It was all an act. I didn't mean to hurt you. I mean, you kept resisting me and I thought you didn't like me after all so I kept the game going, just so that I could stay by your side." He nuzzled Inoo's neck.
Inoo was still at a loss. "So...you like me?"
"That's what I just said."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I, um, I was afraid that you'd reject me after I played with your feelings." Hikaru detached himself from Inoo, giving him a goofy grin.
"Damn straight I would." Inoo put his hands on his hips.
Hikaru pouted. "So you won't--"
"I'm not done yet. I won't accept you unless you confess to me properly."
"You're such a girl." Hikaru laughed, pulling at Inoo's waist. "I love you, Kei. More than Romeo loved Juliet. But I wouldn't want us killing ourselves for each other, of course. I love you."
"That's the worst confession I've ever heard." Inoo wanted to laugh when Hikaru made a face. "But I'll accept it anyway." He smiled, throwing his arms around Hikaru's neck, inching closer. "I love you too, Hikaru."
Under the watch of the glowing white stars, they shared a kiss, hearts beating as one.
***
"Hikaru, you suck!" Inoo pouted, throwing the console away and crossing his arms over his chest. "You never let me win!"
"It's not my fault you fail at video games." Hikaru's laughter boomed. "Now, c'mon. Do what you promised to." He pointed to his own lips playfully.
Inoo got up and grumbled, kissing Hikaru despite being mad at the younger boy. Somehow, their innocent kissing turned into a full blown make out session, Inoo's body now pinned to the floor, hair disheveled, Hikaru straddling his hips.
"If all our games end up like this, maybe losing isn't so bad after all," Inoo said, a little breathless as Hikaru snickered, continuing to shower him with kisses.
Yeah, Inoo thought. Losing is the best thing he's ever done.
fin.
I know it's cliched but it's the only thing I could think of with the prompt ;_; I hope you like it, Saki ♥