Walking Club 16/16
Aiba tried to adjust Sho's tie for what Sho was fairly sure was the tenth time in the past fifteen minutes. He didn't particularly mind, though; Aiba's ministrations were calming his own nerves. Graduation began in an hour or so and somehow all five of them had ended up in 212 of their own accord, a look of quickly muffled surprise on each of their faces as they opened the door.
Nino had been the first one there, curled into a desk as if he took up a fourth of the room his body actually occupied, thinking about things he would rather not. Ohno found him soon enough and offered a hand for his shoulder which Nino accepted. Ohno was pensive himself, being an actual graduate. After that afternoon, nothing would really be the same. Everyone would be moving on, both literally and figuratively.
Before either had managed to say a word to each other, however, Sho had bustled in, a quick, startled apology on his lips for interrupting what he thought had been an intimate moment but quickly shushed when Nino got up and pulled him into an awkward hug. Aiba bounced in behind Sho and, seeing the commotion, quickly launched himself on top of what he thought was a dog pile. It very soon was.
Jun was last, doing his best not to drag his feet. It had come to everyone's surprise last week that Jun's confession had not worked out in his favor. Aiba had laughed at what he thought was a joke when Jun recounted the embarrassing story and the ironic punch line: Emi had someone she had liked all along. And that someone was Aiba.
"But it couldn't have been me," Aiba blinked when he finally realized that Jun was not laughing with him. "I mean, I hated Emi for awhile."
"Yes, well, your emotions don't necessarily equate other people's, Aiba," Jun had barked before Sho patted him on the arm to calm him down. When he had calmed down significantly enough, Jun continued. "You really never saw it? She was always hurt when you were mad at her. She invited you over to play with her dog. You had a date at the zoo."
"You had a date at the zoo with her!" Aiba sputtered.
"I only had a date with her because you cancelled," Jun pointed out.
"Oh my God," Sho realized with a start. "Aiba, you almost dated Emi."
"That would have been the most counterproductive thing ever." Nino chuckled.
Ohno just laughed.
Now, a week later, time had healed the wound (somewhat) but Jun still didn't look happy to be somewhere he knew Emi would be. Sho was pretty sure it was just embarrassment but Jun cited intense, stabbing pain upon the sight of her face. Nino called that sentimental bullshit.
And now they sat, watching time tick away on the large clock above the door. Time that would take them each in different directions for once in their lives.
Nino kicked his chair. The sound startled everyone and Aiba actually jumped up.
"What was that for?" Sho asked. Nino shrugged.
"I dunno. Just felt like breaking the silence. We're not dying, you know."
No one said anything.
"Oh, hey!" Realization shone in Aiba's eyes as he ran across the room to where he had plopped down his bag upon entering.
"Hey what?"
"I have something for you, Nino!" Aiba grinned a megawatt smile and pulled something that looked like a book out of his bag.
"For me?" Nino asked, confused. "But I'm not graduating or anything."
"Just be quiet and take it," Aiba shushed him and shoved the book into Nino's hands.
It was, upon closer inspection, a photo album. The cover had been simple, perhaps a small design in the corner and neutral colors, but Aiba had taken to it with what appeared sequins, feathers and glitter glue. Nino cracked the book open with effort; some of the pages stuck together.
"....Aiba, why is the first photo of the counseling center by my old apartment?" Nino asked dryly. Aiba just shrugged, a grin tugging at his face.
"Man to Man? Has it always been called that or am I just realizing?" Sho blinked.
"The music shop?" Jun asked.
"Remember when Sho thought the new Aoyama Thelma single came out a week before it actually did and refused the leave the store until the manager pulled up on the computer the official website and proof he was a week too early?"
"Shut up, Nino. It's not like you haven't waited outside stores in Akiba for a new video game."
"At least I wait on the right day."
"I still say it's haunted."
"Aiba, that old building is not haunted. Just because you see a light on inside sometimes, you're just making up stories. There's probably just a group that meets in there some weekends or something."
"It's haunted, Jun. Just you wait until the biker ghost gets you."
"Wait, why's it a biker?" Ohno caught only the tail end of the conversation.
"....Nino, turn the page."
"Aiba, do you still know all of the fire fighters?" Sho asked, hoping that Aiba's once weekly fire hazard inspection had ended and the younger boy simply hadn't informed him.
"Yep! In fact, I think Shunsuke's on duty tonight. He's kind of mean so we should be careful."
"Aiba, what do you have planned for later that you're worried about that?"
"Do you think the Circle Ks in Saitama are still three yen cheaper than the vending machines?"
"I don't know, Nino. Maybe they're even ten yen cheaper." Nino heard the sarcasm but chose to ignore it.
"Don't give me false hopes, Jun."
"Does that waitress that yelled at us during Ohno's Saitama acceptance party still work there?" Sho wondered aloud.
"Unfortunately. I tried to go there with some kids from the drama club a few weeks ago and she refused to serve us."
"Maybe you were just too fabulous for her, Jun-pon."
"Shut it, Nino."
"They stopped making Dragon Ball Z karaage," Ohno lamented.
"They were making Dragon Ball Z karaage?" Aiba gasped.
"Where have you been?" Sho was seriously a little worried. Aiba missed a karaage promotion?
"Odaiba," Ohno smiled.
"You think Emi still has that mug she bought at Fuji?" Aiba asked Sho. Sho glanced over at Jun.
"It broke in the show. Maybe life'll imitate art."
"I have no idea if you're being bitter or just idiotic, Jun."
"Shut it, Sho."
"Have you actually ever gone fishing on that pier, Oh-chan?" Nino asked his boyfriend.
"No. I don't know if I'd really like anything I caught there, anyway, though." Ohno paused when he noticed Nino's slight frown. "Why?"
"I don't know. It's just solid ground, you know? I could probably play my DS on it and not get sick." He trailed off and looked away. Ohno smiled but didn't look at the smaller boy when he spoke again.
"I have always wanted to try catching something against that current though. I might just have to go someday."
Nino smiled and flipped the page.
No one said anything, thoughts and memories elsewhere. After a second and with nostalgic grin, Nino turned the page.
"Nino's jobs," Aiba explained before seeing the look in Nino's eyes.
"You weren't supposed to tell anyone about Life, Oh-chan," Nino whined, any anger that had wanted to be in his voice dissipated by the pout on the older boy's face.
"I didn't mean to. It just kind of slipped out to Sho one day. But I made sure they didn't pester you about it! Promise."
"Whatever. It's under the bridge now." Nino somehow didn't sound as put out as he hoped he would. Ohno ruffled his hair.
"Your restaurant?" Sho voiced at Aiba. Aiba simply nodded and encouraged Nino to turn the page, which he did.
"The last page is ... the street my old apartment was on and the intersection that leads to Ohno's house? Aiba, what the fuck? This album makes no sense. It's just a bunch of pictures of random things we see every day."
"Exactly!" Aiba smiled. "They're things we see everyday in Heiwadai. They're just part of home." Aiba's smile turned a little wistful. "But pretty soon, you won't see them everyday. You'll have a new Origin and a new Lawson's and a new creepy counseling service by your house. And when you realize just how weird that is, you can look at this book."
Nino refused to admit how touched he was so he continued questioning his best friend since childhood, ignoring the way his heart was thudding and the hand he felt Ohno wrap around his waist.
"But there's no people in it. You want me to remember a convenience store but not my best friends? That's ridiculous. And Ohno and Sho are graduating or did you forget? Where's their album? They deserve one a lot more than I do."
Aiba took a small step back at the strength of Nino's voice, grabbing Sho's hand while he did so but the small smile never left his face, pride in his work ever evident. Ohno used the hand around Nino to pull the smaller boy closer to him.
"Well, first of all, while it is true that Sho and Ohno are graduating," Aiba conceded, "it is also true that they are going to live at home while they go to school. You, however, moved away. They graduated from Jurin. You graduated from Heiwadai. So they don't need a book full of things they'll keep seeing everyday."
Nino didn't like the thought and snuggled into Ohno. Jun slumped into a nearby desk.
"But you're right; no one's dying," Aiba continued. "Obviously, just because you moved away, we're not going to stop being friends. So, there aren't any pictures of people because you are going to see us. If not everyday, then often enough that you don't need a photo album to remember what we look like."
Aiba looked up to make eye contact with Nino. Nino had never been one for sappy things and Aiba had worried about how Nino would take his little project. Sho had assured him that he'd love it while he helped paste flowers on the cover, even if he didn't sound like he quite believed his own words. And now Nino was speechless and Aiba didn't know what to do.
"Dude, are you crying?" Jun asked, surprised and slightly amused.
"Shut up, Jun." Nino snapped at him before turning back to Aiba with a soft smile on his face. Aiba's face lit up and he squeezed Sho's hand.
"Well, what the fuck are all of you doing?" Nino almost exploded when no one did anything. "Get over here and hug me, you idiots!"
Obviously no one could ignore an invitation like that.
It was while the boys had made themselves a pile of limbs and smiles and tears that an announcement came over the intercom, asking all third years to report to the gymnasium to prepare for the ceremony. Reluctantly, the boys separated.
"Break a leg," Nino smiled at Ohno, giving him a peck on the cheek.
"We'll be watching," Aiba adjusted Sho's tie one last time.
"Good luck, you two. Don't foul it up now," Jun smiled.
Sho and Ohno waved and took off down one hallway while the other three headed towards the outside and the audience seating. And although everyone was headed in different directions, it finally seemed like it would be alright.
-
And with that, my first series in years comes to an end. The end's kind of very different from the rest of the series so I hope it didn't put you all off too much. Oh, and as I'm sure you know, that's not a picture of Aiba's family's real restaurant but a restaurant in Heiwadai. Anyways, this has been lots of fun and I want you all to know that I intend to write a lot more in the future. I already have some ideas for some one shots and a couple of thoughts about series stuff running through my head. Anyone up for something about magical Imperial Japan? xD In any case, thank you all for reading Walking Club and supporting this monster of a story. I hope you enjoyed it! ♥