Bittersweet (Chapter 11)
Title: Bittersweet
Group/pairing: Arashi/ Ohmiya, Sakuraiba, Sho X OC1 (one-sided), Nino X OC1 (Friendship), Ohno X OC2 (one-sided)
Genre: Romance, Humour, Angst
Length: Chaptered
Chapter: 11
Prompt: Taste
Summary: On the same day Nino started working at Choco la Vie, he met one face he'd never forget.
Word Count: 6653 words (WHOA WHAT HAPPENED LOL) 3327 words (Thank goodness. It was an error XD)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I only own a LOVE photoset of Sho and the story plot- nothing else XD
Author note: Hello~ As I have promised, there are more Ohmiya moments .. (along with some Sakuraiba moments- I cannot resist the thought of them doing weird stuff together XD )
Chapter 11: Chocolate Chessboard Squares
"Oi, Oh-chan! Why are you waking me up on my day off?! It's Saturday!" Nino grumbled the next morning as Ohno woke him up insistently.
"We're going out, of course. " Ohno announced.
"No! I'm sticking with my Wii and there's nothing you can do about it!" Nino pouted as he tightened his hold on the blanket and slipped further underneath it.
"Well, I can work with this," Ohno said, slipping under the covers with Nino and placed quick kisses over Nino's face and tickled his stomach. Nino squirmed and rolled out of the bed away from Ohno.
"There we go, Kazu, you're out of bed already~" Ohno said. Nino gave a grunt and shuffled slowly towards the bathroom.
"I'm still playing my Wii," Nino retorted as he brushed up. Ohno grinned sheepishly with his convenience store toothbrush and laid his head lazily on one of Nino's shoulders.
"Sure," Ohno spoke with toothpaste froth in his mouth, "but after that let's at least go out for lunch and dinner."
"... Hamburger for lunch," Nino replied through his equally frothy mouth and Ohno nodded against Nino's shoulders before rinsing off and giving Nino a peck on the cheek.
"I'll make breakfast," Ohno said before hurrying to the kitchen, only to be stopped by Nino pulling his hand to hold him back.
"Oh-chan," Nino called as he finished rinsing, "you have never really learnt how to make breakfast, right?"
"But.. cup noodles..." Ohno trailed off with a cute pout. Nino laughed and patted Ohno on the head.
"I'll cook something decent. You, on the other hand, have work to do, no?" Nino nagged as he shoved Ohno out of the bathroom, "Technically you are supposed to be working while you are holidaying in my apartment for the week before your mom finds out."
Ohno chuckled as he booted up his laptop and started working.
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"Sho-chan, Sho-chan~" Aiba flopped on the sofa beside Sho, who was pretty much burying his face into the newspaper as he read the news for the day, "let's go out today!"
"Oh? Where to? " Sho asked, his eyes not leaving the newspaper.
"I want to go somewhere to eat spicy nabe," Aiba suggested. Sho winced slightly at the memory of eating overly spicy food.
"Erm, how about we get something else less dangerous? We should try this meat buffet for lunch later," Sho said, pointing to an advertisement in the newspaper.
"Oh! This was the one Michiyo-chan said was reviewed to be really really good, but quite pricey!" Aiba spoke excitedly. Sho nodded as he closed the newspaper and leaned his head on his shoulder.
"She has not eaten it before, had she? Shall we invite her along?" Aiba asked. Sho looked at him and he stared right back. After a few seconds they burst out laughing, hugging each other.
"Nah~ Let's make her jealous that we ate all that good food," Sho said.
"And who knows, her secret admirer might be really rich to take her there anytime~" Aiba chimed in as he tugged Sho out of the sofa to get ready.
"Speaking of which, I wonder who in the world he is. And to leave such a weird name or place or whatever that was..." Sho commented as he changed his shirt.
"Well, he sure knows his way around words," Aiba said, "I think any girl would have fallen for him right away after reading that kind of letter."
"Hmm, but he seems to know her quite well to know that she is a classicist..." Sho muttered, and then a thought came to him.
"It won't be a stalker now, would it?" he questioned, "it'd be troublesome if it is.."
Aiba laughed and patted Sho on the back. "If he's a stalker, I think letting him meet Jun-kun will scare him off well enough."
"Ah yes, Jun-kun, ne. He'd probably torture him to work behind the closed kitchen doors while we look on helplessly," Sho joked as he grabbed his keys and held Aiba's hand, pulling them out to meet a sunny afternoon.
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"Oh-chan~" Nino sang as he held Ohno's hand while strolling out towards his favourite hamburger joint, "as you promised, you shall treat me to lunch today~"
"But I could have sworn that my arrow should have hit the target!" Ohno whined as he swung their arms back and forth.
"You must have miscalculated, ne. It's okay~ That sort of thing takes plenty of practice~" Nino said as he propped himself on a seat directly in front of Ohno. "Anyhow, you shall treat this one," he declared. Ohno grinned, kicking Nino's right leg lightly before resting his leg against Nino's.
"Alright, let's order," Ohno said, grinning widely at him.
Outside the hamburger joint, a man in a brown coat watched them, a camera in one hand and a newspaper in the other. He held his camera in place, his fingers expertly controlling the focus lens before snapping a few pictures.
He then whipped out his phone, dialing a number.
"Madam, I found him," he said.
"Oh, you found him? Good. Watch him for me and keep snapping," Mrs. Ohno said on the other end of the line before hanging up. In the dark of the office she paced back and forth, completely confused and notably irritated at her son's antics.
"That boy," she muttered crossly, "we are running too low on time for anymore shenanigans..." Just then, her phone rang.
"Oh! Doctor! How is he?" she asked worriedly.
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Michiyo sat at the cafe, drinking a cup of Darjeeling tea, a book in hand and her headphones on. Her eyes were focused as she slowly absorbed the story before her. She soon felt a light tap on her shoulder and looked up.
“Ah! Matsumoto-san!” she exclaimed. Jun nodded at her and stared curiously at the book.
“You are quite the avid reader, aren't you?” he commented.
“Yes,” Michiyo replied,“I come here pretty often during the weekends.”
“And it is a very refined hobby,” he praised,“at least,well,better than Sho-kun and Aiba-kun's hobbies.”
Now, Michiyo was amused enough to close her book.
“Really?” she asked.
“Oh yes. I just passed them by just now. They were trying on very strange hats with upturned shoes on them.”
“I suppose Aiba-san was trying on a basketball shoe hat and Sho-san an elegant leather shoe hat." Michiyo joked.
“Shoes elegant or not,they look equally ridiculous,” Jun said, laughing heartily.
“I see you have done a bit of shopping on your own,” Michiyo said, gesturing towards a few grocery bags that Jun was carrying.
“Ah yes, I had to buy some ingredients for the upcoming month,” Jun explained, “it is really Aiba-kun's job but I will spare him just for today.”
Michiyo grinned. “You should spare him or there might be more inappropriate displays of affection on Monday because you deprived the lovebirds of their time.”
“Quite right there,”Jun replied with a roll of his eye,“well, I will leave you to your own amusement. I'll see you on Monday.”
Michiyo waved Jun goodbye and resumed her book. A waitress suddenly appeared before her, a cup of tea in hand.
“Miss, I have come with your tea,” she said. Michiyo looked up in surprise.
“I did not order it, she pointed out. The lady simply smiled at her.
“A gentleman bought this and asked me to send it to you,” she said. Michiyo looked at the cup curiously and nodded her thanks. She picked up the cup and caught sight of a small folded note.
"Pearl of the Orient.
A tea fit for a composed, young woman with regal taste for the finest in life.
-M"
"He strikes again, huh," she thought before sipping lightly on it. She smiled as the soothing fragrance of jasmine flowers wafted towards her. She then took out a pen and wrote at the back of the note.
"Thank you, M. I love the tea you picked out for me," she wrote and placed it back on the saucer before resuming her reading.
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Nightfall came and Ohno dragged Nino to a five-star hotel.
"Oh-chan? Are you joking? I'm grossly-underdressed." Nino said.
"Don't worry," Ohno coaxed as he led Nino to one of the hotel rooms, "technically I own this place, and I say you are perfectly fine."
Nino stared at him. "This hotel belongs to Ohno Group?" Ohno nodded.
"I have prepared this room for you with a selection of comfortable outfits. Go take your pick and we shall be out in no time," Ohno said. Nino blinked before staggering towards the wardrobe. Throwing the doors open, he could see a whole row of blazers, suits and jackets hanging in front of him.
"Do I need to wear this?" Nino asked skeptically, pulling out a suit. Ohno laughed.
"Just a change of shirt and pants will do," Ohno said, approaching him and pulling out a champagne-coloured shirt and black pants and handing them over to him. Nino stripped his t-shirt off and changed into his shirt, just in time to see Ohno take his own shirt off.
"Whoa, you are changing as well?" Nino asked. Ohno shrugged, looking at him.
"My stuff are back in your apartment, aren't they? I'm rather uncomfortable in these clothes and I need to change," Ohno said, taking a white shirt off the rack and putting it on himself. Nino tried not to blush as he caught sight of Ohno's tanned, slim body beneath the white fabric.
"Do you work out, Oh-chan?" Nino asked. Ohno grinned and patted his head fondly.
"I know for sure you don't," Ohno said, winking at him before walking towards the door of their room, "I left the key to this room on the table. Be sure to take it before you come. I'm waiting for you at the lift!"
Nino stared at himself in the mirror, almost not recognising himself. He never knew that a change of clothes could make him look this handsome. No one would have thought he was working at a chocolate shop. He walked to the table and took the key with him, smiling at the thought that he had stepped into Ohno's world for the first time.
Ohno led Nino into the hotel restaurant, and Nino's eyes twinkled at the sight of the continental buffet. They finally found a spot right in front of a huge stage where a band played.
"This is an amazing place," Nino complimented. Ohno grinned.
"Wait here. I'll go get us something to eat," Ohno said and left his seat, grabbing two plates on the way. Nino sat for a long while, staring in fascination at the band playing on stage and listening to the relaxed beat of the music. He was rather envious of them for being able to work as musicians and do what they enjoy doing. He wondered how many times he had wanted to become a musician, but gave up the thought from time to time because he just could not see himself doing so without the means to achieve that dream.
Finally, the band seemed to take a small break and decided to go off for a while. Nino stood up, as if in a daze, and strode up towards the stage. He did not see the customer's eyes on him, nor did he hear their curious muttering. He could only smile lightly as he looked at the piano before him. It was nothing like the keyboard that he had at home, but it seemed to welcome him. It seemed to beckon him to play it. Taking a deep breath, he sat down on the chair and switched on the microphone beside him. His fingers positioned themselves on the keys as a song he remembered played in his mind, and then out on the piano.
何が正解で 何が間違えで
だから大丈夫 なんて言っちゃって
その言葉が自分を 消してくから
それが一番怖いことだから
めいっぱい叫べ 「ここにいるよ」って証のように
僕らはそんな弱くはない でも強くもないから
だから泣いていいんだ 恥ずかしいことじゃない
明日がある人しかできないことだから 明日への合図だから
What is right? What is wrong?
So I said, "it's okay"
Those words were erasing myself
That was what I was most afraid of
Yell with all your might "I'm here!" like it's proof of yourself
We are not that weak But we're not that strong either
That's why it's okay to cry There's nothing to be embarrassed about
Only people who have a tomorrow can do it Because it's the signal of going to that tomorrow
Ohno was happily placing a lobster onto Nino's plate when a familiar, melodious voice reached his ears. He looked in the direction of the stage and looked on in surprise as he saw Nino playing the piano and singing on stage. The lights of the stage now seemed to focus on him, and everyone's attention was drawn to him. His boyfriend was singing on stage and it was as if he had belonged there all along.
泣いて 求めて 転んで また泣いて
君は そうして 大人になって
傷つくことを恐れて
ずっと泣くのを我慢してたら笑えなくなってた
Crying Searching Falling down Crying again
That's how you become an adult
Afraid of getting hurt
If I always try not to cry, I won't be able to laugh
Mrs. Ohno strode in the restaurant with her secretary, glancing at the stage momentarily before proceeding towards the buffet table.
Just in time to catch her son staring in awe at the stage.
"Ohno Satoshi!" she called sternly, and Ohno turned to look at her calmly.
“How could you dare to defy me?!” she asked angrily, “do you have any idea about what you have done?!”
“I have no idea,but I dare say that I have not been skiving and you will see it in my report,” Ohno said, “ I had some matters to take care of and hence I could not go.”
“Whatever will the Serizawas think of us now?!” Mrs. Ohno scolded,“you have shirked your duties as an heir and son-in-"
“Mother, I'm not married and hence I'm no one's son-in-law,” Ohno said,“and I am free to marry anyone I choose. I have never liked Serizawa-san, and hence you cannot expect me to marry her!”
“And so this is the person who you love?” his mother asked shoving a stack of photographs in his hand.
Ohno looked at the stack of photos.
気付いたら独りになって恐かった
その時差し出してくれたあなたの声が痛いほど優しくて
泣いていたそうしたら「あんたが泣き虫だ」って言うから
「あんたもだよ」なんて言ってみたら 楽になってた笑ってた
When I realized I was alone, I was scared
That's when your voice came, so gentle it hurt
If I cry, then you'll say, "You're a crybaby"
When I tried to say, "You are too," I relaxed and laughed
Pictures of him and Nino strolling on the streets hand-in-hand.
Pictures of him and Nino at the restaurant.
Pictures of him and Nino huddling close on top of a bridge while staring into a river of koi fishes.
Ohno smiled lightly at the pictures. They had never looked happier together. Looking up at Nino performing his song onstage, it was as if it was encouraging him to finally abide by no one's wishes but his own for the first time in his life.
Ohno looked up at his mother. “Yes. It is him.”
“You!” Mrs. Ohno said,evidently agitated, “you insolent, thoughtless fool!”
いつも見たいに ふざけたこと言い合って
懐かしいなんて言わないで今を そこにある今を握りしめて
Like always, messing around and arguing
Don't say it's nostalgic right now Tightly hold onto the "now" that's there
“All this time, I have always respected your wishes. From giving up art as an option and becoming a business graduate to going for every single blind date that you had set me up with,” Ohno spoke determinedly,“But if you could ever hope for me to inherit Ohno Group,you must allow me to make my own decisions and be responsible for it!”
“Ohno Satoshi, you will regret this. There are many things wrong with this relationship. And it's not just the fact our society cannot approve of you having a male partner!” his mother argued,“ He has neither fortune nor connections to anyone of equal or better status as compared to us. How could he possibly help you in any way? It is of no benefit to anyone, Satoshi-kun. You must end this.”
“My mind is made up, mother. I will not part with him. Fortunes and connections were not what drew me to him, but his person," Ohno answered calmly, "I do not expect society or you to approve of us, but rest assured that I will not let it interfere in my duties as heir to Ohno group. ”
His mother sighed,exasperated.
“I see that it is of no use persuading you now. But one day, you will understand why I am against this.” Mrs. Ohno said coldly and strode towards the exit. She paused and turned back to her son.
“I am your mother and I know what is best for you and all of us. When that time comes,you had better remember what you said- you will not let anything interfere with your duties as heir.” she said with a tone of finality before quitting the place.
ほら、息を吸って吐いて 生きている
一歩一歩歩いている ただそれだけでいい
Look, breathe in and out You're living
Walking one step at a time Just that is enough
Ohno breathed deeply. That felt strangely relieving to him. For him to voice out so much about what he felt was something that he had never done before. His heart thudded with light dread at the thought that he might have placed his lover in trouble's way. He turned his eyes to look at Nino, who was now staring right at him as he sang.
大丈夫僕らはずっとここにいるよ
だから全てさらけ出してみて
さあ、胸を張って言えばいいんだ
「それが僕らだ」
It's alright, we'll always be here
So try confessing everything
Come on, you should stand tall and say it
"That is us"
Ohno remembered that silent vow that he made to himself on the night that they realised their feelings for each other. He knew that things will not be easy for both of them, but he was determined to honour it. After all, it was Nino who had brought in colour to his life, like paint on a blank canvas. He wants to keep holding those stubby, hamburger hands,because no one else could make him feel so real with himself and with him. Right there and then, looking at Nino's eyes, they seem to promise him the same. That they will be as they are.
ずっと ずっとずっと
Always, forever and ever
Nino smiled at Ohno as he sang his last lines, finishing the song brilliantly with heart-rending chords. When he had finished the last note, a resounding applause rang throughout the restaurant as every dining customer wiped their now wet and teary eyes. Nino smiled and bowed charmingly and stepped down slowly off the stage. Before he could reach his seat, he felt his right arm being roughly tugged, pulling him away from the stage.
A woman sat by the corner, watching Nino go with great curiosity. With a satisfied smile,she took out her phone.
“Hello? I think I have found our newcomer. I believe Kitagawa-san will be pleased with him.”
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“Oh-chan?! You are incredibly pushy today. What's wrong?!” Nino protested as he felt himself being dragged back to the hotel room. It wasn't long after the door closed did Ohno pin Nino against the door and gave him a fiercely passionate kiss. Nino froze, taken aback by his sudden burst of passion, but closed his eyes and kissed him back. When they drew apart with shallow breaths, Ohno leaned his forehead against Nino's.
“Kazu, You do not know how much your song has saved me,” Ohno confessed shakily,his eyes welling up with tears. Nino giggled and gave him a short, sweet kiss.
“I don't know how exactly I did that,but I'd like you to tell me over the dinner you dragged me out of.” Nino replied in his snarky,bratty manner.
Ohno grinned and embraced Nino,feeling the small frame of his body against his own.
“Just a while longer, Kazu. I just want to stay like this for a while more.” Ohno whispered.
Nino nodded against his neck and closed his eyes. "Dinner can wait," he thought happily.
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Jun gazed down at the masterpiece he had created,giving it a satisfied smile.
“This is perfect,” he thought, “the checkered pattern on each of these chocolates makes up a chess board pattern when put together.”
He then took a small card and wrote on it.
“Chocolate Chessboard Squares,” it read.
A/N: If anything to look forward to in the next chapter, bear in mind that Oh-chan and Nino are in a hotel. ;)
Thanks so much to yarukizero for lyrics to "Doko ni Demo Aru Uta"!