je_united gift fic for yoru_no_hikaru Part 1
je_united gift fic for yoru_no_hikaru
Title: Stormy (Love) Rainbow
Pairings: Matsumoto/ Sakurai, Kame/ Yampi, minor Marius/Sou (I tried XD) and other minor pairings.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: explicit scenes ;)
And about Rinko: she’s not an OC, she’s the transgender lady who is played by Ikuta Toma in the movie “Karera ga Honki de Amu Toki wa/ Close-knit”, that I totally recommend!
Summary: Matsumoto Jun, a chef who has lived and worked in France for 15 years, goes back to Tokyo to work in the “Stormy Rainbow”, an LGBT-themed restaurant/bar.
Notes: Hello~ yoru_no_hikaru! I’m giving you a very fluffy AU, with some sexy times ;) I focused on pairings that were in your list (I love Sakumoto and Kamepi so much that it wasn’t hard to XD) and there are a bunch of minor pairings that came while I was writing ^^!
I couldn’t really include much of the younger Johnny’s (jrs/sz…) because I don’t know them that well (I’m more into the senpais lol).
I just hope you will enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! <3 <3 <3
“Stormy Rainbow” was written in elegant letters on a sign outside the building, indicating that it was on the 9th and last floor. Jun was excited, but he was also a little apprehensive. He was back to Japan after 15 years of living in France and working as a chef there, in a restaurant that combined the best out of French and Japanese gastronomy. The owner was his uncle, and he was managing the place with his wife, who was born in Paris but studied in Tokyo for two years as an exchange student.
Matsumoto Daisuke and Louise had taken Jun under their wing when he had announced that he would go to Paris when he was 18. They had helped him with settling down, learning French and entering a good culinary school. He had gotten used to things pretty fast, and ended up graduating with honors, working in a high-class restaurant for some time before joining his uncle’s team. He was really happy at first, but as years passed by, he found himself wanting to change things in his life, break the routine.
“Why don’t you come back to Tokyo, then, Matsujun?”
He was talking on Skype with his best friend Aiba Masaki, whom he had met in a bar in Paris when he was still an apprentice. Aiba was a bartender, and he had been travelling in various places at that time to participate in contests and learn more interesting techniques. He had married and settled down in Tokyo some years ago, but he and Jun had stayed in contact nonetheless.
“How would Tokyo be any different from here? I’m fed up with boring routines!”
Aiba grinned mysteriously.
“I’ve got the perfect job for you! It’s actually in the place where I work. Sho-chan, the boss, needs a new cook soon, because Matsu-nii is going to America with his fiancé to get married and live there in a couple of months. Matsu-nii is a really good cook, but I think he just wants to be Nagase-kun’s housewife!”
“I have no idea who you’re talking about. But didn’t you tell me you were working in a gay bar?”
“Well… it is kind of an LGBTQ+ friendly bar, and it’s also a restaurant. It’s a really nice place, and they have special shows, depending on the day of the week. I can guarantee you’ll never get bored!” And he continued babbling about it. “It’s not one of those shady gay bars or those scary drag queen night clubs… not that we don’t have drag queens, we have fabulous ones, but it’s one of those kind of…fancy places. It’s not exactly in ni-chome either, but it’s close. And everyone is so nice! And you won’t have to cook all the time… you’d be usually done before shows start… we kind of serve snacks and drink during those… and we…”
“Ok ok Masaki, I get it!” Jun interrupted him. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good! Great! I’ll talk to Sho-chan then! He’s a really nice guy!”
“I didn’t tell you I was…”
“Yeah yeah, but knowing you, you’re already thinking of a way to send your stuff to Tokyo and sell your furniture. By the way, if you have nowhere to go, you can stay at my place by the time you find an apartment! I don’t think Rinko will mind.”
“Masaki! I will think about it.” He sighed. “But anyway, my sister lives in Shinjuku, so if” he looked at his friend’s Cheshire grin “if I come back, I’ll probably crash at her place while searching for an apartment.”
Aiba had been right. Jun had spoken to his uncle about his intention to go back to Tokyo that night, and Daisuke hadn’t been surprised about it.
“You deserve to be happy Jun, and I will support you no matter what you decide to do. And you know you’ll always be welcome here!”
His friend had told him that his boss wanted to meet him as soon as possible when he would be back.
Jun left Paris one month later. His sister was waiting for him at the airport, and she was accompanied by her children and Aiba. His friend had ran to him, hugging him and taking his luggage. His arms became soon full of Megumi and the kids. Miyo was 15 years old and Yuta was 11. They both loved their uncle, and they were very close to him, since he was the one to make them discover Paris and other places in France when they came during vacations. They were very excited to have him temporarily living with them, and kept talking to him and asking him questions all the way to Masaki’s car and on the way home.
“I will leave you with your family now Matsujun! Rest well! Rinko will be home soon~ She says hi by the way”
“Oh say hi to her too! And when should I meet your boss?”
“You should rest and spend time with Megumi-chan and the kids for now. I’ll send you the address and Sho-chan’s available times soon!”
Aiba had left and Megumi’s husband came home not long after, bringing dinner with him.
It was the end of September, and the weather was starting to get colder, with a lot of rain, so Jun didn’t get out much in the next couple of days, enjoying the company of his nephew and niece during the whole weekend. He had passed by his parents’ home when he hadn’t felt jetlagged anymore.
+++++
From: Aiba Masaki
Subject: Stormy Rainbow
Matsujuuuuun! I told Sho-chan you were here, and he’s really looking forward to meeting you~ He will be at the Stormy all day on Wednesday (tomorrow). You can come whenever you want to! I’m usually there on evenings, but I advise you to go during the day, cause it gets really crowded, especially on Wednesday nights! Anyway I’ll give you the coordinates of the Stormy Rainbow~ Tell me how it goes!
Jun followed his friend’s advice, and left his sister’s house late in the morning. He took the lift to the 9th floor, and was pleasantly surprised with the simple yet elegant decoration of the place. There were tables with comfortable-looking couches, a big stage and a bar. The walls were painted in a rainbow-themed way, but it wasn’t too flashy, and they were covered with various paintings. The place was empty, but that was totally expected, since it didn’t open until late afternoon. The door hadn’t been closed though, so it wasn’t completely deserted. And there was indeed some light coming from behind the stage’s curtains.
“Excuse my intrusion, my name is Matsumoto Jun, and…”
“Oh! You’re Matsujun! Aibaka’s friend!”
The person who had just interrupted him was a slender young-looking man, who seemed to be in the middle of a trying-on session, with a series of dresses and skirts haphazardly thrown all over what seemed to be a backstage changing and makeup room.
“Nino? Do you need help with… oh a new person?”
Another man had emerged from another backstage area, with a blonde long curly hair wig in one hand and a black bob one in the other. He was tan and looked quite sleepy.
“Euh… My name is Matsumoto Jun, and Aiba Masaki told me I could meet the boss of this place today…?”
“Oh! You’re gonna replace Matsu-nii! My name is Ohno Satoshi. And this is Ninomiya Kazunari. We’re employees here, and we’re also in charge of drag queen night.”
It was the tan man who had spoken, extending his hand towards Jun with a smile. The other man, Ninomiya, also shook his hand, asking him to call him “Nino”.
“Ohchan, you should bring him to Sho-chan’s office. I’m kind of half-dressed now.”
Jun followed Ohno to a “Staff only” door beside the stage, and they walked through a hallway, until the other man stopped and knocked on a large door, opening it without waiting for an answer.
“Sho-kun, I’m bringing you our new cook!”
The office wasn’t too big but it was warm, and the man who was sitting down on the desk, typing things on a computer stopped what he was doing to look at them. He then stood up and was about to speak, when his eyes widened and his mouth stayed opened. Jun was in almost the same state of disbelief.
“Sakurai Sho….senpai?”
“Oh my god, Jun-kun! I should’ve known it was you! When Aiba-kun was taking about his best friend who’s a chef in France, Matsujun, I felt like it was somehow familiar!”
“Um….So you guys know each other already?” Ohno was giving them a confused look.
“Sakurai…kun was my senpai in high-school. He also tutored me in math, and saved my life!”
“Well Sho-kun is good with numbers! I should go back to Nino now. We have to be ready for tonight!”
He then exited the office, and Sho invited Jun to sit down on one of the chairs facing him.
“It’s been so long! You’ve grown up so much! How have you been? Do you want to drink anything?”
“No thank you… Well it has been more than 15 years…” Jun smiled. “I’m not an insect anymore, aren’t I?”
Sho blushed really hard at those last words. He used to tease the other man by calling him an insect during their high-school days. At that time, Jun had been all thin and tiny, with huge timid eyes. He was a first year and terribly failing in math, when his teacher had asked Sho, who was a third year, to help him. The older teen had been an excellent tutor, making him easily understand what had seemed to be complete nonsense to him before. Sho was also a really nice guy, and Jun used to have a huge crush on him, trying not to be too obvious about his growing feelings. They had both lost contact after Sho’s graduation, but it was a pleasant surprise for Jun to see his old tutor again.
“You’re far from being an insect… I almost didn’t recognize you! But your thick eyebrows are still there~”
“I see you still like teasing me, Sakurai-kun!”
“Oh yes! And please, call me Sho. Everyone here calls me Sho-chan or Sho-kun, because a lot of the employees are from the same generation!”
“Alright, Sho-kun. You’ve done a great work with this place by the way! I was kind of hesitating about the job offer at first, but now I’m really curious.”
“Well the Stormy isn’t your typical gay bar/restaurant! I always wanted to create an agreeable space that would be friendly to the LGBT community as a whole, without being too flashy or obnoxious. We serve meals between 5:30 and 9:00 pm usually. After that we have snacks and side dishes that are made in the bar area. We have themed nights, and shows that usually start around 8:30. We close the place around 1:00 am usually, but you’re free to leave around midnight, if you’re on side dishes duty. Your shift is the meal shift, but if you take side dishes duty you’ll have a bonus salary. Ohno and other people take care of it when they’re not performing, so we usually have a meeting with all the staff once a week to decide on shifts and shows. And even if you’re not on duty, you’re free to stick around! If you have a proposition for a performance, feel free to talk to Ohno about it. As for days off, you have to tell me in advance about them, unless you’re sick. Matsu-nii is training an apprentice, but Marius-kun is still very young and inexperienced.”
“So I’ll have to take Marius-kun under my wing when the other cook will leave?”
“Well yeah, if you’re ok with it.”
“Of course I am. I’ve already trained people back in Paris, so I’ll manage.”
“Oh you will like Marius. He’s mixed Japanese and German, and he can also speak some French, so I think you two will get along. He’s barely out of high-school, but he’s got a really good sense, according to Matsu-nii. By the way, Matsu-nii or Matsuoka Masahiro, our current chef, will be showing you the basics and helping you around for a couple of weeks. He’s leaving because his fiancé Nagase-kun has a job opportunity in the USA. They’re going to get married there too.” Sho was smiling with a lot of fondness. He seemed genuinely happy for the couple. “Even though they’ve been like a married couple for decades. They’re just gonna make things official!”
“It’s a pity gay marriage hasn’t been legalized here…”
“Yes! I’m still hopef…” Sho’s growling stomach loudly interrupted him, making him smile sheepishly. “Oops! I didn’t have breakfast today, so this guy” he touched his belly “isn’t happy at all. Do you want to have lunch with me in the neighborhood?”
“How about I cook something, if there are enough ingredients?”
“Well actually Matsu-nii is the one who controls his kingdom, like he calls it, so I’d prefer him to be here and explain everything to you himself regarding the kitchen. He’ll be here around 4 I suppose. We could hang out till then and catch up if you’re free!”
Jun accepted gladly, feeling excited at the prospect of spending time with Sho. They ended up going to a café that had lunch sets, and discussed about what they had done after high-school. Jun talked about his life in Paris, and he learned that Sho had studied economics at Keio University, and then continued with a masters in international business. He had spent a year in the USA as an exchange student, and after graduating cum laude, he had decided to open the Stormy.
“Actually, my late grandfather was very rich and I inherited this building from him. And as I told you before in my office, I’ve always wanted to do something for the LGBT community here in Japan, so the idea of the Stormy Rainbow was a longtime dream for me. The ones who supported me at first were Ohno and Rinko-chan. And then Nino came, and Aiba-kun was introduced to me by his now wife. My family has always been here for me, and even though they’re really supportive when it comes to me being gay, a lot of families aren’t the same here. So I actually rent the apartments in the rest of the building to people from the LGBT community, who might be rejected in other places. I also help people who are kicked out of their home without proper means to survive by providing them with temporary shelter and helping them find a job.”
“You’re an amazing person, Sho-kun! I’m seriously impressed. If I could be of any help… I’d love to contribute!”
“Thank you…” Sho was blushing adorably, and Jun felt his heart skip a beat. “Actually… we organize a lot of activities and workshops with the other employees of the Stormy, to help members of the LGBT community not to feel alone, to educate them about things and sometimes just to hang out with people who can understand you. You can help in organizing those if you want.”
Jun nodded eagerly, and he asked more questions about the workshops. He received a call from Aiba at some point, taking his phone out, and realizing it was almost 4:00 pm. His friend wanted to know how his meeting with his boss had been, and Jun told him about the fact that they already knew each other from high school, and that he was with Sho at the moment. His friend had sounded really happy and excited, telling him he would see them later, and to “Say hi to Sho-chan for me!”
+++++
Matsuoka Masahiro looked more like the leader of a biker’s gang than a cook, with his large pants, his graphic shirt and his intense look. He spoke in a very straight-to-the-point manner that made Jun like him instantly. He had explained everything in very simple terms, showing his very neat organization and his obsession with cleanliness in the kitchen.
“I have my own specialties in the menu, but it’s quite flexible, and we change the recommended set every month. We can work together on adapting the menu to your area of expertise by the time I’ll be gone, but I’ll give you the recipes and tips for the popular stuff here. Mari-chan can also be a great help, and I’m entrusting him to you. He should be there any minute now.”
They were preparing the work place when a very tall smiling young man had entered the kitchen. He had been shy around Jun at first, but had warmed up to him quite fast, especially when the older man had talked to him in French. He was very enthusiastic about learning and becoming a great cook, and Jun noticed how talented he was. He was only observing them for now, but he was actually quite excited about starting to work there.
Aiba came a little before opening time, “stealing” Jun from the kitchen to introduce him to other members of the staff. Kamenashi Kazuya “Kame”, and Nishikido Ryo were kitchen helpers and waiters, and they were also pole dance performers for the “Fire Friday” night special. Yamashita Tomohisa “Yamapi” was with Aiba behind the bar, and performed as a singer from time to time. Kame and Yamapi were roommates and best friends, renting the apartment that was right next to Sho’s in the building. They knew each other since kindergarten, growing up together in a calm neighborhood in Chiba. Kame had been kicked out by his parents when he had come out as gay at 17. Yamapi had followed him when he had moved to Tokyo after high-school, both of them going through hard times before they had met Sho and became a part of the “Stormy team”.
“Nino and Leader will get back here soon. They’re the stars tonight. Some other drag queens will also be coming.”
“Leader? You mean Ohno-san?”
“Yeah! Everybody calls him Leader, cause even though Sho-chan’s the boss, Leader’s in charge of the performances, and he’s also the one who designed the place. And the paintings and pictures on the walls….it’s all his work.”
Jun looked around him, shocked.
“He’s an amazing guy, isn’t he? But don’t try to make a move on him, you don’t want to get on Nino’s bad side.” He then smiled mischievously and wiggled his eyebrows. “But Sho-chan’s single~” His eyes widened when he saw Jun blushing. “Oh. My. God. Don’t tell me you two have a history…”
“Nonononono! Nothing of the sort! He was my senpai. And he tutored me! That’s all!”
Aiba smiled knowingly and got closer to Jun, whispering in an amused tone:
“But you totally had a crush on him. And now you still do. I know you, Matsujun!”
“Stop it, Masaki!”
“You’re blushing, Ma~tsu~jun~”
Aiba’s teasing were fortunately interrupted by Ohno and Nino coming in and greeting them before going backstage.
“Ok I should get going. We’re opening soon. I’ll keep an eye on you, though.” The barman winked - or contorted his face in what seemed to be a wink - before going to the changing area to put on his uniform.
Jun went back to the kitchen, where Matsuoka gave him some information about the materials and the ingredients, while doing last minute preparations with Marius.
The Stormy was quite popular, as Jun noticed the activity in the kitchen never stopped during the whole meal serving time. At 8:30, he heard some louder music coming from the restaurant’s main room.
“That’s the start of tonight’s show. You should go and take a look! Drag queen night is kinda awesome.”
Jun thanked the other chef and went out towards the bar. Aiba smiled at him and gave him a drink “On the house, for our future new chef!”
The stage was the main focus of the room, and everyone’s attention was fixated on the gorgeous curvy lady who was graciously walking towards the central mic, in a completely effortless way despite the high stilettos she was wearing.
“Good evening, Stormy people!” Jun was shocked to recognize Ohno’s voice. “For those who don’t know me, I am your main host for tonight, and my name is~” He turned the mic towards the audience, who screamed “Satoko!” in a very enthusiastic voice.
The show began with the introduction of the 7 drag queens that would perform, and one of them was Nino “Ninoko”, and he was as stunning as Ohno. Both of them had a singing/dancing duet performance to open drag queen night, and they also performed with other drag queens during the night.
“Ah! I’m gonna miss those shows!”
Matsuoka sat beside him, gladly accepting a drink from Yamapi.
“They’re quite impressive, I must admit!”
“Yeah. You should take a look at the other shows. You can never get bored here!”
Jun chuckled.
“It seems so. Did Marius leave, by the way?”
“Yeah. He’s going to an art school. He’s a good kid. His mum is an old friend of mine, and she asked me to take care of him, because she wants him to be more confident in himself and to see more people from the LGBT community.”
“Wow, she’s a good mum.”
“She sure is! Mari-chan was like a terrified mouse when he first started to work with me. Turned out he was mocked and bullied by his high-school ‘friends’ for being ‘too gay’ and ‘too feminine’”
Jun frowned and looked pensively at the show that was still going on.
“He seems like such a sweet guy. People should mind their own business.”
“Mari-chan is a sweetheart. Tomo, my fiancé, loves him to death, and always whines about wanting to adopt him! Tomo and I gave him advice and tips, and he’s doing well now in art school. He’s got better friends too. Maybe a boyfriend, I think?” the man winked. “I just want him to be happy. He deserves it.”
The two men continued having some small talk and watching the show, and when Jun went back home that night, he was feeling more alive that he had felt in the last years.
+++++
The following days were quite full, between learning new recipes, adapting the menu and discovering new shows. Jun learned quite a lot of things about the “Stormy team”, and he was happy to be a part of it. Ohno and Nino were different as night and day, the first liking fishing, art and dancing, and the latter being more of a recluse gamer, always beating up new bosses on his Nintendo DS, but they were inseparable. They also helped with quite a lot of stuff in the organizing part of the stormy and Sho’s LGBTQ+ help association. Aiba’s wife, Rinko, was a regular at the stormy, and even though she had a tight schedule as a caregiver in a house for senior citizens, she helped a lot with the association, giving advice and reassurance, especially towards transgender people, since she was herself born biologically a man. Aiba was the gossip man, who knew everyone’s story, and he was also the mood maker of the team. Ryo was a quiet man, and appeared hostile or grumpy to people who didn’t know him, when he was, in fact, very shy. But when he pole danced, he changed into a completely different person. His pole dance partner, Kame, acted like a diva most of the time, and it was no secret to anyone that he had a huge crush on his roommate and best friend. Well, to anyone except Yamapi himself, who also had feelings for Kame, and seemed ready to devour him every single time he saw him moving his body on stage.
Jun also met Nagase Tomoya, Matsuoka’s fiancé, during one of the music nights. The man was a giant teddy bear, who was a musical genius and a very loving partner, with a huge paternal instinct, especially when it came to Marius. The apprentice seemed to be more and more at ease with Jun, and they were both very happy to have someone to speak in French to.
And then there was Sho. Sho was a great boss, treating his employees like old friends and trying to help everyone out when he wasn’t busy. Sho was a great friend, always here to listen to others and trying to make things right and give the best advice. Sho was a great man, a perfect mix between goofy and serious, clumsy and intellectual, dorky and sexy. He was everything Jun had ever wanted in a man, and he was falling hard, for the second time.
+++++
The Stormy Rainbow was full at an unusual hour that day. It was 2 days before the now former chef’s departure, and the Stormy team had organized a goodbye party for him and his fiancé, inviting all their friends and family for a late morning brunch. Jun had been responsible of the food, and he was helped by Kame and Ryo, since Marius has school. The latter came as soon as he finished his courses, because he didn’t want to miss his mentor’s party. Everyone was very happy for the couple, but they were also kind of sad to say goodbye.
“Everyone… I’m so happy to have you all in my life” Nagase had tears in his eyes “… and you took really good care of my darling”
The man continued his emotional and funny speech, and then after that, Sho gave the couple a gift from the Stormy team. All the guest enjoyed a special French-Japanese buffet after that.
“Can I sit here?” Sho was carrying a plate so full that Jun was wondering how he got so much food in there. He nodded, and the older man sat beside him and began eating with a lot of enthusiasm.
“Jun-kun, you’re awesome! We’re definitely going to have great new specialties!”
“I’m glad you like the food!”
“Are you kidding me? I love it!”
Sho’s enthusiasm made Jun blush. His inflated cheeks and shining eyes were adorable.
“What are you grinning for? Do I have something on my face?”
“No… I was just thinking of how you look like a hamster. A very cute one.”
Jun couldn’t believe he had said that, but he noticed the older man’s face getting red.
“You’re the cute one, Jun-kun! Even though I can’t tease you with the insect thing anymore!”
“I’m not cute!”
“You are!” Sho pinched his cheeks.
“Sorry to interrupt you in the middle of flirting guys, but we’re gonna cut the pre-wedding wedding cake now!”
That cake was Jun’s masterpiece. It had taken him 3 days to make it and decorate it with the help of Ohno, and it was hard to keep it as a surprise for Matsuoka. The former chef looked extremely touched by the magnificent cake, cutting it with his future husband under everyone’s cheers and clapping.
Jun’s cake was praised throughout the afternoon, and everyone got ready for the opening hour with full bellies. The couple left to continue the last minute preparations, thanking all the team one final time with teary eyes. It was Fire Friday, so the poles were fixed on the center of the scene, and Kame and Ryo were doing some stretching exercises.
After cooking hours were done, Jun went to relax at the bar, looking at the two dancers while sipping his drink. He thankfully wasn’t on duty that night - preparing the food and cake for the party had been quite exhausting.
“Everyone’s eyes are on Kame and Ryo-kun! I tried learning pole dancing from them, but apparently, I’m not flexible enough.”
Sho was sitting beside him, taking a small break from the register. Jun tried hard not to be aroused by imagining the other man trying to pole dance.
“I’ve tried it once too. It was for a workshop. The teacher wanted me to join their team. She was insisting to the point that it was annoying!”
“Wow… You must be good then! I’d like to see you try to do it!”
“I could never do what those two do! I’m too shy to do that in front of so many people. And the workshop was a long time ago. I’m probably all rusted now.”
“I bet you’re still good at it. You’ve always been the kind of guy who didn’t trust in his abilities.”
“I trust in my abilities as a cook!”
“That’s good, but you belittle yourself in everything else. Sometimes you remind me of that cute shy teenager who looked like an insect.”
“You’ll never stop the insect teasing, won’t you?”
“I said you were cute, ok?”
“I’m not cute.”
“You are. And you’re also hot.”
“Are you drunk, Sho-kun?”
“See? Here it is! You’re belittling yourself again. Can’t I find you hot while being sober?”
Jun lowered his eyes, not knowing how to answer. His chin was grabbed gently by Sho’s hand, and he looked up to eyes that were burning with intensity.
“You’re very dangerous, Matsumoto Jun.”
He then excused himself, because his break was over, and he had to return to work.
Jun touched his chin and blushed, unable to calm the rapid beating of his heart. He hadn’t noticed Aiba approaching him and giving him a new cocktail.
“It’s my newest invention. It’s called ‘second time love’. You kind of know where I got my inspiration.” He did his horrible attempt at a wink, and that make Jun feel more relaxed. The cocktail was sweet with a hint of bitterness and spiciness. “Seriously though, I am honestly surprised that you guys are still not kissing and fucking after more than two weeks of meeting again. There have been sparks between you since day one. And I’m not only talking about physical attraction here.”
“I guess I’m afraid of the intensity of my own feelings.” He continued drinking the cocktail, glad to see his best friend occupied with another customer.
Title: Stormy (Love) Rainbow
Pairings: Matsumoto/ Sakurai, Kame/ Yampi, minor Marius/Sou (I tried XD) and other minor pairings.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: explicit scenes ;)
And about Rinko: she’s not an OC, she’s the transgender lady who is played by Ikuta Toma in the movie “Karera ga Honki de Amu Toki wa/ Close-knit”, that I totally recommend!
Summary: Matsumoto Jun, a chef who has lived and worked in France for 15 years, goes back to Tokyo to work in the “Stormy Rainbow”, an LGBT-themed restaurant/bar.
Notes: Hello~ yoru_no_hikaru! I’m giving you a very fluffy AU, with some sexy times ;) I focused on pairings that were in your list (I love Sakumoto and Kamepi so much that it wasn’t hard to XD) and there are a bunch of minor pairings that came while I was writing ^^!
I couldn’t really include much of the younger Johnny’s (jrs/sz…) because I don’t know them that well (I’m more into the senpais lol).
I just hope you will enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! <3 <3 <3
“Stormy Rainbow” was written in elegant letters on a sign outside the building, indicating that it was on the 9th and last floor. Jun was excited, but he was also a little apprehensive. He was back to Japan after 15 years of living in France and working as a chef there, in a restaurant that combined the best out of French and Japanese gastronomy. The owner was his uncle, and he was managing the place with his wife, who was born in Paris but studied in Tokyo for two years as an exchange student.
Matsumoto Daisuke and Louise had taken Jun under their wing when he had announced that he would go to Paris when he was 18. They had helped him with settling down, learning French and entering a good culinary school. He had gotten used to things pretty fast, and ended up graduating with honors, working in a high-class restaurant for some time before joining his uncle’s team. He was really happy at first, but as years passed by, he found himself wanting to change things in his life, break the routine.
“Why don’t you come back to Tokyo, then, Matsujun?”
He was talking on Skype with his best friend Aiba Masaki, whom he had met in a bar in Paris when he was still an apprentice. Aiba was a bartender, and he had been travelling in various places at that time to participate in contests and learn more interesting techniques. He had married and settled down in Tokyo some years ago, but he and Jun had stayed in contact nonetheless.
“How would Tokyo be any different from here? I’m fed up with boring routines!”
Aiba grinned mysteriously.
“I’ve got the perfect job for you! It’s actually in the place where I work. Sho-chan, the boss, needs a new cook soon, because Matsu-nii is going to America with his fiancé to get married and live there in a couple of months. Matsu-nii is a really good cook, but I think he just wants to be Nagase-kun’s housewife!”
“I have no idea who you’re talking about. But didn’t you tell me you were working in a gay bar?”
“Well… it is kind of an LGBTQ+ friendly bar, and it’s also a restaurant. It’s a really nice place, and they have special shows, depending on the day of the week. I can guarantee you’ll never get bored!” And he continued babbling about it. “It’s not one of those shady gay bars or those scary drag queen night clubs… not that we don’t have drag queens, we have fabulous ones, but it’s one of those kind of…fancy places. It’s not exactly in ni-chome either, but it’s close. And everyone is so nice! And you won’t have to cook all the time… you’d be usually done before shows start… we kind of serve snacks and drink during those… and we…”
“Ok ok Masaki, I get it!” Jun interrupted him. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good! Great! I’ll talk to Sho-chan then! He’s a really nice guy!”
“I didn’t tell you I was…”
“Yeah yeah, but knowing you, you’re already thinking of a way to send your stuff to Tokyo and sell your furniture. By the way, if you have nowhere to go, you can stay at my place by the time you find an apartment! I don’t think Rinko will mind.”
“Masaki! I will think about it.” He sighed. “But anyway, my sister lives in Shinjuku, so if” he looked at his friend’s Cheshire grin “if I come back, I’ll probably crash at her place while searching for an apartment.”
Aiba had been right. Jun had spoken to his uncle about his intention to go back to Tokyo that night, and Daisuke hadn’t been surprised about it.
“You deserve to be happy Jun, and I will support you no matter what you decide to do. And you know you’ll always be welcome here!”
His friend had told him that his boss wanted to meet him as soon as possible when he would be back.
Jun left Paris one month later. His sister was waiting for him at the airport, and she was accompanied by her children and Aiba. His friend had ran to him, hugging him and taking his luggage. His arms became soon full of Megumi and the kids. Miyo was 15 years old and Yuta was 11. They both loved their uncle, and they were very close to him, since he was the one to make them discover Paris and other places in France when they came during vacations. They were very excited to have him temporarily living with them, and kept talking to him and asking him questions all the way to Masaki’s car and on the way home.
“I will leave you with your family now Matsujun! Rest well! Rinko will be home soon~ She says hi by the way”
“Oh say hi to her too! And when should I meet your boss?”
“You should rest and spend time with Megumi-chan and the kids for now. I’ll send you the address and Sho-chan’s available times soon!”
Aiba had left and Megumi’s husband came home not long after, bringing dinner with him.
It was the end of September, and the weather was starting to get colder, with a lot of rain, so Jun didn’t get out much in the next couple of days, enjoying the company of his nephew and niece during the whole weekend. He had passed by his parents’ home when he hadn’t felt jetlagged anymore.
+++++
From: Aiba Masaki
Subject: Stormy Rainbow
Matsujuuuuun! I told Sho-chan you were here, and he’s really looking forward to meeting you~ He will be at the Stormy all day on Wednesday (tomorrow). You can come whenever you want to! I’m usually there on evenings, but I advise you to go during the day, cause it gets really crowded, especially on Wednesday nights! Anyway I’ll give you the coordinates of the Stormy Rainbow~ Tell me how it goes!
Jun followed his friend’s advice, and left his sister’s house late in the morning. He took the lift to the 9th floor, and was pleasantly surprised with the simple yet elegant decoration of the place. There were tables with comfortable-looking couches, a big stage and a bar. The walls were painted in a rainbow-themed way, but it wasn’t too flashy, and they were covered with various paintings. The place was empty, but that was totally expected, since it didn’t open until late afternoon. The door hadn’t been closed though, so it wasn’t completely deserted. And there was indeed some light coming from behind the stage’s curtains.
“Excuse my intrusion, my name is Matsumoto Jun, and…”
“Oh! You’re Matsujun! Aibaka’s friend!”
The person who had just interrupted him was a slender young-looking man, who seemed to be in the middle of a trying-on session, with a series of dresses and skirts haphazardly thrown all over what seemed to be a backstage changing and makeup room.
“Nino? Do you need help with… oh a new person?”
Another man had emerged from another backstage area, with a blonde long curly hair wig in one hand and a black bob one in the other. He was tan and looked quite sleepy.
“Euh… My name is Matsumoto Jun, and Aiba Masaki told me I could meet the boss of this place today…?”
“Oh! You’re gonna replace Matsu-nii! My name is Ohno Satoshi. And this is Ninomiya Kazunari. We’re employees here, and we’re also in charge of drag queen night.”
It was the tan man who had spoken, extending his hand towards Jun with a smile. The other man, Ninomiya, also shook his hand, asking him to call him “Nino”.
“Ohchan, you should bring him to Sho-chan’s office. I’m kind of half-dressed now.”
Jun followed Ohno to a “Staff only” door beside the stage, and they walked through a hallway, until the other man stopped and knocked on a large door, opening it without waiting for an answer.
“Sho-kun, I’m bringing you our new cook!”
The office wasn’t too big but it was warm, and the man who was sitting down on the desk, typing things on a computer stopped what he was doing to look at them. He then stood up and was about to speak, when his eyes widened and his mouth stayed opened. Jun was in almost the same state of disbelief.
“Sakurai Sho….senpai?”
“Oh my god, Jun-kun! I should’ve known it was you! When Aiba-kun was taking about his best friend who’s a chef in France, Matsujun, I felt like it was somehow familiar!”
“Um….So you guys know each other already?” Ohno was giving them a confused look.
“Sakurai…kun was my senpai in high-school. He also tutored me in math, and saved my life!”
“Well Sho-kun is good with numbers! I should go back to Nino now. We have to be ready for tonight!”
He then exited the office, and Sho invited Jun to sit down on one of the chairs facing him.
“It’s been so long! You’ve grown up so much! How have you been? Do you want to drink anything?”
“No thank you… Well it has been more than 15 years…” Jun smiled. “I’m not an insect anymore, aren’t I?”
Sho blushed really hard at those last words. He used to tease the other man by calling him an insect during their high-school days. At that time, Jun had been all thin and tiny, with huge timid eyes. He was a first year and terribly failing in math, when his teacher had asked Sho, who was a third year, to help him. The older teen had been an excellent tutor, making him easily understand what had seemed to be complete nonsense to him before. Sho was also a really nice guy, and Jun used to have a huge crush on him, trying not to be too obvious about his growing feelings. They had both lost contact after Sho’s graduation, but it was a pleasant surprise for Jun to see his old tutor again.
“You’re far from being an insect… I almost didn’t recognize you! But your thick eyebrows are still there~”
“I see you still like teasing me, Sakurai-kun!”
“Oh yes! And please, call me Sho. Everyone here calls me Sho-chan or Sho-kun, because a lot of the employees are from the same generation!”
“Alright, Sho-kun. You’ve done a great work with this place by the way! I was kind of hesitating about the job offer at first, but now I’m really curious.”
“Well the Stormy isn’t your typical gay bar/restaurant! I always wanted to create an agreeable space that would be friendly to the LGBT community as a whole, without being too flashy or obnoxious. We serve meals between 5:30 and 9:00 pm usually. After that we have snacks and side dishes that are made in the bar area. We have themed nights, and shows that usually start around 8:30. We close the place around 1:00 am usually, but you’re free to leave around midnight, if you’re on side dishes duty. Your shift is the meal shift, but if you take side dishes duty you’ll have a bonus salary. Ohno and other people take care of it when they’re not performing, so we usually have a meeting with all the staff once a week to decide on shifts and shows. And even if you’re not on duty, you’re free to stick around! If you have a proposition for a performance, feel free to talk to Ohno about it. As for days off, you have to tell me in advance about them, unless you’re sick. Matsu-nii is training an apprentice, but Marius-kun is still very young and inexperienced.”
“So I’ll have to take Marius-kun under my wing when the other cook will leave?”
“Well yeah, if you’re ok with it.”
“Of course I am. I’ve already trained people back in Paris, so I’ll manage.”
“Oh you will like Marius. He’s mixed Japanese and German, and he can also speak some French, so I think you two will get along. He’s barely out of high-school, but he’s got a really good sense, according to Matsu-nii. By the way, Matsu-nii or Matsuoka Masahiro, our current chef, will be showing you the basics and helping you around for a couple of weeks. He’s leaving because his fiancé Nagase-kun has a job opportunity in the USA. They’re going to get married there too.” Sho was smiling with a lot of fondness. He seemed genuinely happy for the couple. “Even though they’ve been like a married couple for decades. They’re just gonna make things official!”
“It’s a pity gay marriage hasn’t been legalized here…”
“Yes! I’m still hopef…” Sho’s growling stomach loudly interrupted him, making him smile sheepishly. “Oops! I didn’t have breakfast today, so this guy” he touched his belly “isn’t happy at all. Do you want to have lunch with me in the neighborhood?”
“How about I cook something, if there are enough ingredients?”
“Well actually Matsu-nii is the one who controls his kingdom, like he calls it, so I’d prefer him to be here and explain everything to you himself regarding the kitchen. He’ll be here around 4 I suppose. We could hang out till then and catch up if you’re free!”
Jun accepted gladly, feeling excited at the prospect of spending time with Sho. They ended up going to a café that had lunch sets, and discussed about what they had done after high-school. Jun talked about his life in Paris, and he learned that Sho had studied economics at Keio University, and then continued with a masters in international business. He had spent a year in the USA as an exchange student, and after graduating cum laude, he had decided to open the Stormy.
“Actually, my late grandfather was very rich and I inherited this building from him. And as I told you before in my office, I’ve always wanted to do something for the LGBT community here in Japan, so the idea of the Stormy Rainbow was a longtime dream for me. The ones who supported me at first were Ohno and Rinko-chan. And then Nino came, and Aiba-kun was introduced to me by his now wife. My family has always been here for me, and even though they’re really supportive when it comes to me being gay, a lot of families aren’t the same here. So I actually rent the apartments in the rest of the building to people from the LGBT community, who might be rejected in other places. I also help people who are kicked out of their home without proper means to survive by providing them with temporary shelter and helping them find a job.”
“You’re an amazing person, Sho-kun! I’m seriously impressed. If I could be of any help… I’d love to contribute!”
“Thank you…” Sho was blushing adorably, and Jun felt his heart skip a beat. “Actually… we organize a lot of activities and workshops with the other employees of the Stormy, to help members of the LGBT community not to feel alone, to educate them about things and sometimes just to hang out with people who can understand you. You can help in organizing those if you want.”
Jun nodded eagerly, and he asked more questions about the workshops. He received a call from Aiba at some point, taking his phone out, and realizing it was almost 4:00 pm. His friend wanted to know how his meeting with his boss had been, and Jun told him about the fact that they already knew each other from high school, and that he was with Sho at the moment. His friend had sounded really happy and excited, telling him he would see them later, and to “Say hi to Sho-chan for me!”
+++++
Matsuoka Masahiro looked more like the leader of a biker’s gang than a cook, with his large pants, his graphic shirt and his intense look. He spoke in a very straight-to-the-point manner that made Jun like him instantly. He had explained everything in very simple terms, showing his very neat organization and his obsession with cleanliness in the kitchen.
“I have my own specialties in the menu, but it’s quite flexible, and we change the recommended set every month. We can work together on adapting the menu to your area of expertise by the time I’ll be gone, but I’ll give you the recipes and tips for the popular stuff here. Mari-chan can also be a great help, and I’m entrusting him to you. He should be there any minute now.”
They were preparing the work place when a very tall smiling young man had entered the kitchen. He had been shy around Jun at first, but had warmed up to him quite fast, especially when the older man had talked to him in French. He was very enthusiastic about learning and becoming a great cook, and Jun noticed how talented he was. He was only observing them for now, but he was actually quite excited about starting to work there.
Aiba came a little before opening time, “stealing” Jun from the kitchen to introduce him to other members of the staff. Kamenashi Kazuya “Kame”, and Nishikido Ryo were kitchen helpers and waiters, and they were also pole dance performers for the “Fire Friday” night special. Yamashita Tomohisa “Yamapi” was with Aiba behind the bar, and performed as a singer from time to time. Kame and Yamapi were roommates and best friends, renting the apartment that was right next to Sho’s in the building. They knew each other since kindergarten, growing up together in a calm neighborhood in Chiba. Kame had been kicked out by his parents when he had come out as gay at 17. Yamapi had followed him when he had moved to Tokyo after high-school, both of them going through hard times before they had met Sho and became a part of the “Stormy team”.
“Nino and Leader will get back here soon. They’re the stars tonight. Some other drag queens will also be coming.”
“Leader? You mean Ohno-san?”
“Yeah! Everybody calls him Leader, cause even though Sho-chan’s the boss, Leader’s in charge of the performances, and he’s also the one who designed the place. And the paintings and pictures on the walls….it’s all his work.”
Jun looked around him, shocked.
“He’s an amazing guy, isn’t he? But don’t try to make a move on him, you don’t want to get on Nino’s bad side.” He then smiled mischievously and wiggled his eyebrows. “But Sho-chan’s single~” His eyes widened when he saw Jun blushing. “Oh. My. God. Don’t tell me you two have a history…”
“Nonononono! Nothing of the sort! He was my senpai. And he tutored me! That’s all!”
Aiba smiled knowingly and got closer to Jun, whispering in an amused tone:
“But you totally had a crush on him. And now you still do. I know you, Matsujun!”
“Stop it, Masaki!”
“You’re blushing, Ma~tsu~jun~”
Aiba’s teasing were fortunately interrupted by Ohno and Nino coming in and greeting them before going backstage.
“Ok I should get going. We’re opening soon. I’ll keep an eye on you, though.” The barman winked - or contorted his face in what seemed to be a wink - before going to the changing area to put on his uniform.
Jun went back to the kitchen, where Matsuoka gave him some information about the materials and the ingredients, while doing last minute preparations with Marius.
The Stormy was quite popular, as Jun noticed the activity in the kitchen never stopped during the whole meal serving time. At 8:30, he heard some louder music coming from the restaurant’s main room.
“That’s the start of tonight’s show. You should go and take a look! Drag queen night is kinda awesome.”
Jun thanked the other chef and went out towards the bar. Aiba smiled at him and gave him a drink “On the house, for our future new chef!”
The stage was the main focus of the room, and everyone’s attention was fixated on the gorgeous curvy lady who was graciously walking towards the central mic, in a completely effortless way despite the high stilettos she was wearing.
“Good evening, Stormy people!” Jun was shocked to recognize Ohno’s voice. “For those who don’t know me, I am your main host for tonight, and my name is~” He turned the mic towards the audience, who screamed “Satoko!” in a very enthusiastic voice.
The show began with the introduction of the 7 drag queens that would perform, and one of them was Nino “Ninoko”, and he was as stunning as Ohno. Both of them had a singing/dancing duet performance to open drag queen night, and they also performed with other drag queens during the night.
“Ah! I’m gonna miss those shows!”
Matsuoka sat beside him, gladly accepting a drink from Yamapi.
“They’re quite impressive, I must admit!”
“Yeah. You should take a look at the other shows. You can never get bored here!”
Jun chuckled.
“It seems so. Did Marius leave, by the way?”
“Yeah. He’s going to an art school. He’s a good kid. His mum is an old friend of mine, and she asked me to take care of him, because she wants him to be more confident in himself and to see more people from the LGBT community.”
“Wow, she’s a good mum.”
“She sure is! Mari-chan was like a terrified mouse when he first started to work with me. Turned out he was mocked and bullied by his high-school ‘friends’ for being ‘too gay’ and ‘too feminine’”
Jun frowned and looked pensively at the show that was still going on.
“He seems like such a sweet guy. People should mind their own business.”
“Mari-chan is a sweetheart. Tomo, my fiancé, loves him to death, and always whines about wanting to adopt him! Tomo and I gave him advice and tips, and he’s doing well now in art school. He’s got better friends too. Maybe a boyfriend, I think?” the man winked. “I just want him to be happy. He deserves it.”
The two men continued having some small talk and watching the show, and when Jun went back home that night, he was feeling more alive that he had felt in the last years.
+++++
The following days were quite full, between learning new recipes, adapting the menu and discovering new shows. Jun learned quite a lot of things about the “Stormy team”, and he was happy to be a part of it. Ohno and Nino were different as night and day, the first liking fishing, art and dancing, and the latter being more of a recluse gamer, always beating up new bosses on his Nintendo DS, but they were inseparable. They also helped with quite a lot of stuff in the organizing part of the stormy and Sho’s LGBTQ+ help association. Aiba’s wife, Rinko, was a regular at the stormy, and even though she had a tight schedule as a caregiver in a house for senior citizens, she helped a lot with the association, giving advice and reassurance, especially towards transgender people, since she was herself born biologically a man. Aiba was the gossip man, who knew everyone’s story, and he was also the mood maker of the team. Ryo was a quiet man, and appeared hostile or grumpy to people who didn’t know him, when he was, in fact, very shy. But when he pole danced, he changed into a completely different person. His pole dance partner, Kame, acted like a diva most of the time, and it was no secret to anyone that he had a huge crush on his roommate and best friend. Well, to anyone except Yamapi himself, who also had feelings for Kame, and seemed ready to devour him every single time he saw him moving his body on stage.
Jun also met Nagase Tomoya, Matsuoka’s fiancé, during one of the music nights. The man was a giant teddy bear, who was a musical genius and a very loving partner, with a huge paternal instinct, especially when it came to Marius. The apprentice seemed to be more and more at ease with Jun, and they were both very happy to have someone to speak in French to.
And then there was Sho. Sho was a great boss, treating his employees like old friends and trying to help everyone out when he wasn’t busy. Sho was a great friend, always here to listen to others and trying to make things right and give the best advice. Sho was a great man, a perfect mix between goofy and serious, clumsy and intellectual, dorky and sexy. He was everything Jun had ever wanted in a man, and he was falling hard, for the second time.
+++++
The Stormy Rainbow was full at an unusual hour that day. It was 2 days before the now former chef’s departure, and the Stormy team had organized a goodbye party for him and his fiancé, inviting all their friends and family for a late morning brunch. Jun had been responsible of the food, and he was helped by Kame and Ryo, since Marius has school. The latter came as soon as he finished his courses, because he didn’t want to miss his mentor’s party. Everyone was very happy for the couple, but they were also kind of sad to say goodbye.
“Everyone… I’m so happy to have you all in my life” Nagase had tears in his eyes “… and you took really good care of my darling”
The man continued his emotional and funny speech, and then after that, Sho gave the couple a gift from the Stormy team. All the guest enjoyed a special French-Japanese buffet after that.
“Can I sit here?” Sho was carrying a plate so full that Jun was wondering how he got so much food in there. He nodded, and the older man sat beside him and began eating with a lot of enthusiasm.
“Jun-kun, you’re awesome! We’re definitely going to have great new specialties!”
“I’m glad you like the food!”
“Are you kidding me? I love it!”
Sho’s enthusiasm made Jun blush. His inflated cheeks and shining eyes were adorable.
“What are you grinning for? Do I have something on my face?”
“No… I was just thinking of how you look like a hamster. A very cute one.”
Jun couldn’t believe he had said that, but he noticed the older man’s face getting red.
“You’re the cute one, Jun-kun! Even though I can’t tease you with the insect thing anymore!”
“I’m not cute!”
“You are!” Sho pinched his cheeks.
“Sorry to interrupt you in the middle of flirting guys, but we’re gonna cut the pre-wedding wedding cake now!”
That cake was Jun’s masterpiece. It had taken him 3 days to make it and decorate it with the help of Ohno, and it was hard to keep it as a surprise for Matsuoka. The former chef looked extremely touched by the magnificent cake, cutting it with his future husband under everyone’s cheers and clapping.
Jun’s cake was praised throughout the afternoon, and everyone got ready for the opening hour with full bellies. The couple left to continue the last minute preparations, thanking all the team one final time with teary eyes. It was Fire Friday, so the poles were fixed on the center of the scene, and Kame and Ryo were doing some stretching exercises.
After cooking hours were done, Jun went to relax at the bar, looking at the two dancers while sipping his drink. He thankfully wasn’t on duty that night - preparing the food and cake for the party had been quite exhausting.
“Everyone’s eyes are on Kame and Ryo-kun! I tried learning pole dancing from them, but apparently, I’m not flexible enough.”
Sho was sitting beside him, taking a small break from the register. Jun tried hard not to be aroused by imagining the other man trying to pole dance.
“I’ve tried it once too. It was for a workshop. The teacher wanted me to join their team. She was insisting to the point that it was annoying!”
“Wow… You must be good then! I’d like to see you try to do it!”
“I could never do what those two do! I’m too shy to do that in front of so many people. And the workshop was a long time ago. I’m probably all rusted now.”
“I bet you’re still good at it. You’ve always been the kind of guy who didn’t trust in his abilities.”
“I trust in my abilities as a cook!”
“That’s good, but you belittle yourself in everything else. Sometimes you remind me of that cute shy teenager who looked like an insect.”
“You’ll never stop the insect teasing, won’t you?”
“I said you were cute, ok?”
“I’m not cute.”
“You are. And you’re also hot.”
“Are you drunk, Sho-kun?”
“See? Here it is! You’re belittling yourself again. Can’t I find you hot while being sober?”
Jun lowered his eyes, not knowing how to answer. His chin was grabbed gently by Sho’s hand, and he looked up to eyes that were burning with intensity.
“You’re very dangerous, Matsumoto Jun.”
He then excused himself, because his break was over, and he had to return to work.
Jun touched his chin and blushed, unable to calm the rapid beating of his heart. He hadn’t noticed Aiba approaching him and giving him a new cocktail.
“It’s my newest invention. It’s called ‘second time love’. You kind of know where I got my inspiration.” He did his horrible attempt at a wink, and that make Jun feel more relaxed. The cocktail was sweet with a hint of bitterness and spiciness. “Seriously though, I am honestly surprised that you guys are still not kissing and fucking after more than two weeks of meeting again. There have been sparks between you since day one. And I’m not only talking about physical attraction here.”
“I guess I’m afraid of the intensity of my own feelings.” He continued drinking the cocktail, glad to see his best friend occupied with another customer.