Forever & Ever 11
Title: Forever & Ever (Miseinen Sequel)
Author: Zion Shadowlet
Beta: butterflysaga(the bitch)
Characters: Aoi, Uruha, Ruki, Reita, Kai and many OCs (Fuwa etc.)
Pairing: Aoi/Uruha and more~
Genre: Drama, Romance, Friendship, Comedy
Rating: NC17
Summary: Six years have passed since the summer at the Dazai Bright Future Retreat for Troubled Children. The boys meet in an unexpected way perhaps bound by fate in the underground world of Visual Kei. With broken hearts and promises; the boys-now young men look to regain some of what they lost by the wild and reckless pursuit of the same dream.
Previous Parts: Part 1.1 | Part 1.2 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4.1| Part 4.2| Part 5| Part 6| Part 7.1| Part 7.2| Part 8.1| Part 8.2| Part 9| Part 10
Kai gently drummed on the table as he waited for one of his friends to arrive. He looked around, feeling strangely awkward sitting in Denny’s at 10 AM. Most of all the transient types who usually ate alone: the runaways kids, the truckers, the homeless, the lonely had all filed out and the place was packed with families complete with elderly grandparents and bored children. He was the only person sitting there alone.
The waitress, an attractive young woman with long hair and cute bangs walked up to his table and asked him in sweet voice “Good morning sir!” A small pretty smile graced her pleasant face.
“Good morning,” he returned her greeting with a tilting dimpled grin.
“Are you waiting for someone?” she said noticing that he had picked one of the larger tables.
“Yes!” he nodded enthusiastically.
“Should I wait until they come?” and once he nodded like she expected, she put her notepad in her crisp clean apron and asked him politely if he would like tea or coffee. He agreed to the latter. She turned around sharply and then almost bumping right into someone, tensed up nervously. “EXCUSE ME!!” she whimpered inaudibly.
“Uhhh no, it’s okay!” Reita smiled and laughed amiably. “Besides I practically walked into you,” he smirked and folded his arms, his boyish charms emanating off of him.
“Are you wi-wi-with him?” she stuttered and quickly turned to Kai, her shoulders still perched uncomfortably in the air.
“YUP!” Reita affirmed.
“Coffee? Tea? Water? Orange juice? Apple Juice? We have 4 types of tea,” she rattled off, staring at Reita her large pretty eyes unblinking. “And decaf…” she added.
“Orange juice would be great! Thank you so much!” he smiled.
“RIGHT AWAY!” she said a bit too loudly and scurried away.
Reita slid into the booth as he sat across from his friend who speechless, watched the exchange between him and the pretty young waitress.
“I think she likes you,” Kai said in disbelief.
“Oh?!” Reita leaned in shock. “You think?”
“Yeahhh. It’s a bit obvious.”
Reita turned as he watched the waitress come back with their drinks. “Here you go,” she said breathlessly setting them down. “Anything else?”
“No thank you,” Kai smiled up at her.
“Nope! This is great!”
She smiled and looking at Reita, blushed and turned around quickly to attend to another table.
“Yeah, she likes you,” Kai reiterated, bringing the hot coffee to his lips and blowing on it.
“She seems nice,” Reita said. “A girl with great taste like hers will have no problem finding a nice, wonderful, attractive and funny guy,” he joked in mock conceit.
“Riiiight,” Kai laughed.
“Who wants to make a bet that Uruha is late,” Ruki said suddenly sliding in right next to Reita and pushing him against the wall. “Waitress!” he called out. “Can I have apple juice?” Seeing her nod, he smiled cutely at her.
“Well, hello Ruki. Nice to know you have developed manners over these years,” Kai teased finally braving it enough to take a drink of his smoldering coffee.
“Hey,” Ruki smiled broadly.
“How’s it going?” Reita asked, straightening himself up.
“Good,” he gave him the same wide grin that he just given Kai. “How are you two?”
“Scoot over dimple face,” Aoi chirped walking over to his friends, his hands jammed into his jacket. He was wearing sunglasses and he had on a dark brown beanie.
“AOI!” Kai smiled and scooted over.
“Man, you look like someone whooped your ass,” Reita exclaimed with a half-hearted cringe.
“Waitress!” Aoi nearly screamed.
“Yes?” she said hurrying over to the table and setting Ruki’s apple juice down in front of him. “Can I help you?”
“Black coffee. If you have expresso, give me that. Whatever has the most caffeine,” he muttered.
She nodded. “Is this everyone?”
“We’re waiting for one more,” Kai said sweetly trying to ease up on the effect of Aoi’s cryptic rudeness. She nodded once more and hurried away.
“She’s pretty.” Aoi yawned and taking off his sunglasses rubbed at his eyes.
“What happened to you?” Kai asked.
“Didn’t sleep much last night…” he groaned. “Why are you all so cheery?”
“This is a reunion dude, why aren’t you?” Reita threw a small pack of sugar at him.
“Heyyy man,” he narrowed his eyes and playfully glared at him. “I’m sorry. I’m happy. I just-just didn’t get any sleep!”
“I’m late aren’t I?” Uruha asked walking up to his friends.
“Not too late,” Kai said with a smile. “Scoot over and let him sit down,” he said to Aoi. Reluctantly he did as he was asked. It seemed a bit ridiculous since the smaller guys were sitting on the other side of the booth. Uruha sat down next to him and feeling his thigh press against Aoi’s smiled to himself and tried to exchange a glance with him which the other young man, deliberately refused to do despite feeling his eyes on him. “So we are all here!” Kai announced.
“Man, kinda hard to believe,” Reita said, his smooth masculine voice pleasantly accompanying Kai’s enthusiasm.
“Are we supposed to talk about something or just…” Uruha looked around the table. The others merely shrugged. “So, everyone plays?” he asked.
“Yup,” Reita nodded. “Uh…that reminds me…” he shifted in his seat. “I’ve been thinking and…”
Ruki smiled at Aoi from across the table anticipating that Reita was going to defect.
“I might join your guys’ band but only after we rehearse once or twice so I know it’s the right fit…”
“Really?” Ruki said mustering up all the fake surprise he could. He knew that it was only a matter of time before he agreed.
“I wrote a song,” Uruha said as he looked up at the waitress returning with Aoi’s coffee.
“So, this is all of you?” she asked, pulling out her notepad.
“Yes!” Kai answered.
The waitress proceeded to take their orders and once she had them all including Uruha’s ridiculously confusing request, she bustled off once more.
“A song?” Ruki asked getting back to the point.
“Yes.”
“Great. Are you busy later today?” he asked.
“You can come by and hear it if you like.”
“Who else is in?” Ruki looked at the others. Aoi nodded and so did Reita. He looked at Kai and for a second, believed that he was in the band stared at him waiting an answer. “I’m sorry!” he cringed. “I forgot…I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay,” Kai forced a smile and looked down at his coffee.
“Alright, we’ll do that later,” Ruki said quickly ending the conversation. He didn’t want Kai to feel left out from the group. “So um….Luna Sea broke up,” he said thinking quickly of something they all shared and then realizing that he picked a depressing topic, mentally smacked himself.
“You’re making me so happy,” Aoi said sarcastically and feeling Ruki’s violent kick from under the table jumped up to the others’ surprise with a funny string of Dai-dai-dais causing them all to start laughing. “Do I look like Kai? You can’t hit meeee,” he glared at his friend’s cute little face.
“Can we talk about the wedding?” Uruha asked in all seriousness.
“When is it? June?” Ruki turned and looked at Reita. He knew that Uru’s question was directed at him so cutting out the awkward and embarrassing part; he tried to show the others that he was completely okay with Reita’s engagement-which in fact, was a lie.
“Yes,” Reita gave a low nod. “June 18th we are thinking.”
“So 9 days after Uruha’s birthday,” Aoi said downing his coffee.
“You remember my birthday?” Uruha smiled at him.
Aoi lifting up his eyes slowly returned his gaze. “Maybe.”
“What’s my birthday?” Reita asked him.
“You weren’t born. You hatched out of an egg like bird,” Aoi poked.
Ruki pursed his lips, cutely at Reita. “I’m sorry…but I don’t know it. Did you ever tell us?”
“I don’t think he told us,” Kai affirmed.
“You are all horrible friends! You should have asked me,” Reita shook his head.
“What’s mine?” Ruki asked.
“July….5th?” Reita guessed.
“So far off!” Kai laughed with a slap of his hands.
Gasping, Reita exclaimed “You know it?”
“February….1st?” he looked him for confirmation. Ruki nodded.
“Kai’s is October 28th. Reita’s is May 27th and Aoi’s is January 20th,” Uruha said filling in the rest right off the top of his head.
“DAMN!” Reita slammed his hands on the table shocked.
“I wrote it down in my old journal. I reread it so many times,” Uruha said matter-of-factly. This small bit of awkward and personal information caused all of them to grow quiet.
Breaking the silence, Reita said “Uruha makes us all feel like bad friends…”
“I thought that was Kai’s job,” Aoi added.
“That reminds me of that game Kuramoto made us play The Game of Life!” Reita laughed.
“OH YEAH!” Aoi smiled. “And Kai was the only one who went to college. Did you go to college?” he asked him. “Since you win at Life and everything?”
“Um…no. I dropped out to play the drums,” he laughed.
“We corrupted him,” Ruki said sipping at his juice.
“Rock star wasn’t one of the options,” Uruha said with a pout as if it were a true shame.
“I thought that was one in the actual game,” Reita tilted his head as he tried to remember if that was true or not. The waitress arriving with several plates set them down and went to get the others. “So besides me, who else isn’t single?” he asked.
“I’m seeing someone,” Uruha said. “Her name is Seiko.”
“Single,” Ruki blurted out and started shoving food into his mouth.
“I’m a hustler so I don’t date,” Aoi said with a shrug.
“Seriously?” Reita leaned in.
“Don’t act shocked. I thought you knew that already.”
“I-but-I thought-”
“That I would change?” Aoi shook his head no. “How about you, drum guy?”
“Uh…There is this one girl…I like her but…”
“But what?” Ruki asked with a bunch of food still in his mouth.
“She likes this other guy so…”
“Awww,” Reita shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t sell yourself,” Kai said turning to Aoi, unable to let the topic drop.
“End it. This is supposed to be a happy moment.”
The waitress came back and gave them the rest of their food. “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked. When no one said anything, she stole one more look at Reita before moving onto another table.
“She likes you,” Uruha said.
“Yeah, I know. Engaged,” he lifted up his finger and showed him the cheap thin silver band.
Ruki looking up from his food stared with intensity at the ring. He watched Reita’s hand as it moved back closer to its owner. Ruki, perhaps on impulse and on brimming jealousy, out of nowhere, reached over to Reita’s neck and finding a chain there, pulled out the necklace from under his shirt and seeing that it was indeed the beautiful cross that he had given him, let it fall and said “Good” and went back to eating. The others all watched Reita who mortified, clenched his jaw and blushed.
“Okay, not weird,” Aoi said finishing off his coffee. “I’m going to the little boy’s room. Get up,” he said to Uruha.
“Yeah, I’m going to go too,” Uruha said sliding out of the booth.
“Nothing is going to kill me in the bathroom.”
“I have to go too,” Uruha said simply with no indication that he wanted to be alone with him in particular.
“Right,” he said suspiciously. “Sweetie, can I have more coffee,” he said somewhat condescendingly to the waitress before heading to the washroom.
“What’s going on with them?” Reita asked as soon as they were out of earshot.
Kai shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Want my opinion?” Ruki asked.
“No,” Reita joked.
“Hey,” he slapped him gently.
“Fine,” Reita smiled.
“I think Uruha wants to be with him again but for some reason, Aoi is resisting.”
“I see…” Kai said sympathetically. “Someone should talk to Aoi…I mean…I think there is something up with him…He seems different, you know? And I don’t mean like how we get older kinda different…like there is something up.”
“I think so too,” Ruki agreed.
Volunteering, Reita said enthusiastically “Let me talk to him.”
“Um…” Kai looked at Ruki, unsure if whether or not Reita, who wasn’t necessarily the most keen person should be the one.
Reita catching their glances and understanding the nature of it, added “He might be more comfortable with me because I am more easy-going, you know? Like he might feel like he is getting lectured if one of you talk to him?”
“If you want to,” Ruki reluctantly agreed.
***
Uruha all the time they were in the bathroom didn’t say a word. He just went about his business.
“Alright, out with it,” Aoi said facing him. They were about to go back out there and join their friends.
“Out with what?” Uruha asked innocently.
“You aren’t going to ask why I upped and left after you fell asleep? You aren’t going to proposition me again?”
“I know why you left and no because I have no more money.”
Aoi stared at his face for several seconds. “You’re broke?”
“Almost.”
“I didn’t take the money.”
Uruha tilted his head. “You didn’t?”
“You didn’t notice?”
Uruha just shook his head and looking down asked “Do you forget often?”
“I didn’t forget…” Aoi sighed and looked away and stared intently at a long crack in the ceiling. For some reason, it made him feel comforted and at peace.
“What does that mean?” Uruha looked up, a strange look of fear hovering around his shiny black cat eyes.
“I don’t know what it means…” Aoi whispered, dropping his gaze to his pretty face.
“If I can’t pay you…I can’t have you-”
“Uruha,” Aoi cut him off.
“But…”
“I don’t know what it means. I don’t know what to think. I’m confused. I don’t know if I am angry or really sad or heartbroken or whether I am extremely happy. I just…” he sighed once more overwhelmed. “It’s too much right now…I…I don’t know.”
Uruha hearing the word “happy” felt something inside of himself flutter. Tentatively lifting up his hand and gingerly placing it comfortingly on Aoi’s as it hung limply from his side he said in a soft voice “It’s okay.”
Aoi stared down at his pale hand which unlike other aspects of Uruha was very masculine, strong around the knuckles and wide. “We should probably go back out there.”
“Mhm,” Uruha smiled soothingly, his expression patient and soft, his hand lingering on his before falling away from him. Aoi feeling it depart, felt a sweet longing creep up in him. He looked up and returned his gaze.
At that moment, he had the strange sensation that he could see his future in a way, like he could feel its shape, sense its presence. He knew that he was going to fall in love with him again. And like a man whose heel still rested on the edge of the cliff, his toes hovering over the endless empty space, he knew it was only moments before he was going to fall. He felt the fear well up in him and mingling with it, the desire to be free, unbound by gravity and reality.
“Let’s go,” Uruha said softly.
“Yeah…”
***
The 5 of them filed onto the bus, a pack of ruffian hoodlum looking young men, boisterously making their way to the back. Several uptight passengers threw angry glances at them, observing the ratty looking clothes and Ruki half red head. Swinging on one of the bars, Aoi threw himself in farthest seat in the corner. He lifted up his feet and rested them on the seat in front of him. Ruki sat down next to him. Kai sitting on the seat that served as an ottoman for Aoi, pushed his feet away playfully. Quietly, Uruha sat down next to him and Reita, figuring that they should make a circle of sorts, sat down next to Ruki who smiled at his decision to sit down next to him, making sure that Reita saw that he was pleased.
“It doesn’t matter that you aren’t going to be playing with us,” Aoi said picking up the conversation from where they left off. “Come and just spend some time with us. This isn’t a real rehearsal or anything, right?” he looked to the others for confirmation.
Ruki shook his head no. “Besides, it will feel weird just departing from you.”
Kai, folded his arms and thought about it. Certainly, it was nice that they wanted to include him as much as possible. There really wasn’t any good reason to deny them. “Sure,” he agreed. An amiable smile suddenly appeared on his face.
“Can I use your cell phone really quickly?” Ruki asked abruptly as a thought occurred to him.
Pulling it out, Kai asked “What for?”
“Fuwa wants me to call him if I’m going to be out until after dinner,” he answered matter-of-factly as he took the small grey phone and started dialing. The other four as if timed on a machine, turned and looked sharply at him. Before pressing the call button he looked up at them, his eyes dragging from one face to the next. “OH!” he laughed. “I met up with Fuwa!”
“We can assume that,” Kai said.
“Dinner?” Uruha leaned in.
Ruki smiled a bubbly cute smile. “Um…When he found out that I wasn’t living with anyone, he asked me to stay with him…so…”
“You’re living with Fuwa?” Aoi asked in an attempt to get things clear.
Ruki nodded.
“Like for real?” Kai was in disbelief.
“Why is that so shocking?”
The other 4 didn’t quite know what to say. It just was. It wasn’t exactly what one would have expected. Sure, they knew that they were close but they didn’t realize exactly how close.
“Is he like…” Uruha spoke up. “Like a step-dad or something?”
“No.”
“Then why do you have to call him?”
“He asked me to.”
“Why?” Kai asked.
“You were homeless?” Reita suddenly cut in.
“Mhm,” Ruki looked at him and nodded, returning his gaze to Kai he answered once more “He asked me to.”
“So, you are living with Mr. Fuwa, our old counselor like legitimately living with him?” Aoi couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.
“Yes.” Ruki was beginning to get irritated.
Kai with a cough remarked “I didn’t realize you were…that close to one another.”
“Well, we are,” he said with finality and pressed the call button. He held the phone to his ear and listened to the ring. The others still surprised didn’t say anything else. “Hey, it’s me Ruki,” he said. “Can I speak to Toru?”
Hearing him address him by that name, Kai exchanged a look with Aoi. Both of them raised their eyebrows knowingly.
“Hey,” Ruki’s voice went suddenly sweet. “I’m calling from Kai’s cell. Oh?” he giggled. “He says hi,” he said, transferring the message over to Kai. “Um…what are you up to?” As he listened to his response, he completely ignored his friends, harboring a feeling of mild anger toward them and their misunderstanding. “We’re heading to Uruha’s to listen to a song he composed. I’ll probably be out for a while. I’ll call you when I am heading home….I’ll be safe….Okay…Talk to you later,” he chirped the last phrase happily before hanging up and handing the phone back to Kai.
“I don’t think it’s so weird,” Reita said. “I mean…uh…I wasn’t supposed to go about it like that?” He cringed realizing that he jumped the gun instead of easing into it.
“No, not really…” Uruha agreed.
Aoi, sighed and thinking about it, concluding “Well, if you are happy and safe and he’s looking out for you, I don’t think it’s a big deal. I mean, who better to look after Ruki than Fuwa, right?”
“I don’t see how it’s strange at all,” Ruki said defiantly.
Kai sighed. Not wanting to incite his anger, he said in a soft voice “It’s just that…well…it’s sudden. You haven’t even seen him in 6 yea-”
Before he couldn’t finish his sentence, Ruki cut in “Doesn’t matter how long. When I saw him again, it was like nothing had changed between us.” It was almost as if his words were meant to wound the other four, as if Ruki was trying to say unlike them, Fuwa’s love and affection was so much stronger, that he was more loyal, more honest, more devout than them who over time had let their relationship fall into ruin. They sat there feeling uncomfortable and guilty.
“Fuwa is a good man,” Uruha said as if he had come to a conclusion inside of his head.
“Yeah,” Reita folded his arms and sighed, feeling strangely disappointed with himself. “It’s nice that you finally have a real father.”
“I have a real father,” Ruki asserted.
“Right. I mean you have…someone who would do things for you, your dad wouldn’t,” Reita clarified.
“Fuwa is my friend not my father.”
“Right…I know…But…”
“Let it drop,” Aoi said standing up. They had reached their stop. “Ruki is happy and safe. That’s all that matters,” he said sliding past them.
[A/N I think this is going to be my regular posting time. I think the chapters might be getting a little shorter since I am running behind on writing since for that time period when my friend was here. I hope you enjoy!]
Author: Zion Shadowlet
Beta: butterflysaga(the bitch)
Characters: Aoi, Uruha, Ruki, Reita, Kai and many OCs (Fuwa etc.)
Pairing: Aoi/Uruha and more~
Genre: Drama, Romance, Friendship, Comedy
Rating: NC17
Summary: Six years have passed since the summer at the Dazai Bright Future Retreat for Troubled Children. The boys meet in an unexpected way perhaps bound by fate in the underground world of Visual Kei. With broken hearts and promises; the boys-now young men look to regain some of what they lost by the wild and reckless pursuit of the same dream.
Previous Parts: Part 1.1 | Part 1.2 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4.1| Part 4.2| Part 5| Part 6| Part 7.1| Part 7.2| Part 8.1| Part 8.2| Part 9| Part 10
Kai gently drummed on the table as he waited for one of his friends to arrive. He looked around, feeling strangely awkward sitting in Denny’s at 10 AM. Most of all the transient types who usually ate alone: the runaways kids, the truckers, the homeless, the lonely had all filed out and the place was packed with families complete with elderly grandparents and bored children. He was the only person sitting there alone.
The waitress, an attractive young woman with long hair and cute bangs walked up to his table and asked him in sweet voice “Good morning sir!” A small pretty smile graced her pleasant face.
“Good morning,” he returned her greeting with a tilting dimpled grin.
“Are you waiting for someone?” she said noticing that he had picked one of the larger tables.
“Yes!” he nodded enthusiastically.
“Should I wait until they come?” and once he nodded like she expected, she put her notepad in her crisp clean apron and asked him politely if he would like tea or coffee. He agreed to the latter. She turned around sharply and then almost bumping right into someone, tensed up nervously. “EXCUSE ME!!” she whimpered inaudibly.
“Uhhh no, it’s okay!” Reita smiled and laughed amiably. “Besides I practically walked into you,” he smirked and folded his arms, his boyish charms emanating off of him.
“Are you wi-wi-with him?” she stuttered and quickly turned to Kai, her shoulders still perched uncomfortably in the air.
“YUP!” Reita affirmed.
“Coffee? Tea? Water? Orange juice? Apple Juice? We have 4 types of tea,” she rattled off, staring at Reita her large pretty eyes unblinking. “And decaf…” she added.
“Orange juice would be great! Thank you so much!” he smiled.
“RIGHT AWAY!” she said a bit too loudly and scurried away.
Reita slid into the booth as he sat across from his friend who speechless, watched the exchange between him and the pretty young waitress.
“I think she likes you,” Kai said in disbelief.
“Oh?!” Reita leaned in shock. “You think?”
“Yeahhh. It’s a bit obvious.”
Reita turned as he watched the waitress come back with their drinks. “Here you go,” she said breathlessly setting them down. “Anything else?”
“No thank you,” Kai smiled up at her.
“Nope! This is great!”
She smiled and looking at Reita, blushed and turned around quickly to attend to another table.
“Yeah, she likes you,” Kai reiterated, bringing the hot coffee to his lips and blowing on it.
“She seems nice,” Reita said. “A girl with great taste like hers will have no problem finding a nice, wonderful, attractive and funny guy,” he joked in mock conceit.
“Riiiight,” Kai laughed.
“Who wants to make a bet that Uruha is late,” Ruki said suddenly sliding in right next to Reita and pushing him against the wall. “Waitress!” he called out. “Can I have apple juice?” Seeing her nod, he smiled cutely at her.
“Well, hello Ruki. Nice to know you have developed manners over these years,” Kai teased finally braving it enough to take a drink of his smoldering coffee.
“Hey,” Ruki smiled broadly.
“How’s it going?” Reita asked, straightening himself up.
“Good,” he gave him the same wide grin that he just given Kai. “How are you two?”
“Scoot over dimple face,” Aoi chirped walking over to his friends, his hands jammed into his jacket. He was wearing sunglasses and he had on a dark brown beanie.
“AOI!” Kai smiled and scooted over.
“Man, you look like someone whooped your ass,” Reita exclaimed with a half-hearted cringe.
“Waitress!” Aoi nearly screamed.
“Yes?” she said hurrying over to the table and setting Ruki’s apple juice down in front of him. “Can I help you?”
“Black coffee. If you have expresso, give me that. Whatever has the most caffeine,” he muttered.
She nodded. “Is this everyone?”
“We’re waiting for one more,” Kai said sweetly trying to ease up on the effect of Aoi’s cryptic rudeness. She nodded once more and hurried away.
“She’s pretty.” Aoi yawned and taking off his sunglasses rubbed at his eyes.
“What happened to you?” Kai asked.
“Didn’t sleep much last night…” he groaned. “Why are you all so cheery?”
“This is a reunion dude, why aren’t you?” Reita threw a small pack of sugar at him.
“Heyyy man,” he narrowed his eyes and playfully glared at him. “I’m sorry. I’m happy. I just-just didn’t get any sleep!”
“I’m late aren’t I?” Uruha asked walking up to his friends.
“Not too late,” Kai said with a smile. “Scoot over and let him sit down,” he said to Aoi. Reluctantly he did as he was asked. It seemed a bit ridiculous since the smaller guys were sitting on the other side of the booth. Uruha sat down next to him and feeling his thigh press against Aoi’s smiled to himself and tried to exchange a glance with him which the other young man, deliberately refused to do despite feeling his eyes on him. “So we are all here!” Kai announced.
“Man, kinda hard to believe,” Reita said, his smooth masculine voice pleasantly accompanying Kai’s enthusiasm.
“Are we supposed to talk about something or just…” Uruha looked around the table. The others merely shrugged. “So, everyone plays?” he asked.
“Yup,” Reita nodded. “Uh…that reminds me…” he shifted in his seat. “I’ve been thinking and…”
Ruki smiled at Aoi from across the table anticipating that Reita was going to defect.
“I might join your guys’ band but only after we rehearse once or twice so I know it’s the right fit…”
“Really?” Ruki said mustering up all the fake surprise he could. He knew that it was only a matter of time before he agreed.
“I wrote a song,” Uruha said as he looked up at the waitress returning with Aoi’s coffee.
“So, this is all of you?” she asked, pulling out her notepad.
“Yes!” Kai answered.
The waitress proceeded to take their orders and once she had them all including Uruha’s ridiculously confusing request, she bustled off once more.
“A song?” Ruki asked getting back to the point.
“Yes.”
“Great. Are you busy later today?” he asked.
“You can come by and hear it if you like.”
“Who else is in?” Ruki looked at the others. Aoi nodded and so did Reita. He looked at Kai and for a second, believed that he was in the band stared at him waiting an answer. “I’m sorry!” he cringed. “I forgot…I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay,” Kai forced a smile and looked down at his coffee.
“Alright, we’ll do that later,” Ruki said quickly ending the conversation. He didn’t want Kai to feel left out from the group. “So um….Luna Sea broke up,” he said thinking quickly of something they all shared and then realizing that he picked a depressing topic, mentally smacked himself.
“You’re making me so happy,” Aoi said sarcastically and feeling Ruki’s violent kick from under the table jumped up to the others’ surprise with a funny string of Dai-dai-dais causing them all to start laughing. “Do I look like Kai? You can’t hit meeee,” he glared at his friend’s cute little face.
“Can we talk about the wedding?” Uruha asked in all seriousness.
“When is it? June?” Ruki turned and looked at Reita. He knew that Uru’s question was directed at him so cutting out the awkward and embarrassing part; he tried to show the others that he was completely okay with Reita’s engagement-which in fact, was a lie.
“Yes,” Reita gave a low nod. “June 18th we are thinking.”
“So 9 days after Uruha’s birthday,” Aoi said downing his coffee.
“You remember my birthday?” Uruha smiled at him.
Aoi lifting up his eyes slowly returned his gaze. “Maybe.”
“What’s my birthday?” Reita asked him.
“You weren’t born. You hatched out of an egg like bird,” Aoi poked.
Ruki pursed his lips, cutely at Reita. “I’m sorry…but I don’t know it. Did you ever tell us?”
“I don’t think he told us,” Kai affirmed.
“You are all horrible friends! You should have asked me,” Reita shook his head.
“What’s mine?” Ruki asked.
“July….5th?” Reita guessed.
“So far off!” Kai laughed with a slap of his hands.
Gasping, Reita exclaimed “You know it?”
“February….1st?” he looked him for confirmation. Ruki nodded.
“Kai’s is October 28th. Reita’s is May 27th and Aoi’s is January 20th,” Uruha said filling in the rest right off the top of his head.
“DAMN!” Reita slammed his hands on the table shocked.
“I wrote it down in my old journal. I reread it so many times,” Uruha said matter-of-factly. This small bit of awkward and personal information caused all of them to grow quiet.
Breaking the silence, Reita said “Uruha makes us all feel like bad friends…”
“I thought that was Kai’s job,” Aoi added.
“That reminds me of that game Kuramoto made us play The Game of Life!” Reita laughed.
“OH YEAH!” Aoi smiled. “And Kai was the only one who went to college. Did you go to college?” he asked him. “Since you win at Life and everything?”
“Um…no. I dropped out to play the drums,” he laughed.
“We corrupted him,” Ruki said sipping at his juice.
“Rock star wasn’t one of the options,” Uruha said with a pout as if it were a true shame.
“I thought that was one in the actual game,” Reita tilted his head as he tried to remember if that was true or not. The waitress arriving with several plates set them down and went to get the others. “So besides me, who else isn’t single?” he asked.
“I’m seeing someone,” Uruha said. “Her name is Seiko.”
“Single,” Ruki blurted out and started shoving food into his mouth.
“I’m a hustler so I don’t date,” Aoi said with a shrug.
“Seriously?” Reita leaned in.
“Don’t act shocked. I thought you knew that already.”
“I-but-I thought-”
“That I would change?” Aoi shook his head no. “How about you, drum guy?”
“Uh…There is this one girl…I like her but…”
“But what?” Ruki asked with a bunch of food still in his mouth.
“She likes this other guy so…”
“Awww,” Reita shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t sell yourself,” Kai said turning to Aoi, unable to let the topic drop.
“End it. This is supposed to be a happy moment.”
The waitress came back and gave them the rest of their food. “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked. When no one said anything, she stole one more look at Reita before moving onto another table.
“She likes you,” Uruha said.
“Yeah, I know. Engaged,” he lifted up his finger and showed him the cheap thin silver band.
Ruki looking up from his food stared with intensity at the ring. He watched Reita’s hand as it moved back closer to its owner. Ruki, perhaps on impulse and on brimming jealousy, out of nowhere, reached over to Reita’s neck and finding a chain there, pulled out the necklace from under his shirt and seeing that it was indeed the beautiful cross that he had given him, let it fall and said “Good” and went back to eating. The others all watched Reita who mortified, clenched his jaw and blushed.
“Okay, not weird,” Aoi said finishing off his coffee. “I’m going to the little boy’s room. Get up,” he said to Uruha.
“Yeah, I’m going to go too,” Uruha said sliding out of the booth.
“Nothing is going to kill me in the bathroom.”
“I have to go too,” Uruha said simply with no indication that he wanted to be alone with him in particular.
“Right,” he said suspiciously. “Sweetie, can I have more coffee,” he said somewhat condescendingly to the waitress before heading to the washroom.
“What’s going on with them?” Reita asked as soon as they were out of earshot.
Kai shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Want my opinion?” Ruki asked.
“No,” Reita joked.
“Hey,” he slapped him gently.
“Fine,” Reita smiled.
“I think Uruha wants to be with him again but for some reason, Aoi is resisting.”
“I see…” Kai said sympathetically. “Someone should talk to Aoi…I mean…I think there is something up with him…He seems different, you know? And I don’t mean like how we get older kinda different…like there is something up.”
“I think so too,” Ruki agreed.
Volunteering, Reita said enthusiastically “Let me talk to him.”
“Um…” Kai looked at Ruki, unsure if whether or not Reita, who wasn’t necessarily the most keen person should be the one.
Reita catching their glances and understanding the nature of it, added “He might be more comfortable with me because I am more easy-going, you know? Like he might feel like he is getting lectured if one of you talk to him?”
“If you want to,” Ruki reluctantly agreed.
***
Uruha all the time they were in the bathroom didn’t say a word. He just went about his business.
“Alright, out with it,” Aoi said facing him. They were about to go back out there and join their friends.
“Out with what?” Uruha asked innocently.
“You aren’t going to ask why I upped and left after you fell asleep? You aren’t going to proposition me again?”
“I know why you left and no because I have no more money.”
Aoi stared at his face for several seconds. “You’re broke?”
“Almost.”
“I didn’t take the money.”
Uruha tilted his head. “You didn’t?”
“You didn’t notice?”
Uruha just shook his head and looking down asked “Do you forget often?”
“I didn’t forget…” Aoi sighed and looked away and stared intently at a long crack in the ceiling. For some reason, it made him feel comforted and at peace.
“What does that mean?” Uruha looked up, a strange look of fear hovering around his shiny black cat eyes.
“I don’t know what it means…” Aoi whispered, dropping his gaze to his pretty face.
“If I can’t pay you…I can’t have you-”
“Uruha,” Aoi cut him off.
“But…”
“I don’t know what it means. I don’t know what to think. I’m confused. I don’t know if I am angry or really sad or heartbroken or whether I am extremely happy. I just…” he sighed once more overwhelmed. “It’s too much right now…I…I don’t know.”
Uruha hearing the word “happy” felt something inside of himself flutter. Tentatively lifting up his hand and gingerly placing it comfortingly on Aoi’s as it hung limply from his side he said in a soft voice “It’s okay.”
Aoi stared down at his pale hand which unlike other aspects of Uruha was very masculine, strong around the knuckles and wide. “We should probably go back out there.”
“Mhm,” Uruha smiled soothingly, his expression patient and soft, his hand lingering on his before falling away from him. Aoi feeling it depart, felt a sweet longing creep up in him. He looked up and returned his gaze.
At that moment, he had the strange sensation that he could see his future in a way, like he could feel its shape, sense its presence. He knew that he was going to fall in love with him again. And like a man whose heel still rested on the edge of the cliff, his toes hovering over the endless empty space, he knew it was only moments before he was going to fall. He felt the fear well up in him and mingling with it, the desire to be free, unbound by gravity and reality.
“Let’s go,” Uruha said softly.
“Yeah…”
***
The 5 of them filed onto the bus, a pack of ruffian hoodlum looking young men, boisterously making their way to the back. Several uptight passengers threw angry glances at them, observing the ratty looking clothes and Ruki half red head. Swinging on one of the bars, Aoi threw himself in farthest seat in the corner. He lifted up his feet and rested them on the seat in front of him. Ruki sat down next to him. Kai sitting on the seat that served as an ottoman for Aoi, pushed his feet away playfully. Quietly, Uruha sat down next to him and Reita, figuring that they should make a circle of sorts, sat down next to Ruki who smiled at his decision to sit down next to him, making sure that Reita saw that he was pleased.
“It doesn’t matter that you aren’t going to be playing with us,” Aoi said picking up the conversation from where they left off. “Come and just spend some time with us. This isn’t a real rehearsal or anything, right?” he looked to the others for confirmation.
Ruki shook his head no. “Besides, it will feel weird just departing from you.”
Kai, folded his arms and thought about it. Certainly, it was nice that they wanted to include him as much as possible. There really wasn’t any good reason to deny them. “Sure,” he agreed. An amiable smile suddenly appeared on his face.
“Can I use your cell phone really quickly?” Ruki asked abruptly as a thought occurred to him.
Pulling it out, Kai asked “What for?”
“Fuwa wants me to call him if I’m going to be out until after dinner,” he answered matter-of-factly as he took the small grey phone and started dialing. The other four as if timed on a machine, turned and looked sharply at him. Before pressing the call button he looked up at them, his eyes dragging from one face to the next. “OH!” he laughed. “I met up with Fuwa!”
“We can assume that,” Kai said.
“Dinner?” Uruha leaned in.
Ruki smiled a bubbly cute smile. “Um…When he found out that I wasn’t living with anyone, he asked me to stay with him…so…”
“You’re living with Fuwa?” Aoi asked in an attempt to get things clear.
Ruki nodded.
“Like for real?” Kai was in disbelief.
“Why is that so shocking?”
The other 4 didn’t quite know what to say. It just was. It wasn’t exactly what one would have expected. Sure, they knew that they were close but they didn’t realize exactly how close.
“Is he like…” Uruha spoke up. “Like a step-dad or something?”
“No.”
“Then why do you have to call him?”
“He asked me to.”
“Why?” Kai asked.
“You were homeless?” Reita suddenly cut in.
“Mhm,” Ruki looked at him and nodded, returning his gaze to Kai he answered once more “He asked me to.”
“So, you are living with Mr. Fuwa, our old counselor like legitimately living with him?” Aoi couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.
“Yes.” Ruki was beginning to get irritated.
Kai with a cough remarked “I didn’t realize you were…that close to one another.”
“Well, we are,” he said with finality and pressed the call button. He held the phone to his ear and listened to the ring. The others still surprised didn’t say anything else. “Hey, it’s me Ruki,” he said. “Can I speak to Toru?”
Hearing him address him by that name, Kai exchanged a look with Aoi. Both of them raised their eyebrows knowingly.
“Hey,” Ruki’s voice went suddenly sweet. “I’m calling from Kai’s cell. Oh?” he giggled. “He says hi,” he said, transferring the message over to Kai. “Um…what are you up to?” As he listened to his response, he completely ignored his friends, harboring a feeling of mild anger toward them and their misunderstanding. “We’re heading to Uruha’s to listen to a song he composed. I’ll probably be out for a while. I’ll call you when I am heading home….I’ll be safe….Okay…Talk to you later,” he chirped the last phrase happily before hanging up and handing the phone back to Kai.
“I don’t think it’s so weird,” Reita said. “I mean…uh…I wasn’t supposed to go about it like that?” He cringed realizing that he jumped the gun instead of easing into it.
“No, not really…” Uruha agreed.
Aoi, sighed and thinking about it, concluding “Well, if you are happy and safe and he’s looking out for you, I don’t think it’s a big deal. I mean, who better to look after Ruki than Fuwa, right?”
“I don’t see how it’s strange at all,” Ruki said defiantly.
Kai sighed. Not wanting to incite his anger, he said in a soft voice “It’s just that…well…it’s sudden. You haven’t even seen him in 6 yea-”
Before he couldn’t finish his sentence, Ruki cut in “Doesn’t matter how long. When I saw him again, it was like nothing had changed between us.” It was almost as if his words were meant to wound the other four, as if Ruki was trying to say unlike them, Fuwa’s love and affection was so much stronger, that he was more loyal, more honest, more devout than them who over time had let their relationship fall into ruin. They sat there feeling uncomfortable and guilty.
“Fuwa is a good man,” Uruha said as if he had come to a conclusion inside of his head.
“Yeah,” Reita folded his arms and sighed, feeling strangely disappointed with himself. “It’s nice that you finally have a real father.”
“I have a real father,” Ruki asserted.
“Right. I mean you have…someone who would do things for you, your dad wouldn’t,” Reita clarified.
“Fuwa is my friend not my father.”
“Right…I know…But…”
“Let it drop,” Aoi said standing up. They had reached their stop. “Ruki is happy and safe. That’s all that matters,” he said sliding past them.
[A/N I think this is going to be my regular posting time. I think the chapters might be getting a little shorter since I am running behind on writing since for that time period when my friend was here. I hope you enjoy!]