[One shot] Snowflake
Title: Snowflake
Pairing: Aiba x Becky / Becky x Ohno / Ohno x Aiba (friendship)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance (slight AU as Becky is a non-celeb)
Summary: She was Ohno’s past and Aiba wanted to be her future.
Author: chellie
Note: Written three years ago. Modified, making Becky as the main girl. Also, I wrote this around December for an Aiba (birthday) fic exchange, thus, the setting.
Can we meet tomorrow night?
Ohno read this message over and over. He shut his phone and placed it on the table that contained his art materials. He stared at the blank canvass in front of him. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He heaved sigh when he felt two hands start to massage his shoulders, having him release some of the tension.
“You’ve been in here for hours. I thought you’ve put something, even just a single dot, on that canvass,” she said softly with a chuckle.
Ohno took a hand from his shoulder and he kissed the back of it.
“Does it bother you that much?” he asked not looking at her.
His girlfriend crouched down to embrace him.
“It’s not bothering me. Don’t worry and take your time.” She placed a hand on his cheek and made him face her to give him a peck on the lips. “Just wake me up when you’re hungry and I’ll reheat the curry for you. Sounds good?”
“Yeah,” Ohno gave a tiny nod, “Thank you.” He kissed her before she left.
His eyes darted back at the canvass and at his phone.
It was the night before the 24th.
______________________
I’ll see you later.
Becky could see Aiba’s smile when sent her the message. It was Christmas Eve, his birthday, and she promised that she would spend time with him. He even proudly said that he deserved it.
She replied, saying that she’d stick to her promise. Aiba didn’t reply. She guessed he was still busy at work and just had barely a minute to spare to message her.
No. She wasn’t Aiba’s girlfriend. Though, he did want her to be. He said he would wait for her answer and she said she would give her reply when the right time comes.
______________________
Let’s make this your best birthday ever.
Aiba sure hoped that by the end of the day, he would be able to declare that it was the best birthday and Christmas Eve he’d celebrate.
There was still work to be done and he wished that time would fly aster so that he could go home earlier and prepare for dinner.
He sat at the couch by the set and was waiting for his turn.
“Aiba-san and Ohno-san,” a PA called. “It’s your turn.”
The oldest member sat next to him and gave him a pat on the knee when he got up first. Aiba followed immediately after.
Clicks, flashes, clothes and hair adjustments, and a few flashes more and the shoot was done.
They were in the dressing room already changed back to their own clothes and were fixing their bags.
There was silence between two of the Arashi members. Aiba knew exactly why.
He waited until Sho, Jun, and Nino left before he approached Ohno who was just about to leave as well.
“Leader, can I have a moment?”
________________________
I’ll wait at the café.
He was just about to leave when Aiba spoke to him.
“Leader, can I have a moment?”
“Sure,” he nodded. He put his bag down on the table and sat at one of the chairs. Aiba sat across him.
Ohno knew exactly why Aiba wanted to talk to him. He wasn’t insensitive and he wasn’t clueless. He has known that one day this moment would come, except that he didn’t know the other guy would be Aiba.
__________________________
I’ll be there in a few minutes.
She chose a table at the corner of the café. She stared out the window to see if Ohno was coming. Her fingers tapped at the table and she gazed at the antique grandfather clock. Right on time, when her vision swept over at the door, Ohno came in.
Becky stood up to greet Ohno.
“Ohno-kun, hisashiburi,” she was able to say without her voice being awkward.
Ohno said the same.
As expected, the sight of Ohno was capable of making her heart flutter and her stomach churn due to happiness and nervousness.
She considered him as her first love. Everybody except him knew a lot about her feelings towards the man. It all happened fourteen years ago when they were still in high school and before Ohno left for his want to dance.
One-sided. That’s what she thought it was.
They sat down. A waiter approached them and they ordered their drinks. Becky ordered black coffee and Ohno just asked for a glass of water.
She didn’t want to waste time and sit there with the obvious feeling of awkwardness with Ohno. She gathered all of her courage and straightened up.
“Ohno-kun,” she said calmly. Her hands rest on her lap and her eyes looking at Ohno. “There’s something that I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time now.”
___________________
Did you ever like her?
That was what Aiba asked him earlier.
“There’s something that I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time now.”
Ohno pursed his lips and gave her the look that urged her to continue.
“I like you. I mean,” she paused to heave a sigh. “I mean I liked you. I broke up with my boyfriend because of you. When you left I tried to move on but I couldn’t and all these years I was left wondering what would have happened if I told you. And I was so, so… stuck.”
She bit her lower lip and looked very much worried and embarrassed. Nevertheless, she kept her look firmly on Ohno, waiting for his reply.
“Is that it?” Ohno asked smiling gently.
The waiter came and served their drinks.
She exhaled loudly and allowed herself to relax. Still, her heart was beating fast and she thought it would explode any second now.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“I don’t want to be stuck forever thinking about that. I want to move on and I think that telling you is the only way.”
Ohno nodded in understanding.
____________________
See you in a few minutes.
Aiba rose up from the bench. He started pacing back and forth while he waited for Becky. That night, he prayed for two things. First was for Becky’s meeting with Ohno to go well. Second was for the rest of the night to be perfect.
He knew that more than being a good leader, Ohno was a better friend. He thought that his fate was actually in Ohno’s hands.
“Masaki?” he heard someone call him.
When he turned around, he saw Becky standing a few meters from him. He raised a hand and slightly waved at her. She beamed as she walked towards him.
Aiba smiled back and got onto his feet to meet her halfway.
“You made it,” Aiba told her.
“I did.”
“Where do you---“ Aiba was supposed to ask her where she wanted to eat. Instead, he was cut off at midsentence when she tiptoed, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His yes went wide and he remained unmoving, not even responding to the kiss.
Becky parted from him and she laughed at the expression on Aiba’s face. She took his hand and had to pull from him to start walking.
“I want to go to that-“
This time, she was the one cut off at midsentence. Aiba pulled her back and spun her around. He bent slightly and leaned in to kiss her, one hand cupping the back of her head and another right around her waist.
“Happy birthday,” Becky said softly, running her thumb over Aiba’s lower lip.
Another peck and Aiba greeted her Merry Christmas.
___________________
I liked her.
That was Ohno’s answer to Aiba’s question. During that time in the dressing room, Aiba’s face showed worry. Ohno laughed softly and patted him on the shoulder, making clear what he just said and he said liked. That’s all there was to it.
Time has passed and he has moved on. That’s it.
Ohno met again with Aiba on New Year’s eve for hosting Kouhaku. He was glad to be greeted by a worry-free and bouncy Aiba who hugged him the tightest that year. He also received what looked like the best among all the New Year cards that Aibamade.
He also told Becky about the feeling he had for her way back. When he said that he liked her, she smiled, thanked him, and wholeheartedly told him that she was finally able to move on.
_________________________
Thank you.
Those were the two words that he told Ohno and Becky.
Right now, he was unintentionally hugging their Leader in his arms as if the two words weren’t ever enough. He only let go when Ohno started to cough.
“Gomen, Riida!” Aiba began rubbing his back and stole the water bottle that Nino had in his hands.
Furious enough, Nino grabbed back the bottle and smacked the back of his head.
Ohno laughed and put a hand on Aiba’s shoulder as they walked down the hallway to the stage.
“Enough thanking me, Aiba-chan.”
“But you gave me Becky-chan!”
Ohno chuckled. “I didn’t give her to you. She isn’t even mine and was never mine. She wanted to be with you all along, she just needed closure.”
“Whatever. You gave her to me as the best present ever!”
Ohno smiiled, sighing in resignation.
It’s Aiba. That’s it. It’s Aiba.
-
Author's Note: thanks for reading! :)