[Chaptered] All My Roads {1/10}
Some explanations regarding this fic.
The first four chapters of this fic were posted before with different characters, for another fandom. But some things happened with that fandom and I stopped writing this for them. As I was going through the fics I still have not finished for that fandom, this fic turned out to be a nice candidate to be continued and finished as an Arashi fic. ^__^
It's very cliched in the first two chapters, much like Hana Yori Dango but well... I hope it changes by the third chapter? ^__^ Enjoy?
All my Roads
It’s been forty years…
You can’t rely on your memories
It has been so long.
I’ve already forgotten what her eyes are like…
And how she smiles.
If I could choose,
I would rather forget the road home,
Than forget any of the little details about her.
-Autumn’s Concerto
Some things in life are strange: a warm day in autumn, a rainy sky on a hot summer day, weird blinking lights on a starless sky, ghosts, friendship… love at first sight. They are things still unexplained by science, quite unfathomable by the rational human mind but definitely existing.
There are a few people who dedicated their lives trying to solve these mysteries and there are some people who chose to find excitement in treating these weird things as they are: mysteries. Then again, there are those annoyingly special few who just simply… would not care.
Matsumoto Jun is one of those people. To him, it can rain, it can be sunny, it can even be stormy and he still would not care as long as his wallet is full, his brand new car remains unscratched and his university professor chooses to ignore his growing number of absences. Jun is not someone to be attracted by the prospects of finding a “love to last a lifetime” nor is he someone who will be friends with someone else just because his rightful moral self tells him to do so. He believes in the interconnection of people… but it’s only up to a degree of someone using someone else to survive. He’s a practical man, disturbingly over-realistic and definitely not someone women would want to bring home to their families.
In short, Matsumoto Jun is a rich asshole, born to think that the universe will revolve around him if he tells it to do so. He was born with three silver spoons in his mouth and he grew up getting whatever he needs, whatever he wants and even those he never really wanted. His father owns a hospital and his mother is an heir to a chain of hotels all over the country. He’s a seemingly perfect man, blessed with all good things in life except the most basic values that a rightful human being needs to have: respect and compassion.
“Well?” Jun asked one particularly gloomy afternoon, his hands nonchalantly gliding along the smooth iron railing, eyes drawn into slits. In front of him, a lanky man is lacing and unlacing his fingers, searching for his proper reasoning skills.
“Aiba Masaki,” Jun said in between gritted teeth. “Did you do it or did you not do it?” He asked, referring to one of his major reports in class. A week ago, he threatened Aiba into making it and he has yet to receive the final report.
“I,” Aiba started, staring at the floor, his gaze burning holes on the concrete. “There were a lot of you who asked,” he reasoned in a small, breathy voice, unconsciously touching his eyes, feeling it burning from lack of sleep. He was never really the type to fight back, nor complain even when the unfairness of everything slaps him in the face.
Jun made a loud, annoyed sound and Aiba cowered into his invisible corner. “I don’t care how many people asked you to do it for them as long as I get mine! Why? You think so little of me, huh?” He asked, advancing towards the other man with each word.
Aiba tried to make himself small… almost invisible… but ordinary humans cannot do it. They cannot disappear just because they wanted to disappear because humans are like that… each one of us is made to face obstacles and trials with a brave face and a strong heart, face-to-face and eye-to-eye.
“This isn’t the first time you tried doing other reports before mine and I’ve nicely let it go,” Jun snarled, his face now inches apart from Aiba’s. “I’m asking you again. Did you or did you not do it?”
Aiba’s hands were shaking as he raised it to his face, searching and searching for a good reason, trying to find it within himself to say that he’s tired of making things easier for other people and harder on himself. He almost found that bit of courage when a stronger voice resonated in his ears and he found Ninomiya Kazunari, his best friend, standing behind Jun, arms crossed in front of him.
“So what if he didn’t do it?” Ninomiya asked bravely. “Is Aiba-kun your servant? Does he exist to make your own reports for you? Will he even get a high score in class just because he made something for you?”
Jun turned around so quick that he almost lost his balance. He glared at Ninomiya.
“Who are you? Don’t you think it’s rude to interrupt a private conversation?”
Without a word, Ninomiya stomped towards them and pulled Aiba away, bravely pushing him behind.
“Ninomiya Kazunari,” he said, showing his school identification card.
“So?” Jun asked, trying to look uninterested as he leans on the railings, giving Ninomiya a sly grin.
Ninomiya shook his head in annoyance.
“Listen to this and listen carefully,” he said, his voice low and full of warning. “I don’t care who you ask to make your reports for you but never ask Aiba-kun again.”
Jun laughed forcefully.
“I want him to make it for me. He’s good and that should mean something when it comes from me. I rarely give compliments, you know,” he covered his mouth and yawned, starting to walk away. “I want that report tomorrow, Aiba Masaki.” He starts to walk away, grinning triumphantly when something hit him on his nape.
Jun winced in pain as he stares murderously at Ninomiya Kazunari.
“You asshole…,” Jun began, staring at the good-sized pebble that landed near his feet. “If you don’t apologize this instant, you’ll regret it.”
Ninomiya moved angrily towards Jun and stopped when he’s almost a breath away from the other man. He gritted his teeth and whispered dangerously in Jun’s ears.
“If you dare try to threaten him into being your report slave or something, you will answer to me. Does your mother know you’re not attending your classes? How about your father? Does he know his beloved son is bullying a poor student on a scholarship in school to make his reports for him? I bet not. What do you think they’ll do if they find out?”
“You jerk…”
Ninomiya glared triumphantly.
“Oh yes, I’m a jerk. So if you dare lay a hand on my friend again, you can be pretty sure your parents will hear about everything.” He said and slightly pushed Jun as he moves away. “Think about it,” he added and walked towards Aiba. “Let’s go, Masaki. I owe you pizza for helping me yesterday.”
“Oi! You assholes! You can’t get away with this!” Jun shouted, kicking the air violently as the two continued to walk away. “Ninomiya Kazunari! You jerk! You’ll see this face again! No one does that to Matsumoto Jun and gets away with it! Oi! Are you listening?!” he continued shouting, earning curious stares and silent laughter from the people hurrying to pass by.
“What the hell are you looking at?” He snapped at a younger student who was staring at him. “Look somewhere else. My face is too good for your eyes,” he said and furiously headed towards his car, fuming and plotting murderous revenge against Ninomiya.
That was the very first time Matsumoto Jun met Ninomiya Kazunari. It was not an extravagant first meeting nor was it an impressive one. In fact, in those few moments of glaring at each other and exchanging sizzling words, something called “first impression” was formed and Ninomiya became the object of Jun’s attention. Perhaps that was another strange way of how life weaves and connects people’s roads so that at one point in their journey, a crossroad happens.
A crossroad - a strange turning point when life molds the soul into something else and changes people’s lives forever. Perhaps… it’s finally time for Jun to arrive at his own crossroad.
----------------------------
The air smells weird and suffocating - a mixture of smoke, dizzying perfume and strong liquor. The loud music blaring from oversized speakers creates a rhythmic headache in Jun’s brain, causing his bad mood to escalate further.
He sat silently in a hidden corner of the bar reserved for regular guests, watching with disinterest as people dance like snake writhing on the dance floor. Around him, pointless chatter and flirty conversations dominate the air yet it passes by in his ears like an insignificant gust of wind.
“Jun,” Ohno Satoshi called his name, raising a curious eyebrow as the other used-to-be-hot-tempered guy remained silent and focused on his own world. “Jun-kun!” he resorted to shouting and Jun’s eyes slowly moved towards him, still quite unfocused.
“What?” Jun asked in a low tone, his fingers rubbing his earlobes. “Stop shouting.”
Satoshi grinned. “You’ve been spacing out on me and I hate it when people space out on me like that. It was you who asked me to keep you company yet you’re the one leaving me alone,” Satoshi teased with a sly grin and Jun menacingly frowned at him.
Ohno Satoshi is one of the few individuals who get to drink with Jun on an occasional basis. Their relationship is not at a level one would call friendship but it was something close to that. Perhaps it was propelled by a weird understanding of each other’s situation of being born to a family who spends more time with their employees than with their own children.
“Quit being so emotional,” Jun snapped and reached for the glass in front of him.
“Add Ohno-san to that statement and maybe I will do as you say,” the older man kidded. Never in his whole “friendship” with Jun had he heard the younger man call him Ohno-san. It’s not that Satoshi minds - Jun is really only respectful to his own family - but sometimes, when you’re trying to build friendship and camaraderie with someone, a bit of respect is needed. It’s not the type to make you bow down or talk in pure honorifics… it’s something deeper and more personal.
“I never call other people with a -san,” Jun quickly retorted, as Satoshi expected. “Heck, I don’t even talk to people I don’t know…,” his sentence gradually trailed off, earning a curious raised eyebrow from Satoshi.
“What?”
The younger man sank down deeper in the soft cushions and rubbed his chin.
“Satoshi,” he called and the other winced at the too informal language. “I’ll ask you something.”
“Jun-kun, can I ask you something is a better way to say it,” Satoshi reminded but his hints remained floating in the air as Jun continued to rub his chin in deep thought. “Go ahead. What will you ask?”
“Have you ever met a… a… really, really, annoying person who butts in on a private conversation, threatens you then leaves as if nothing happened?” Jun asked and Satoshi looked confused.
“Ha?”
Jun rolled his eyes. “Stop saying ha.”
“I didn’t understand what you’re trying to say so I have to say it,” Satoshi defended. “Let me get this straight and answer me only with a yes or a no. You met an annoying person who butted in on your supposedly private conversation with something, threatened you to stop bullying a friend, glared at you, made you feel miserable and then this person walked away triumphantly as if nothing happened?”
The younger man’s eyes grew wide, his mouth opening and closing.
“Yes or no, Jun,” Satoshi asked knowingly with a soft grin on his face.
“How do you…,” Jun started to whisper but stopped mid-way. “No!” He violently defended and Satoshi burst out laughing. “What are you laughing at?!” Jun demanded childishly.
“Okay, okay, it’s not you. But if this truly happened… it sounds like one of those clichéd television dramas. Like this rich obnoxious, almost inhuman guy finally met a poor, girl-next-door type, bickers with her for some time and then suddenly finds himself head-over-heels in love and his world started to revolve around this girl,” Satoshi teased and Jun found himself unnecessarily blushing. “He would do everything for her, give up his life… but he can never stand up to his family. His mother comes, offers this poor girl money to stay away from her son and sets up an arranged marriage. The guy defies his mother for the first time, keeps seeing the girl and things go nasty from there. Typical, Jun. Very typical.”
“I’ve only said so little and you launched into a full attack,” Jun said and Satoshi once again stared at him confusedly. “And the person I’m talking about is not even a girl!”
“Ha?” Satoshi stupidly asked and Jun groaned.
“I told you to quit saying ha!”
“Wait… so this means… you met a gay person?”
“Satoshi!” Jun exclaimed, opening his mouth to say something more yet he halted suddenly. “Wait… this typical love story you’re saying… does the girl fall in love with the guy too? I mean… it can’t be a one-sided love if the guy is willing to do everything for the girl…”
Satoshi almost slapped his own forehead. “Of course, silly. What else are love stories for? It can’t be one-sided love or the viewer rating will nastily go down… stop rubbing your chin!” He said when Jun started to dissolve in his own world again but this time, his face was painted with a sly grin.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I didn’t know you were such a genius man, Satoshi. Good job,” Jun mysteriously said and patted Satoshi on the back, leaving the other dumbfounded and amused at the same time.
In Jun’s mind, various images of Ninomiya Kazunari appears one by one as he plots his own supposed-to-be-but-not-really love story involving the other man. He brought out his phone and started dialing, laughing menacingly inside his head.
“Oi, Sho,” he called their youngest family servant and the other stuttered on the line when he heard the young master’s voice. “Stop stuttering, you idiot,” Jun reprimanded harshly, in spite of the age gap that separates them. “Here’s what I want you to do. Find out everything you can about Ninomiya Kazunari. I’ll be home in an hour. I want to know everything about him when I get home.”
Shutting his phone, Jun grinned and turned to a confused Satoshi.
“Ninomiya Kazunari?” Satoshi asked and Jun nodded, seeing a vision of his childish, triumphant revenge. “Who is he?”
“Just some guy who messed with me and is now going to taste Matsumoto Jun’s wrath,” he said exaggeratedly, enough for Satoshi to cover his face. “Stop covering your face!”
“It’s embarrassing!” The other man quipped. “Whatever it is, what exactly has this Ninomiya Kazunari done for you to make him taste your wrath?” Satoshi asked, imitating Jun and the other launched into a full story of what happened. Satoshi once again found himself covering his face at how trivial everything seemed to be. “Jun…”
“Mhmmm?”
“Quit being so childish,” he quietly reprimanded. “Ninomiya Kazunari is only rightfully defending his friend. Grow up. You can’t be a child forever. Sooner or later you need to think about everything with maturity.”
“Stop nagging me.”
“I am not nagging you. These things you do in life… they have quite strange and surprisingly cruel consequences, you know. Who knows… really… you might find yourself in the typical love story I mentioned and Ninomiya Kazunari might just… I’m not saying you’re gay… but he might just… suddenly become your world…”
Jun stared at his companion incredulously, refusing to acknowledge an obvious possibility in front of him. Yet, sometimes, in spite of our doubtful mind and firm stand on everything, life strangely gives us hints of overwhelming possibilities. It comes in friendly statements and innocent suggestions but in a weird world where strangers suddenly become friends and friends are suddenly demoted to being strangers… nothing is as innocent as it seems…
-----------------------------
“You’re still doing tutorials, Nino-chan?” Aiba Masaki asked as he wipes a pizza sauce on the sides of his mouth. The early stars have started to appear on the darkened sky and the pizza place they were sitting in started to fill with regular customers, chatting, laughing, doing whatever it is they do to relax. In front of him, Ninomiya Kazunari lightly rubs his stomach with a satisfied grin on his face.
“Ahhh~ I’m full,” Ninomiya commented, burping lightly. “Excuse me,” he laughed and Aiba grinned at him. “I’m still doing tutorials. I need all the money I can get. You’ll never know when the scholarship grant can be taken away from you,” he said and Aiba nodded in agreement.
Ninomiya Kazunari and Aiba Masaki are lifelong friends, brought together by circumstances beyond their control. They have been neighbors since they could remember. Years of growing up together, facing almost the same predicaments in life, sharing similar bliss and happiness molded the relationship between them into something more than being best friends. They were brothers in spite of the lack of blood relation between them. Sometimes, really, blood is not the only thing that dictates who a person will care for like a family. Something as trivial as blood relation would never explain something as deep as friendship and brotherhood.
“Nino-chan… is it really okay for you to say all those things to Matsumoto Jun?” Aiba asked, remembering their little incident a few hours ago. “He can be really cruel and will get back to you like a traitor,” he commented and Ninomiya just shrugged.
“What he’s doing is wrong and someone needs to stand up to him every once in a while. It irritates me how people like him can be blessed with all the good things in life,” Ninomiya said bitterly. “Sometimes I wish, you know… that spoiled assholes like him be made to live our lives even for just an hour… no, a minute will do. That way, they can understand how difficult it is to try and survive with barely meal money on your pockets,” he said, his palms turning into fists.
“But you’ll become a doctor, Nino-chan. I’m sure you’ll be rich in no time,” Aiba said innocently and Ninomiya smiled at him.
“The point here, Masaki… is that… you know… those people like Matsumoto Jun never had to work this hard to get what they want. Let’s assume I’ll become a doctor someday… but I had to work hard for it, doing tutorials, transferring from one part time job to another while that… that… jerk… just had to say ‘mom, I need to pay my tuition’ and he’ll never have to move a finger,” Ninomiya answered bitterly.
“True…,” Aiba said and wistfully added, “but he’ll never have the privilege of feeling this weird happiness of knowing you worked for yourself… nor will he ever feel cared for and loved when people who are not even a part of your family helps you when things get a little tough.”
Ninomiya nodded in agreement. “Exactly,” he said and sighed, standing up. “Let’s go, Masaki. I need to prepare for a main test tomorrow. Ahh~ I’m so tired,” he said as Aiba trudge along behind him.
“I’ve never said this before, Nino-chan,” Aiba said, falling into a step beside Ninomiya.
“Hmmm?”
“Thank you,” the other man said, blushing a little.
Ninomiya grinned. “For what?”
“Just...”
“Just? What kind of an answer is that,” Ninomiya asked, pulling Aiba closer and draping a friendly arm around the other’s shoulder. “You’re like a brother to me. Of course I would do whatever I can for you. So there’s really no need to say thank you,”
“Still…”
“Ah! The bus is here! Race you to the best seat!” Ninomiya challenged and started running, his hair carelessly blowing along with the wind.
Aiba giggled and sprinted after his friend.
“Nino-chan! That’s unfair!”
Ninomiya Kazunari giggled, waiting for Aiba at the door of bus, waving like a little kid for the other to hurry. Little did he know that sometimes, even when people try to create a straight road they can easily trudge on, a little fork in the road is created and from time to time, we all wander along this little fork. That’s when life leads us to a crossroad. Perhaps to Ninomiya Kazunari, he, himself never needed a turning point… but someone’s turning point needs him. That’s when life works together with an over-cliched force called “destiny” to bring people together and show them a more tumultuous but definitely much better road to trudge on…
------------------------------
“Did you find it?” That was the first thing Jun asked as soon as Sakurai Sho greeted him by the door.
“I did, young master… but…” Sho started, staring nervously at the stairs leading up to the second floor of the house.
“But what?” Jun asked, a little annoyed.
“Your father is here and he’s been looking for you since he arrived,” Sho whispered and Jun felt as if his heart stopped beating for a second.
“Did he tell you why?”
“No, sir, but he seemed a little angry,” Sho said and handed Jun two sheets of white paper. “These are all the information I could get about Ninomiya Kazunari, young master. I’m really sorry. There isn’t much about him… but why…”
“Don’t mind my business and just go,” Jun snapped, taking the paper away from his servant. Sho has been working for his family only for a year and since he is the only one close to Jun’s age, the young master has found it amusing to make Sho conspire with him in his escapades.
“Is my father in his room?”
“He’s in the library, sir…”
Jun rubbed his face, tucking the papers inside his bag before he started walking towards the library, his heart pounding. If there’s one person in the world who could make Jun cower in fear, it would probably be his father. Maybe it’s something brought about by the hierarchy that differentiates a parent from his children, or maybe his father is just a scary man… but Jun could never find it within himself to stand up to him. Sometimes, in those moments when all his father could see were Jun’s faults, Jun wished he was born to a different family with a different set of parents… or maybe no parents at all. If he was, he could probably do everything he wants, go to places he’s never been before, stay out late at night without worrying about what his parents would say, get so drunk, date cheap girls who wear cheap perfumes and will probably be gone when dawn arrives…
But he couldn’t… and he’s stuck in fear for a good many years to come. Jun hated that. He really hated that.
“Father,” he called from the door, knocking twice before his father’s voice allowed him to come in. “Sho said you wanted to see me…”
His father’s back was turned to him as he sat on a swiveling chair, reading a piece of paper that alarmingly bears the logo of Jun’s university. Jun swallowed hard but he remained standing upright in front of his father.
“How…,” Matsumoto-san started, his voice harsh and firm. “How in the world could a student like you have these number of absences?!” His voice rose and Jun could feel his knees turning into water. His heart pounds in his chest, his mind blank and devoid of any rationality.
“I…,” he started to say but the words refuse to come out, as if they’ve been caged in somewhere.
“What?” Matsumoto-san asked. “Your number of absences exceeds the number of days you’ve attended school! What have you been doing with your life?”
“Who…,” Jun swallowed once. “Who…,” he swallowed twice and gave up, his voice quivering a little.
Matsumoto-san stood up and slammed the paper down on his desk.
“It doesn’t matter who told your dean to give me this report. It doesn’t even matter who gave me this information. Jun! What have you been doing?”
Jun remained silent, his brain refusing to cooperate with him to find good excuses. His hands were shaking, gripping the string of his bag tightly. He could feel cold sweat forming on his face and when his father exhaled, Jun could feel as if his breath was knocked out from him.
“At this rate, you will not be able to pass. Just imagine how much sniggering and snarky remarks your mother and I could get from… Jun… why must you be so difficult?” The older man rubbed his face in frustration and annoyance.
A fading strip of light sparked in Jun’s mind and he found his voice, small, weak and fearful.
“Father I… I was planning to get a tutor…”
“Tutor? Tutor?! At your age? Are you stupid?!” Matsumoto-san asked and Jun jumped a little.
“But I… if you want me to pass, I…”
“I will hold all your credit cards,” Matsumoto-san said and Jun stared at him.
“W-what?”
“You heard me right. I will hold all your credit cards, your ATM cards and you will get your allowance from the Yamada-san. I’ve instructed her as to how much you can receive everyday. Until you get a good score and until you attend all your classes diligently by the end of this term, everything will be as they are right now,” Matsumoto-san said, his eyes daring Jun to argue. “And when you get this tutor or whatever, make sure that this person really helps you get good grades. If not…,” he pause and exhaled. “Just… go.”
Jun gave a shaky bow and silently went out, almost slamming the door but not daring to. He was fuming, his knuckles turning white and almost bloodless and his feet were heavy as he ascends the stairs leading to his room. The moment he was in his sanctuary, he violently threw his bag on the bed, kicking everything and anything he could lay his eyes on.
“This sucks!” He screamed, kicking the foot of his bed. He gave a wild scream of pain when his foot connected with the hard wood and he cursed even more, wishing for things to turn out differently.
“THIS SUCKS!” He screamed as he walks towards his opened windows. “This really sucks! I wish… I wish I was born to a different set of parents so I will not see that nasty old man again!” He shouted and almost jumped away when an unexpected strip of lighting appeared on the starry sky and thunder boomed seconds after. Heavy rain started to pour yet the stars strangely twinkle and winked at him.
“Even the weather sucks,” Jun said as he went back to his bed and violently read the details about Ninomiya Kazunari. The information bore him and Ninomiya is just another insignificant poor student who was granted a scholarship to enter their school. He’s a penniless asshole who likes to act cool, Jun thought.
At the bottom of the page, Jun grinned as he found a screw that will put together all the jumbled pieces and will allow him to hit two birds with one stone.
“He’s doing tutorials?” He grinned evilly, fishing out his phone and dialing the number staring back at him. “At least… something went right.”
TBC
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1. *runs away*
2. Typos and things I've failed to change and grammar mistakes... I am a fail like that. Wahuhuhu.
3. *hides*
The first four chapters of this fic were posted before with different characters, for another fandom. But some things happened with that fandom and I stopped writing this for them. As I was going through the fics I still have not finished for that fandom, this fic turned out to be a nice candidate to be continued and finished as an Arashi fic. ^__^
It's very cliched in the first two chapters, much like Hana Yori Dango but well... I hope it changes by the third chapter? ^__^ Enjoy?
All my Roads
It’s been forty years…
You can’t rely on your memories
It has been so long.
I’ve already forgotten what her eyes are like…
And how she smiles.
If I could choose,
I would rather forget the road home,
Than forget any of the little details about her.
-Autumn’s Concerto
Some things in life are strange: a warm day in autumn, a rainy sky on a hot summer day, weird blinking lights on a starless sky, ghosts, friendship… love at first sight. They are things still unexplained by science, quite unfathomable by the rational human mind but definitely existing.
There are a few people who dedicated their lives trying to solve these mysteries and there are some people who chose to find excitement in treating these weird things as they are: mysteries. Then again, there are those annoyingly special few who just simply… would not care.
Matsumoto Jun is one of those people. To him, it can rain, it can be sunny, it can even be stormy and he still would not care as long as his wallet is full, his brand new car remains unscratched and his university professor chooses to ignore his growing number of absences. Jun is not someone to be attracted by the prospects of finding a “love to last a lifetime” nor is he someone who will be friends with someone else just because his rightful moral self tells him to do so. He believes in the interconnection of people… but it’s only up to a degree of someone using someone else to survive. He’s a practical man, disturbingly over-realistic and definitely not someone women would want to bring home to their families.
In short, Matsumoto Jun is a rich asshole, born to think that the universe will revolve around him if he tells it to do so. He was born with three silver spoons in his mouth and he grew up getting whatever he needs, whatever he wants and even those he never really wanted. His father owns a hospital and his mother is an heir to a chain of hotels all over the country. He’s a seemingly perfect man, blessed with all good things in life except the most basic values that a rightful human being needs to have: respect and compassion.
“Well?” Jun asked one particularly gloomy afternoon, his hands nonchalantly gliding along the smooth iron railing, eyes drawn into slits. In front of him, a lanky man is lacing and unlacing his fingers, searching for his proper reasoning skills.
“Aiba Masaki,” Jun said in between gritted teeth. “Did you do it or did you not do it?” He asked, referring to one of his major reports in class. A week ago, he threatened Aiba into making it and he has yet to receive the final report.
“I,” Aiba started, staring at the floor, his gaze burning holes on the concrete. “There were a lot of you who asked,” he reasoned in a small, breathy voice, unconsciously touching his eyes, feeling it burning from lack of sleep. He was never really the type to fight back, nor complain even when the unfairness of everything slaps him in the face.
Jun made a loud, annoyed sound and Aiba cowered into his invisible corner. “I don’t care how many people asked you to do it for them as long as I get mine! Why? You think so little of me, huh?” He asked, advancing towards the other man with each word.
Aiba tried to make himself small… almost invisible… but ordinary humans cannot do it. They cannot disappear just because they wanted to disappear because humans are like that… each one of us is made to face obstacles and trials with a brave face and a strong heart, face-to-face and eye-to-eye.
“This isn’t the first time you tried doing other reports before mine and I’ve nicely let it go,” Jun snarled, his face now inches apart from Aiba’s. “I’m asking you again. Did you or did you not do it?”
Aiba’s hands were shaking as he raised it to his face, searching and searching for a good reason, trying to find it within himself to say that he’s tired of making things easier for other people and harder on himself. He almost found that bit of courage when a stronger voice resonated in his ears and he found Ninomiya Kazunari, his best friend, standing behind Jun, arms crossed in front of him.
“So what if he didn’t do it?” Ninomiya asked bravely. “Is Aiba-kun your servant? Does he exist to make your own reports for you? Will he even get a high score in class just because he made something for you?”
Jun turned around so quick that he almost lost his balance. He glared at Ninomiya.
“Who are you? Don’t you think it’s rude to interrupt a private conversation?”
Without a word, Ninomiya stomped towards them and pulled Aiba away, bravely pushing him behind.
“Ninomiya Kazunari,” he said, showing his school identification card.
“So?” Jun asked, trying to look uninterested as he leans on the railings, giving Ninomiya a sly grin.
Ninomiya shook his head in annoyance.
“Listen to this and listen carefully,” he said, his voice low and full of warning. “I don’t care who you ask to make your reports for you but never ask Aiba-kun again.”
Jun laughed forcefully.
“I want him to make it for me. He’s good and that should mean something when it comes from me. I rarely give compliments, you know,” he covered his mouth and yawned, starting to walk away. “I want that report tomorrow, Aiba Masaki.” He starts to walk away, grinning triumphantly when something hit him on his nape.
Jun winced in pain as he stares murderously at Ninomiya Kazunari.
“You asshole…,” Jun began, staring at the good-sized pebble that landed near his feet. “If you don’t apologize this instant, you’ll regret it.”
Ninomiya moved angrily towards Jun and stopped when he’s almost a breath away from the other man. He gritted his teeth and whispered dangerously in Jun’s ears.
“If you dare try to threaten him into being your report slave or something, you will answer to me. Does your mother know you’re not attending your classes? How about your father? Does he know his beloved son is bullying a poor student on a scholarship in school to make his reports for him? I bet not. What do you think they’ll do if they find out?”
“You jerk…”
Ninomiya glared triumphantly.
“Oh yes, I’m a jerk. So if you dare lay a hand on my friend again, you can be pretty sure your parents will hear about everything.” He said and slightly pushed Jun as he moves away. “Think about it,” he added and walked towards Aiba. “Let’s go, Masaki. I owe you pizza for helping me yesterday.”
“Oi! You assholes! You can’t get away with this!” Jun shouted, kicking the air violently as the two continued to walk away. “Ninomiya Kazunari! You jerk! You’ll see this face again! No one does that to Matsumoto Jun and gets away with it! Oi! Are you listening?!” he continued shouting, earning curious stares and silent laughter from the people hurrying to pass by.
“What the hell are you looking at?” He snapped at a younger student who was staring at him. “Look somewhere else. My face is too good for your eyes,” he said and furiously headed towards his car, fuming and plotting murderous revenge against Ninomiya.
That was the very first time Matsumoto Jun met Ninomiya Kazunari. It was not an extravagant first meeting nor was it an impressive one. In fact, in those few moments of glaring at each other and exchanging sizzling words, something called “first impression” was formed and Ninomiya became the object of Jun’s attention. Perhaps that was another strange way of how life weaves and connects people’s roads so that at one point in their journey, a crossroad happens.
A crossroad - a strange turning point when life molds the soul into something else and changes people’s lives forever. Perhaps… it’s finally time for Jun to arrive at his own crossroad.
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The air smells weird and suffocating - a mixture of smoke, dizzying perfume and strong liquor. The loud music blaring from oversized speakers creates a rhythmic headache in Jun’s brain, causing his bad mood to escalate further.
He sat silently in a hidden corner of the bar reserved for regular guests, watching with disinterest as people dance like snake writhing on the dance floor. Around him, pointless chatter and flirty conversations dominate the air yet it passes by in his ears like an insignificant gust of wind.
“Jun,” Ohno Satoshi called his name, raising a curious eyebrow as the other used-to-be-hot-tempered guy remained silent and focused on his own world. “Jun-kun!” he resorted to shouting and Jun’s eyes slowly moved towards him, still quite unfocused.
“What?” Jun asked in a low tone, his fingers rubbing his earlobes. “Stop shouting.”
Satoshi grinned. “You’ve been spacing out on me and I hate it when people space out on me like that. It was you who asked me to keep you company yet you’re the one leaving me alone,” Satoshi teased with a sly grin and Jun menacingly frowned at him.
Ohno Satoshi is one of the few individuals who get to drink with Jun on an occasional basis. Their relationship is not at a level one would call friendship but it was something close to that. Perhaps it was propelled by a weird understanding of each other’s situation of being born to a family who spends more time with their employees than with their own children.
“Quit being so emotional,” Jun snapped and reached for the glass in front of him.
“Add Ohno-san to that statement and maybe I will do as you say,” the older man kidded. Never in his whole “friendship” with Jun had he heard the younger man call him Ohno-san. It’s not that Satoshi minds - Jun is really only respectful to his own family - but sometimes, when you’re trying to build friendship and camaraderie with someone, a bit of respect is needed. It’s not the type to make you bow down or talk in pure honorifics… it’s something deeper and more personal.
“I never call other people with a -san,” Jun quickly retorted, as Satoshi expected. “Heck, I don’t even talk to people I don’t know…,” his sentence gradually trailed off, earning a curious raised eyebrow from Satoshi.
“What?”
The younger man sank down deeper in the soft cushions and rubbed his chin.
“Satoshi,” he called and the other winced at the too informal language. “I’ll ask you something.”
“Jun-kun, can I ask you something is a better way to say it,” Satoshi reminded but his hints remained floating in the air as Jun continued to rub his chin in deep thought. “Go ahead. What will you ask?”
“Have you ever met a… a… really, really, annoying person who butts in on a private conversation, threatens you then leaves as if nothing happened?” Jun asked and Satoshi looked confused.
“Ha?”
Jun rolled his eyes. “Stop saying ha.”
“I didn’t understand what you’re trying to say so I have to say it,” Satoshi defended. “Let me get this straight and answer me only with a yes or a no. You met an annoying person who butted in on your supposedly private conversation with something, threatened you to stop bullying a friend, glared at you, made you feel miserable and then this person walked away triumphantly as if nothing happened?”
The younger man’s eyes grew wide, his mouth opening and closing.
“Yes or no, Jun,” Satoshi asked knowingly with a soft grin on his face.
“How do you…,” Jun started to whisper but stopped mid-way. “No!” He violently defended and Satoshi burst out laughing. “What are you laughing at?!” Jun demanded childishly.
“Okay, okay, it’s not you. But if this truly happened… it sounds like one of those clichéd television dramas. Like this rich obnoxious, almost inhuman guy finally met a poor, girl-next-door type, bickers with her for some time and then suddenly finds himself head-over-heels in love and his world started to revolve around this girl,” Satoshi teased and Jun found himself unnecessarily blushing. “He would do everything for her, give up his life… but he can never stand up to his family. His mother comes, offers this poor girl money to stay away from her son and sets up an arranged marriage. The guy defies his mother for the first time, keeps seeing the girl and things go nasty from there. Typical, Jun. Very typical.”
“I’ve only said so little and you launched into a full attack,” Jun said and Satoshi once again stared at him confusedly. “And the person I’m talking about is not even a girl!”
“Ha?” Satoshi stupidly asked and Jun groaned.
“I told you to quit saying ha!”
“Wait… so this means… you met a gay person?”
“Satoshi!” Jun exclaimed, opening his mouth to say something more yet he halted suddenly. “Wait… this typical love story you’re saying… does the girl fall in love with the guy too? I mean… it can’t be a one-sided love if the guy is willing to do everything for the girl…”
Satoshi almost slapped his own forehead. “Of course, silly. What else are love stories for? It can’t be one-sided love or the viewer rating will nastily go down… stop rubbing your chin!” He said when Jun started to dissolve in his own world again but this time, his face was painted with a sly grin.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I didn’t know you were such a genius man, Satoshi. Good job,” Jun mysteriously said and patted Satoshi on the back, leaving the other dumbfounded and amused at the same time.
In Jun’s mind, various images of Ninomiya Kazunari appears one by one as he plots his own supposed-to-be-but-not-really love story involving the other man. He brought out his phone and started dialing, laughing menacingly inside his head.
“Oi, Sho,” he called their youngest family servant and the other stuttered on the line when he heard the young master’s voice. “Stop stuttering, you idiot,” Jun reprimanded harshly, in spite of the age gap that separates them. “Here’s what I want you to do. Find out everything you can about Ninomiya Kazunari. I’ll be home in an hour. I want to know everything about him when I get home.”
Shutting his phone, Jun grinned and turned to a confused Satoshi.
“Ninomiya Kazunari?” Satoshi asked and Jun nodded, seeing a vision of his childish, triumphant revenge. “Who is he?”
“Just some guy who messed with me and is now going to taste Matsumoto Jun’s wrath,” he said exaggeratedly, enough for Satoshi to cover his face. “Stop covering your face!”
“It’s embarrassing!” The other man quipped. “Whatever it is, what exactly has this Ninomiya Kazunari done for you to make him taste your wrath?” Satoshi asked, imitating Jun and the other launched into a full story of what happened. Satoshi once again found himself covering his face at how trivial everything seemed to be. “Jun…”
“Mhmmm?”
“Quit being so childish,” he quietly reprimanded. “Ninomiya Kazunari is only rightfully defending his friend. Grow up. You can’t be a child forever. Sooner or later you need to think about everything with maturity.”
“Stop nagging me.”
“I am not nagging you. These things you do in life… they have quite strange and surprisingly cruel consequences, you know. Who knows… really… you might find yourself in the typical love story I mentioned and Ninomiya Kazunari might just… I’m not saying you’re gay… but he might just… suddenly become your world…”
Jun stared at his companion incredulously, refusing to acknowledge an obvious possibility in front of him. Yet, sometimes, in spite of our doubtful mind and firm stand on everything, life strangely gives us hints of overwhelming possibilities. It comes in friendly statements and innocent suggestions but in a weird world where strangers suddenly become friends and friends are suddenly demoted to being strangers… nothing is as innocent as it seems…
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“You’re still doing tutorials, Nino-chan?” Aiba Masaki asked as he wipes a pizza sauce on the sides of his mouth. The early stars have started to appear on the darkened sky and the pizza place they were sitting in started to fill with regular customers, chatting, laughing, doing whatever it is they do to relax. In front of him, Ninomiya Kazunari lightly rubs his stomach with a satisfied grin on his face.
“Ahhh~ I’m full,” Ninomiya commented, burping lightly. “Excuse me,” he laughed and Aiba grinned at him. “I’m still doing tutorials. I need all the money I can get. You’ll never know when the scholarship grant can be taken away from you,” he said and Aiba nodded in agreement.
Ninomiya Kazunari and Aiba Masaki are lifelong friends, brought together by circumstances beyond their control. They have been neighbors since they could remember. Years of growing up together, facing almost the same predicaments in life, sharing similar bliss and happiness molded the relationship between them into something more than being best friends. They were brothers in spite of the lack of blood relation between them. Sometimes, really, blood is not the only thing that dictates who a person will care for like a family. Something as trivial as blood relation would never explain something as deep as friendship and brotherhood.
“Nino-chan… is it really okay for you to say all those things to Matsumoto Jun?” Aiba asked, remembering their little incident a few hours ago. “He can be really cruel and will get back to you like a traitor,” he commented and Ninomiya just shrugged.
“What he’s doing is wrong and someone needs to stand up to him every once in a while. It irritates me how people like him can be blessed with all the good things in life,” Ninomiya said bitterly. “Sometimes I wish, you know… that spoiled assholes like him be made to live our lives even for just an hour… no, a minute will do. That way, they can understand how difficult it is to try and survive with barely meal money on your pockets,” he said, his palms turning into fists.
“But you’ll become a doctor, Nino-chan. I’m sure you’ll be rich in no time,” Aiba said innocently and Ninomiya smiled at him.
“The point here, Masaki… is that… you know… those people like Matsumoto Jun never had to work this hard to get what they want. Let’s assume I’ll become a doctor someday… but I had to work hard for it, doing tutorials, transferring from one part time job to another while that… that… jerk… just had to say ‘mom, I need to pay my tuition’ and he’ll never have to move a finger,” Ninomiya answered bitterly.
“True…,” Aiba said and wistfully added, “but he’ll never have the privilege of feeling this weird happiness of knowing you worked for yourself… nor will he ever feel cared for and loved when people who are not even a part of your family helps you when things get a little tough.”
Ninomiya nodded in agreement. “Exactly,” he said and sighed, standing up. “Let’s go, Masaki. I need to prepare for a main test tomorrow. Ahh~ I’m so tired,” he said as Aiba trudge along behind him.
“I’ve never said this before, Nino-chan,” Aiba said, falling into a step beside Ninomiya.
“Hmmm?”
“Thank you,” the other man said, blushing a little.
Ninomiya grinned. “For what?”
“Just...”
“Just? What kind of an answer is that,” Ninomiya asked, pulling Aiba closer and draping a friendly arm around the other’s shoulder. “You’re like a brother to me. Of course I would do whatever I can for you. So there’s really no need to say thank you,”
“Still…”
“Ah! The bus is here! Race you to the best seat!” Ninomiya challenged and started running, his hair carelessly blowing along with the wind.
Aiba giggled and sprinted after his friend.
“Nino-chan! That’s unfair!”
Ninomiya Kazunari giggled, waiting for Aiba at the door of bus, waving like a little kid for the other to hurry. Little did he know that sometimes, even when people try to create a straight road they can easily trudge on, a little fork in the road is created and from time to time, we all wander along this little fork. That’s when life leads us to a crossroad. Perhaps to Ninomiya Kazunari, he, himself never needed a turning point… but someone’s turning point needs him. That’s when life works together with an over-cliched force called “destiny” to bring people together and show them a more tumultuous but definitely much better road to trudge on…
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“Did you find it?” That was the first thing Jun asked as soon as Sakurai Sho greeted him by the door.
“I did, young master… but…” Sho started, staring nervously at the stairs leading up to the second floor of the house.
“But what?” Jun asked, a little annoyed.
“Your father is here and he’s been looking for you since he arrived,” Sho whispered and Jun felt as if his heart stopped beating for a second.
“Did he tell you why?”
“No, sir, but he seemed a little angry,” Sho said and handed Jun two sheets of white paper. “These are all the information I could get about Ninomiya Kazunari, young master. I’m really sorry. There isn’t much about him… but why…”
“Don’t mind my business and just go,” Jun snapped, taking the paper away from his servant. Sho has been working for his family only for a year and since he is the only one close to Jun’s age, the young master has found it amusing to make Sho conspire with him in his escapades.
“Is my father in his room?”
“He’s in the library, sir…”
Jun rubbed his face, tucking the papers inside his bag before he started walking towards the library, his heart pounding. If there’s one person in the world who could make Jun cower in fear, it would probably be his father. Maybe it’s something brought about by the hierarchy that differentiates a parent from his children, or maybe his father is just a scary man… but Jun could never find it within himself to stand up to him. Sometimes, in those moments when all his father could see were Jun’s faults, Jun wished he was born to a different family with a different set of parents… or maybe no parents at all. If he was, he could probably do everything he wants, go to places he’s never been before, stay out late at night without worrying about what his parents would say, get so drunk, date cheap girls who wear cheap perfumes and will probably be gone when dawn arrives…
But he couldn’t… and he’s stuck in fear for a good many years to come. Jun hated that. He really hated that.
“Father,” he called from the door, knocking twice before his father’s voice allowed him to come in. “Sho said you wanted to see me…”
His father’s back was turned to him as he sat on a swiveling chair, reading a piece of paper that alarmingly bears the logo of Jun’s university. Jun swallowed hard but he remained standing upright in front of his father.
“How…,” Matsumoto-san started, his voice harsh and firm. “How in the world could a student like you have these number of absences?!” His voice rose and Jun could feel his knees turning into water. His heart pounds in his chest, his mind blank and devoid of any rationality.
“I…,” he started to say but the words refuse to come out, as if they’ve been caged in somewhere.
“What?” Matsumoto-san asked. “Your number of absences exceeds the number of days you’ve attended school! What have you been doing with your life?”
“Who…,” Jun swallowed once. “Who…,” he swallowed twice and gave up, his voice quivering a little.
Matsumoto-san stood up and slammed the paper down on his desk.
“It doesn’t matter who told your dean to give me this report. It doesn’t even matter who gave me this information. Jun! What have you been doing?”
Jun remained silent, his brain refusing to cooperate with him to find good excuses. His hands were shaking, gripping the string of his bag tightly. He could feel cold sweat forming on his face and when his father exhaled, Jun could feel as if his breath was knocked out from him.
“At this rate, you will not be able to pass. Just imagine how much sniggering and snarky remarks your mother and I could get from… Jun… why must you be so difficult?” The older man rubbed his face in frustration and annoyance.
A fading strip of light sparked in Jun’s mind and he found his voice, small, weak and fearful.
“Father I… I was planning to get a tutor…”
“Tutor? Tutor?! At your age? Are you stupid?!” Matsumoto-san asked and Jun jumped a little.
“But I… if you want me to pass, I…”
“I will hold all your credit cards,” Matsumoto-san said and Jun stared at him.
“W-what?”
“You heard me right. I will hold all your credit cards, your ATM cards and you will get your allowance from the Yamada-san. I’ve instructed her as to how much you can receive everyday. Until you get a good score and until you attend all your classes diligently by the end of this term, everything will be as they are right now,” Matsumoto-san said, his eyes daring Jun to argue. “And when you get this tutor or whatever, make sure that this person really helps you get good grades. If not…,” he pause and exhaled. “Just… go.”
Jun gave a shaky bow and silently went out, almost slamming the door but not daring to. He was fuming, his knuckles turning white and almost bloodless and his feet were heavy as he ascends the stairs leading to his room. The moment he was in his sanctuary, he violently threw his bag on the bed, kicking everything and anything he could lay his eyes on.
“This sucks!” He screamed, kicking the foot of his bed. He gave a wild scream of pain when his foot connected with the hard wood and he cursed even more, wishing for things to turn out differently.
“THIS SUCKS!” He screamed as he walks towards his opened windows. “This really sucks! I wish… I wish I was born to a different set of parents so I will not see that nasty old man again!” He shouted and almost jumped away when an unexpected strip of lighting appeared on the starry sky and thunder boomed seconds after. Heavy rain started to pour yet the stars strangely twinkle and winked at him.
“Even the weather sucks,” Jun said as he went back to his bed and violently read the details about Ninomiya Kazunari. The information bore him and Ninomiya is just another insignificant poor student who was granted a scholarship to enter their school. He’s a penniless asshole who likes to act cool, Jun thought.
At the bottom of the page, Jun grinned as he found a screw that will put together all the jumbled pieces and will allow him to hit two birds with one stone.
“He’s doing tutorials?” He grinned evilly, fishing out his phone and dialing the number staring back at him. “At least… something went right.”
TBC
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1. *runs away*
2. Typos and things I've failed to change and grammar mistakes... I am a fail like that. Wahuhuhu.
3. *hides*