Ace of Heart (Longing in Mind)
Title: Ace of Heart (Longing in Mind)
Rating: PG
Pairing: TegoPi
Notes: This is for Je_remix Challenge.
Link to Original Story: http://electrictoad.livejournal.com/11797.html
Link to Original Writer: sanjihan
Summary: Yamapi can’t believe that after all this time, the boy he always wanted to get rid of is actually the boy he has wanted all his life.
A/N: Thanks for sweetspicyhot beta-ed for me.
Yamashita hated the clingy Tegoshi ever since the first day they met. He just endured the younger one because his parents adored Tegoshi as if he were their own son. He breathed a sigh of relief when he started going to school and he didn’t have to see the younger one so often. The way Tegoshi looked at him, with admiration and open fawning, made him uncomfortable.
They were never friends but when Yamashita thought about it, he realized that Tegoshi treated him like a friend, or worse, the younger one treated him like a God or something. He had actually not forgotten the younger one as the years passed by because his mother reminded him of Tegoshi’s achievements every chance she got.
“Tomo, do you know that Yuya has received so many recognitions? He is now the captain of the soccer team.” Yamapi’s mother beamed when she said that to him. Every day, his mother never failed to mention Tegoshi somehow. Yamapi wasn’t sure if it amused him or irritated him.
Before Yamapi graduated college, the Sony Company offered him a job and his parents were proud of him. But he was pissed when he found out that his parents and Tegoshi’s parents planned a joint party to celebrate his new job and Tegoshi’s graduation from high school. The party was held at the Tegoshi residence, so he and his family went over together before the party started.
He was uncomfortable with how at home his parents were in the Tegoshi house. He hoped that the party would go smoothly and that he wouldn’t bump into the younger one. As he slowly walked toward the kitchen, he heard some noises inside and found Tegoshi with his classmate making some food for the party later.
Tegoshi was pretty for a guy and his laugh always made Yamapi laugh, too. Yamapi held his hand to his chest. Every time he heard the younger laugh and saw that shining face his heart wouldn’t stop beating fast.
Later, they sat down together behind the house, in peace. The quiet made Yamapi nervous.
“Congratulations,” he said softly, plucking at the grass and glancing sideways at Tegoshi.
“You too,” Tegoshi replied, looking off into the distance.
“I’m sorry.”
“Huh?”
“That they had to lump our parties together. You only graduate high school once and I’m sorry that they didn’t make this one all yours like it should have been.”
Tegoshi was silent for a while. “Well, it doesn’t matter.” Tegoshi turned his face to Yamashita and tilted his head, smiling.
“Congratulations,” Tegoshi said, flashing him a peace sign and standing, walking, for the first time, away.
Yamapi was stunned as he watched him walk away. Tegoshi was different from how he remembered. He was no longer clingy and yet, Yamapi didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Now he missed the way the younger Tegoshi used to look at him and it made his heart bleed.
Four years went by and Yamapi often thought about getting in contact to the younger one, but he never had the courage to do so. The only way he learned anything about Tegoshi was through his parents, who were always updating him on what Tegoshi did in school and in his everyday life.
“Yamapi!” his friend called out to him one day.
“What’s up Ryo?” Yamapi said.
“Let’s go out. I already reserved the same table at the same place tonight,” Ryo said.
“Okay, I’ll be there,” Yamapi nodded.
“And bring someone! Bring your girlfriend as well,” Ryo teased as he left the room.
After Ryo left, he thought about who he should invite. He hadn’t been on a date for as long as he could remember. In fact, he hadn’t dated anyone since he realized that that he felt something different for Tegoshi. “Maybe it’s time to call him and ask him to go with me,” he said to himself as he got out his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart.
“H-hello?” he heard someone stutter on the other line.
“Tegoshi?”
“Yeah, hi.”
“It’s Yamashita.” He stopped for an awkward silence. “From home?” he added unsure if the younger one even remembered him since it had been so long since they talked or saw each other.
“I know who you are. What’s up?” the voice on the other line said.
“Oh, nothing. I just talked to my mom and she was telling me how well you were doing in school and I thought that it was pretty sad that I had to learn about you from her,” he said in a speeded-up voice.
“Yeah,” was the only word he heard from the other line.
“Anyway,” he said before pausing a little bit to lick his lips. “I’m going out with a few friends tonight in Roppongi if you want to come with us. If you have time,” Yamapi said, hesitating.
“Yeah, I’d love to,” the reply came back quickly.
“Okay. Meet me at the Roppongi station at 8?” he replied after his heart slowed its intense beating.
“Okay, sure,” the other one said and hung up the phone.
Yamapi couldn’t quite believe that the younger one had said yes immediately to hanging out with him and his friends.
Yamapi waited for the train to arrive, he was too early for their meeting time. He was nervous and excited to see Tegoshi for the first time in four years.
When he saw Tegoshi step off of the train he waved his hand and tried to make eye contact with him. Tegoshi saw him immediately and waved back.
“Hi! I’m glad you could make it,” Yamapi said as they walked side by side.
“Yah, it’s been awhile.” Tegoshi smiled shyly at him.
They walked to the restaurant exchanging idle conversation and catching up. Yamapi could see that the younger one was trying not to look at him, so that made it easier for him to look at Tegoshi.
When they arrived, he introduced Tegoshi to his friends, quietly, politely. One of them elbowed him in the ribs. “He’s really pretty, Yamashita.” Yamashita smacked him in the head.
Yamapi saw Tegoshi slowly start to feel at ease with his friends. He saw him laughing out loud several times. One of his friends even joked about him bringing an uppity girlfriend along. He just smiled but deep in his heart he was proud hearing his friends praise the younger one.
They stayed late. While they walked to the station, their hands in both pockets, the silence between them felt easy.
“Well,” Tegoshi said as they stood on the platform, “I had fun. Thanks for inviting me.”
Yamapi was looking at him with soft eyes. “You’ve grown up,” he said, a hint of approval in his voice.
“It had to happen sometime, I guess,” Tegoshi deadpanned, looking off to the side.
“Yah I know.” Yamapi nodded as he looked more closely at the younger one. “So this is it,” Yamapi said.
“Yes, that will be my ride. Ah, Yamashita…can we hang out again?” Tegoshi asked. Yamapi was stunned but never the less he smiled at the invitation.
“Sure! Let’s go out again. Call me?” Yamapi smiled at him.
“I will. Um, Yamashita, can I call you Yamapi?” Tegoshi asked as he bit his lips.
“Sure, if you allow me to call you Yuya.” Yamapi smiled too.
“Of course. So good bye, Yamapi,” Tegoshi said.
“Goodbye, Yuya,” Yamapi said in return.
They shook hands and went their separate ways. Yamapi could still feel the younger one’s hand on his own hand like it still was still there. He will be braver this time and he will not lose the younger one again. This time, he will not ignore the other one’s feelings but will answer them with his own feelings.
The end.