Bittersweet (Chapter 2)
Title: Bittersweet
Group/pairing: Arashi/ Ohmiya, Sakuraiba, one-sided Sho X OC
Genre: Romance, Humour, Angst
Length: Chaptered
Chapter: 2
Prompt: Taste
Summary: On the same day Nino started working at Choco la Vie, he met one face he'd never forget.
Word Count: 2143 words
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I only own a LOVE photoset of Sho and the story plot- nothing else XD
Author note: Here we go- the next instalment of "Bittersweet"! It might seem a little slow but I do hope that I'll be able to come up with more Ohmiya moments in a way that won't make it too rushed. Gahhh this might be one of my harder stories yet!
Chapter 2: Matcha Green Tea Infusion
Ohno usually drove home, but his car had been sent for repairs and he could only pick it up in two days. After stopping by Choco la Vie, he had gone for a friend's birthday party with the chocolates as a birthday gift. However, he had left earlier than his other friends and realised that the only way he could get home quickly would be to take the bus and alight at the nearest subway station so he could flag down a taxi from the crowded area. He hopped on the bus and sat down with his sketchbook in hand. Ohno gave a tired sigh as he proceeded to draw on a new page when he spotted a familiar man from one corner of his eye. He looked up and saw that same man who had been occupying his thoughts for the whole day. He was sitting just a short distance away, his eyes staring out of the window, gazing into the dark streets.
Somehow, he could not forget that face from the chocolate shop. He could remember himself casually observing the man behind the counter while queuing behind a long line of customers. He could recall the way his playful eyes crinkled into thin, happy lines whenever he smiled at satisfied customers. And then there was that flawless skin that resembled porcelain. He was an interesting person, he thought.
Taking a pencil, Ohno proceeded to sketch out the man's side portrait, noting (discreetly, of course) the way that his eyes watched the world outside and the way his lips stayed in a light,bored pout. His pencil laid down small, sketchy lines that formed his jet-black hair and shaped up his button nose. It was not long before the man got up and alighted the bus. Realising that his "model" was gone, his drawing hand and focused state of mind halted altogether as he watched him go, wondering when he might see him again. He left the bus soon after and took a taxi back home.
The taxi wound its way down a few corners of the shining streets before reaching a tall, luxurious apartment building. Ohno thanked the driver, paid his fare and stepped out. Just then his phone rang. He looked at his mobile, gave an exasperated sigh and hurried back to his apartment while answering the call.
Being the son of the director of the Ohno Group is not always easy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nino gradually got used to working together with his new colleagues and found them to be very comfortable companions in his otherwise rather boring life as a budding songwriter and singer. Every day would start with Michiyo's coffee and would soon be filled with Aiba's jokes, Sho's witty remarks and Jun's own sadistic jokes that include break cuts and salary cuts for "excessive and unhealthy displays of affection" from the pair.
He never saw that man again in the shop. But, he soon realised he need not worry about that- that man apparently takes the same bus back home at around the same time as himself. Sometimes he saw him dressed smartly, holding in his hand a pen and noting something now on a notebook while taking a call. Sometimes, he'd be holding up a sketchbook and pencil in hand, carefully sketching with those focused brown eyes and furrowed brows. Sometimes he'd be reading a book on fishing, be it fishing techniques or the types of fishes that can be found in Japan. Some other times ( he giggled at the memory here) he'd be sound asleep on the bus seat, arms folded with the back of his head resting against the window and his relaxed sleeping face would face the air-conditioning vents above, Nino could remember himself laughing softly at the man's sleeping form, wondering when he had ever seen something else so amusing. Or adorable. Knowing nothing about the man was, perhaps, one of the reasons why Nino kept on watching him discreetly from afar. It was like a game of some sort, guessing what kind of a person he was and what hobbies he might have. There was that air of mystery about him, almost unnoticeable because of his carefree, sleepy demeanor.
It had been almost a month now since he started working there. "Good morning, Nino-san, you're early! " Michiyo greeted as she entered the back door of the shop into the storeroom. Nino straightened his red neck tie and greeted her, waiting patiently for her to finish changing.
"Actually, I couldn't sleep. But that meant Mario progressed through a few more levels, " Nino said, waving his DS to illustrate his point.
"You really ought to get more sleep though, Nino-san. You look like you could use some coffee," Michiyo advised as she started up the coffee machine to brew a few cappuccinos. Just then Sho joined them from the kitchen.
"Ah, Michiyo-chan, Nino-kun, I require your opinions on something," he announced. Michiyo handed Sho his coffee and Nino took his, listening attentively.
"I'm thinking of adding some personal touches to our services," Sho said as he looked down at his clipboard, " like writing down our customers' names and what they ordered. Additionally, we have less mix-ups with orders and..." Sho looked encouragingly at Nino and Michiyo as he continued, "Michiyo-chan can help Nino be more familiar with the products. Why don't we try that? "
"Sounds great! Has Matsumoto-san heard of this already?," Michiyo asked excitedly.
Sho chuckled as he finished the last of his coffee, "Nope, but let's propose the idea to him later. He might agree to it, since he' been trying to keep track of the customers' orders these days... "
"Why not? It'd be a good way to keep track of our customers' tastes and preferences so we'll know which chocolates would suit whom," Jun agreed as Sho brought up his suggestion, "but what are we using? Post-it notes?"
"Those are incredibly efficient, Matsumoto-san, " Michiyo said.
"Ah right. Well, i guess we can try this then," Jun said as he started preparing chocolates for the day.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Thank you, Akizuki-san! Please come again!" Nino spoke politely as he handed a bag with a small box of chocolates to a female customer. Sho brushed past Nino, his hand holding up a pot of coffee.
"Shall I refill that for you, Tachibana-san?" He asked charmingly and the blushing customer could not help but agree and nod her thanks.
"Ah, nice to see you again, Kitagawa-san. Shall I prepare your favourite liqueur truffles?" Michiyo asked as she scribbled the woman's name down.
"Whoa, it seems that Sho-chan's suggestion is working well, isn't it?" Aiba chirped as he looked up from decorating the chocolates in front of him. Jun looked up and watched Nino nodding politely at a customer before proceeding to pack more chocolates into a box.
"Yes, it seems that Nino-kun is getting used to this already," Jun said. Just then, Michiyo strode in, two empty trays in hand.
"Yosh! We'll need more of those vanilla eclairs as well as the dark chocolate pralines," she reported.
"Mou, just before lunch time?" Aiba mock-grumbled as he started searching the fridge.
"Thank you! Please come again!" Nino said as he handed over two paper bags to a customer. Just then, the door swung open and an all-too-familiar figure had caught his attention. He had come back. Unlike the previous time, he wore a smart-looking suit. Being slightly more familiar with the chocolates this time, he decided to serve him.
"Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?" Nino greeted, trying his best to curb his nervousness.
The man's eyes crinkled into two shiny crescents as he looked at the chocolates. "What would you recommend?" he asked in return. Nino stood frozen in his spot as he started panicking. Firstly, he had forgotten the name of the newer products. Secondly, it was him. The guy whom he had his eye on for the past month. He must be thinking he was a complete dolt for freezing up over his orders. Thirdly, he did not know what to recommend for a guy he had no concrete idea about. Giving the man a small smile and a light scan of the products he was familiar with, he pointed at one of them, keeping his toes crossed.
"The Matcha Green Tea Infusion seems appropriate," Nino suggested. The man looked up at him with interest.
"Why do you say so?" he questioned. Nino gave him a light smile .
"It has a familiar, relaxing flavour of green tea," Nino explained, "and additionally, its combination with the white chocolate gives it a soothing, milky taste."
The man grinned widely at his response, "I'll have five of these then. Oh, and three of that Mint and Milk Chocolate Tablets from the previous time."
Nino nodded as he noted down the orders on his Post-It pad. Finally, he gets to ask the one thing he had been wondering about for a long while.
"May I have your name, please?"
The man looked up in light surprise and nodded. "Ohno Satoshi," he replied.
Nino scribbled down his name and hurriedly prepared his order. Michiyo looked on with an arched eyebrow as she checked the chocolates in the display case. "Thank you, Ohno-san! Please come again! " Nino said as he handed over the bag of chocolates to him. Ohno smiled.
"Thank you too,... Ninomiya-san," he replied and exited the shop, leaving Nino in a daze just as the half-hour lunch break commenced.
"That guy... knows my name... " he muttered as he tried to snap out of his shock.
"Of course he does, Nino-san," Michiyo replied pointedly while gesturing to his name tag that reads "Ninomiya Kazunari ".
"But no customer has ever called you like that, right, Michiyo-chan? " Nino asked.
"Well, no... " Michiyo replied, then stopped short, " Wait. Don't tell me, you actually ... "
"Oil! What are you talking about?! I don't even know him! " Nino protested, blushing lightly while hurrying off to the break room for some water.
"Just checking..." Michiyo mumbled with a smirk as she left the shop for lunch.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That night, Nino left quickly without saying a word. The other three men in Choco La Vie pulled a slightly-annoyed Michiyo aside.
"Ne, ne, Michiyo-chan! Don't you think Nino has been acting strange today?" Aiba asked.
"Well," Michiyo groaned as she reached for a bottle of tea she always took with her, "he seemed normal... at least until a certain male customer came and he became a little strange after that."
"... Surely you don't think that he.." Sho inquired. Michiyo shrugged.
"I'm not too sure myself.. He said that he barely even knew him," Michiyo replied as she picked up her bag, bowed and took her leave.
"But.. he has that look," she thought, "that same stupid look I catch myself having when I think about..."
She paused in her steps and turned around, giving the chocolate shop a meaningful glance. She could hear Sho laughing with Aiba inside the shop and Jun mock-scolding them. She brushed away the tight clench in her heart and walked back home.
Nino hurried to the bus stop with a new resolve. He would speak to him today. Just like he had hoped, the bus arrived promptly. He hopped up the bus and looked around. There he was. Ohno Satoshi. There he sat... at Nino's usual seat. Nino stared at him in surprise and sauntered up to him, sitting down right beside him. Ohno looked up at him, smiling as he recognised Nino before turning back to his fishing magazine.
For quite a while, no one said a word. Nino sat beside Ohno, playing Mario 3D Land on his Nintendo 3DS while Ohno simply flipped through his magazine.
"Darn it," Nino thought, "to think I had said that I wanted to speak to him..."
"... The chocolates were delicious."
Nino's attention was jolted out of his game as he turned to look at Ohno in complete surprise.
"The green tea chocolates you recommended me," Ohno explained, "it was really delicious. I enjoyed it."
Nino's face broke into a relieved smile. It seemed that even with the little that he knew about him from mere observation, he seemed to have known him enough for a decent recommendation. "I'm glad you liked it, Ohno-san," he replied.
Ohno grinned. "You remember my name well, Ninomiya-san."
Nino chuckled and looked outside, noted that his stop was near. The ride seemed much shorter than it usually was.
"Hey, erm, I gotta go," Nino said as he stood up.
"Ah, then.. see you soon!" Ohno spoke.
"You know where to find me," Nino said and stepped off the bus, making his way back home with a light spring in his steps.
Ohno leaned back on his seat, a satisfied smile crossing his face. "I guess I was right to switch to public transport, huh..." he thought as he imagined his newly-repaired car still sitting in the garage of his summer house.
Group/pairing: Arashi/ Ohmiya, Sakuraiba, one-sided Sho X OC
Genre: Romance, Humour, Angst
Length: Chaptered
Chapter: 2
Prompt: Taste
Summary: On the same day Nino started working at Choco la Vie, he met one face he'd never forget.
Word Count: 2143 words
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I only own a LOVE photoset of Sho and the story plot- nothing else XD
Author note: Here we go- the next instalment of "Bittersweet"! It might seem a little slow but I do hope that I'll be able to come up with more Ohmiya moments in a way that won't make it too rushed. Gahhh this might be one of my harder stories yet!
Chapter 2: Matcha Green Tea Infusion
Ohno usually drove home, but his car had been sent for repairs and he could only pick it up in two days. After stopping by Choco la Vie, he had gone for a friend's birthday party with the chocolates as a birthday gift. However, he had left earlier than his other friends and realised that the only way he could get home quickly would be to take the bus and alight at the nearest subway station so he could flag down a taxi from the crowded area. He hopped on the bus and sat down with his sketchbook in hand. Ohno gave a tired sigh as he proceeded to draw on a new page when he spotted a familiar man from one corner of his eye. He looked up and saw that same man who had been occupying his thoughts for the whole day. He was sitting just a short distance away, his eyes staring out of the window, gazing into the dark streets.
Somehow, he could not forget that face from the chocolate shop. He could remember himself casually observing the man behind the counter while queuing behind a long line of customers. He could recall the way his playful eyes crinkled into thin, happy lines whenever he smiled at satisfied customers. And then there was that flawless skin that resembled porcelain. He was an interesting person, he thought.
Taking a pencil, Ohno proceeded to sketch out the man's side portrait, noting (discreetly, of course) the way that his eyes watched the world outside and the way his lips stayed in a light,bored pout. His pencil laid down small, sketchy lines that formed his jet-black hair and shaped up his button nose. It was not long before the man got up and alighted the bus. Realising that his "model" was gone, his drawing hand and focused state of mind halted altogether as he watched him go, wondering when he might see him again. He left the bus soon after and took a taxi back home.
The taxi wound its way down a few corners of the shining streets before reaching a tall, luxurious apartment building. Ohno thanked the driver, paid his fare and stepped out. Just then his phone rang. He looked at his mobile, gave an exasperated sigh and hurried back to his apartment while answering the call.
Being the son of the director of the Ohno Group is not always easy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nino gradually got used to working together with his new colleagues and found them to be very comfortable companions in his otherwise rather boring life as a budding songwriter and singer. Every day would start with Michiyo's coffee and would soon be filled with Aiba's jokes, Sho's witty remarks and Jun's own sadistic jokes that include break cuts and salary cuts for "excessive and unhealthy displays of affection" from the pair.
He never saw that man again in the shop. But, he soon realised he need not worry about that- that man apparently takes the same bus back home at around the same time as himself. Sometimes he saw him dressed smartly, holding in his hand a pen and noting something now on a notebook while taking a call. Sometimes, he'd be holding up a sketchbook and pencil in hand, carefully sketching with those focused brown eyes and furrowed brows. Sometimes he'd be reading a book on fishing, be it fishing techniques or the types of fishes that can be found in Japan. Some other times ( he giggled at the memory here) he'd be sound asleep on the bus seat, arms folded with the back of his head resting against the window and his relaxed sleeping face would face the air-conditioning vents above, Nino could remember himself laughing softly at the man's sleeping form, wondering when he had ever seen something else so amusing. Or adorable. Knowing nothing about the man was, perhaps, one of the reasons why Nino kept on watching him discreetly from afar. It was like a game of some sort, guessing what kind of a person he was and what hobbies he might have. There was that air of mystery about him, almost unnoticeable because of his carefree, sleepy demeanor.
It had been almost a month now since he started working there. "Good morning, Nino-san, you're early! " Michiyo greeted as she entered the back door of the shop into the storeroom. Nino straightened his red neck tie and greeted her, waiting patiently for her to finish changing.
"Actually, I couldn't sleep. But that meant Mario progressed through a few more levels, " Nino said, waving his DS to illustrate his point.
"You really ought to get more sleep though, Nino-san. You look like you could use some coffee," Michiyo advised as she started up the coffee machine to brew a few cappuccinos. Just then Sho joined them from the kitchen.
"Ah, Michiyo-chan, Nino-kun, I require your opinions on something," he announced. Michiyo handed Sho his coffee and Nino took his, listening attentively.
"I'm thinking of adding some personal touches to our services," Sho said as he looked down at his clipboard, " like writing down our customers' names and what they ordered. Additionally, we have less mix-ups with orders and..." Sho looked encouragingly at Nino and Michiyo as he continued, "Michiyo-chan can help Nino be more familiar with the products. Why don't we try that? "
"Sounds great! Has Matsumoto-san heard of this already?," Michiyo asked excitedly.
Sho chuckled as he finished the last of his coffee, "Nope, but let's propose the idea to him later. He might agree to it, since he' been trying to keep track of the customers' orders these days... "
"Why not? It'd be a good way to keep track of our customers' tastes and preferences so we'll know which chocolates would suit whom," Jun agreed as Sho brought up his suggestion, "but what are we using? Post-it notes?"
"Those are incredibly efficient, Matsumoto-san, " Michiyo said.
"Ah right. Well, i guess we can try this then," Jun said as he started preparing chocolates for the day.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Thank you, Akizuki-san! Please come again!" Nino spoke politely as he handed a bag with a small box of chocolates to a female customer. Sho brushed past Nino, his hand holding up a pot of coffee.
"Shall I refill that for you, Tachibana-san?" He asked charmingly and the blushing customer could not help but agree and nod her thanks.
"Ah, nice to see you again, Kitagawa-san. Shall I prepare your favourite liqueur truffles?" Michiyo asked as she scribbled the woman's name down.
"Whoa, it seems that Sho-chan's suggestion is working well, isn't it?" Aiba chirped as he looked up from decorating the chocolates in front of him. Jun looked up and watched Nino nodding politely at a customer before proceeding to pack more chocolates into a box.
"Yes, it seems that Nino-kun is getting used to this already," Jun said. Just then, Michiyo strode in, two empty trays in hand.
"Yosh! We'll need more of those vanilla eclairs as well as the dark chocolate pralines," she reported.
"Mou, just before lunch time?" Aiba mock-grumbled as he started searching the fridge.
"Thank you! Please come again!" Nino said as he handed over two paper bags to a customer. Just then, the door swung open and an all-too-familiar figure had caught his attention. He had come back. Unlike the previous time, he wore a smart-looking suit. Being slightly more familiar with the chocolates this time, he decided to serve him.
"Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?" Nino greeted, trying his best to curb his nervousness.
The man's eyes crinkled into two shiny crescents as he looked at the chocolates. "What would you recommend?" he asked in return. Nino stood frozen in his spot as he started panicking. Firstly, he had forgotten the name of the newer products. Secondly, it was him. The guy whom he had his eye on for the past month. He must be thinking he was a complete dolt for freezing up over his orders. Thirdly, he did not know what to recommend for a guy he had no concrete idea about. Giving the man a small smile and a light scan of the products he was familiar with, he pointed at one of them, keeping his toes crossed.
"The Matcha Green Tea Infusion seems appropriate," Nino suggested. The man looked up at him with interest.
"Why do you say so?" he questioned. Nino gave him a light smile .
"It has a familiar, relaxing flavour of green tea," Nino explained, "and additionally, its combination with the white chocolate gives it a soothing, milky taste."
The man grinned widely at his response, "I'll have five of these then. Oh, and three of that Mint and Milk Chocolate Tablets from the previous time."
Nino nodded as he noted down the orders on his Post-It pad. Finally, he gets to ask the one thing he had been wondering about for a long while.
"May I have your name, please?"
The man looked up in light surprise and nodded. "Ohno Satoshi," he replied.
Nino scribbled down his name and hurriedly prepared his order. Michiyo looked on with an arched eyebrow as she checked the chocolates in the display case. "Thank you, Ohno-san! Please come again! " Nino said as he handed over the bag of chocolates to him. Ohno smiled.
"Thank you too,... Ninomiya-san," he replied and exited the shop, leaving Nino in a daze just as the half-hour lunch break commenced.
"That guy... knows my name... " he muttered as he tried to snap out of his shock.
"Of course he does, Nino-san," Michiyo replied pointedly while gesturing to his name tag that reads "Ninomiya Kazunari ".
"But no customer has ever called you like that, right, Michiyo-chan? " Nino asked.
"Well, no... " Michiyo replied, then stopped short, " Wait. Don't tell me, you actually ... "
"Oil! What are you talking about?! I don't even know him! " Nino protested, blushing lightly while hurrying off to the break room for some water.
"Just checking..." Michiyo mumbled with a smirk as she left the shop for lunch.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That night, Nino left quickly without saying a word. The other three men in Choco La Vie pulled a slightly-annoyed Michiyo aside.
"Ne, ne, Michiyo-chan! Don't you think Nino has been acting strange today?" Aiba asked.
"Well," Michiyo groaned as she reached for a bottle of tea she always took with her, "he seemed normal... at least until a certain male customer came and he became a little strange after that."
"... Surely you don't think that he.." Sho inquired. Michiyo shrugged.
"I'm not too sure myself.. He said that he barely even knew him," Michiyo replied as she picked up her bag, bowed and took her leave.
"But.. he has that look," she thought, "that same stupid look I catch myself having when I think about..."
She paused in her steps and turned around, giving the chocolate shop a meaningful glance. She could hear Sho laughing with Aiba inside the shop and Jun mock-scolding them. She brushed away the tight clench in her heart and walked back home.
Nino hurried to the bus stop with a new resolve. He would speak to him today. Just like he had hoped, the bus arrived promptly. He hopped up the bus and looked around. There he was. Ohno Satoshi. There he sat... at Nino's usual seat. Nino stared at him in surprise and sauntered up to him, sitting down right beside him. Ohno looked up at him, smiling as he recognised Nino before turning back to his fishing magazine.
For quite a while, no one said a word. Nino sat beside Ohno, playing Mario 3D Land on his Nintendo 3DS while Ohno simply flipped through his magazine.
"Darn it," Nino thought, "to think I had said that I wanted to speak to him..."
"... The chocolates were delicious."
Nino's attention was jolted out of his game as he turned to look at Ohno in complete surprise.
"The green tea chocolates you recommended me," Ohno explained, "it was really delicious. I enjoyed it."
Nino's face broke into a relieved smile. It seemed that even with the little that he knew about him from mere observation, he seemed to have known him enough for a decent recommendation. "I'm glad you liked it, Ohno-san," he replied.
Ohno grinned. "You remember my name well, Ninomiya-san."
Nino chuckled and looked outside, noted that his stop was near. The ride seemed much shorter than it usually was.
"Hey, erm, I gotta go," Nino said as he stood up.
"Ah, then.. see you soon!" Ohno spoke.
"You know where to find me," Nino said and stepped off the bus, making his way back home with a light spring in his steps.
Ohno leaned back on his seat, a satisfied smile crossing his face. "I guess I was right to switch to public transport, huh..." he thought as he imagined his newly-repaired car still sitting in the garage of his summer house.