JUMP; 30 kisses #6
theme: 夢と現の間 (the space between dream and reality)
pairing: Yaotome Hikaru/Inoo Kei
fandom: HSJ
rating: g
word count: ~1265
notes: I looked at the date when I started this: October 20, 2008. And I only had the first paragraph that time. Oh my god guys I. Will write something better and happier when I have more time. EDIT LOL this one does not involve any kisses AT ALL let's just overlook that detail for now ok.
It has become routine for Yaotome Hikaru, seventeen, Sagittarius, to leave the studio fourteen minutes and fifty-seven seconds after Yuto gets the usual nagging phone call from his mother, the timer starting from the pause between yes, mother, I am eating well, and the pained mom, stop that. He traverses a flight of stairs, twenty-eight steps, the fourth step from the bottom a millimeter meter too short in height. Hikaru jogs at twenty-five meters per second from the stairs to the door and exits the building, flirting with three point five ladies along the away. (Point five being the lesbian behind the counter during his usual stop at 7-11) He has not in any way noticed all of this himself -- Inoo does all the counting, and it is Inoo who jogs with him until they get off the shinkansen at their stop, where they part ways.
Today is no different.
"I wish every day was like this forever," Hikaru says before he heads for Sendai, Inoo to Saitama.
"Me too," Inoo sighs wistfully.
Sometimes, they'd believe there was a forever. But they both know that they would have to wake up one day. Hikaru pulls his pillow over his head, curls up into a little ball and shuts his eyes tight. He doesn't want to do that.
"Love runs at twenty-five meters per second," Inoo muses after one morning jog, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his wrist. "I can never catch up."
Inoo almost has Hikaru off-guard by this statement, but it has reached the point at which Hikaru never takes him literally. "You better start running, then!"
Inoo blinks. "I guess I should."
"I fell in love once," Keito reminisces. Inoo listens because Ryutaro refuses to talk about matters of the heart. Keito sighs and goes on.
"It was the fifth grade. She was a nice girl. She gave me cookies for no reason, other than that she was nice. She was pretty, too, but she was quiet so she didn't stand out much. I liked that. I couldn't tell her I liked her, though; I was too shy. Being that pretty, she probably liked someone else. She'd look away whenever our eyes met and she spoke in a soft voice whenever we talked and I never knew why. She rejected a boy once, you know? Good guy too. She cried because she didn't want to tell him she liked someone else, and when I heard that, I never thought about confessing to her again. I thought it might upset her. "
"And then?" Inoo begs him to go on, genuinely interested.
"I left for Japan and became an idol."
"I think," Inoo murmurs after a while. "that she might have liked you."
"Huh," and that was all that Keito said.
"You haven't applied to a university," Inoo does not ask, he states the facts.
"I don't plan to."
Inoo stops counting the days until they graduate; he had hoped that they'd be in the same class someday, and studying for the entrance exams nearly loses all meaning.
"You got into Meiji, that's great!" Hikaru slings an arm over the boy's shoulder, proud. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Aren't you sad?" he asks. "I won't be able to see you guys as often anymore. I won't be able to eat lunch with you anymore. Nothing will be fun anymore."
"You're exaggerating. 'Course it will." Hikaru thinks of something to cheer Inoo up. "When I'm not around, you'll have Yabu."
"I won't have Yabu."
It was a refusal, not a statement.
Lonliness, Hikaru learns, is difficult to bear. It starts with Inoo's absence and Hikaru's need to walk home with someone.
"Can't. Have to work on a paper. It's due this Thursday," Yabu says curtly before he leaves.
"Right," Hikaru's voice trails off. He asks a preoccupied Takaki, busy fiddling with his cellphone.
"Oh, um," the brunette scratches his head. "I promised Hasshi I'd treat him to dinner today."
Everyone has an excuse. Daiki's mom will yell at him for being late again. Yamada has a date with Yuto; Chinen declares that he will go with him. Ryutaro leaves shortly after that, he has to catch his show before Shintaro hogs the TV.
"But One Piece doesn't start until nine!" shouts an exasperated Hikaru. He turns to his last hope, Keito, who has his bag slung over his shoulder, papers in one hand and a pen in another. Keito stares at his shoes when Hikaru looks at him expectantly.
"I have homework, Hikaru," he could tell Keito wasn't lying by the pained expression on his face. "I'm sorry."
"S'alright, Keito," he reassures the boy. "S'alright."
Tonight, Hikaru realizes as he looks out on the streets, he would have to walk alone.
Inoo shows up, but only when there is actual work to do. Hikaru tries to start a conversation. In spite of looking busy, he knows Inoo doesn't mind.
"So how is everything?"
"Fine," His hand is still gliding across the paper, writing.
"Are you still running?"
Inoo stops rewriting his notes, eyes still on the new line he was about to start on.
"I'm afraid I've gone too fast."
What if I can't stop?
What if I won't stop?
What if I go so fast I
never
see him
again?
Will things be different for him?
Will things be different for me?
I will be lonely. He will be lonely.
But how am I so sure?
Am I running so fast
that he is too far?
Or is he slowing down, hoping
that I will catch up?
One day, Hikaru wakes up.
On the last day of school, he approaches a schoolmate after class.
"Daiki, I want you to do me a favor."
The sun is not baking the track oval anymore, so when Hikaru gets into position and places his hands on the ground, he feels nothing but cold clay. Daiki holds a stopwatch in his hand. Hikaru looks at Daiki, gives him one quick nod. Daiki starts timing and he takes off.
Hikaru's heartbeat goes faster, he breathes harder with each step. His back gets hotter as he moves, he sweats. The end gets closer and his legs can't stop won't stop. He runs faster and faster and stops when he crosses that thick white line.
"How fast was I?"
"Four seconds."
"That's," he pauses to breathe. "twenty-five."
"Meters per second," Daiki glances at the stopwatch. Hikaru lies on the ground. He is a little exhausted.
"Thanks," Hikaru puts the back of his palm on his forehead, trying to hide his smile. "I just wanted to know."
It has become routine for Yaotome Hikaru, eighteen, Sagittarius, to leave the studio four minutes and fifty-three seconds after Yabu gets the unusual nagging phone call from his mother, the timer starting from the pause between mom can you call later Takaki is being annoying and the pained mom for the last time I am not a fag. He traverses a flight of stairs, twenty-eight steps, the fourth step from the bottom now taller by an inch. Hikaru jogs at twenty-five meters per second from the stairs to the door and exits the building, flirting with three ladies along the away. (He resolved to stop all sexual advances toward Ms. 7-11) He has not in any way noticed all of this himself -- Inoo did all the counting, and it is Inoo who doesn't jog with him until they get off the shinkansen at their stop, where they used to part ways.
Today is no different.
omake
"Stop moping around," Ryutaro commands Hikaru and pops a Pocky stick in Hikaru's mouth. "I hope you like chocolate."
"Thanks."
"I liked it better when you hung out with Inoo. You wouldn't be here sitting in my spot."
Hikaru twitched. "You little--"
"I saw him at MeiDai today. He says hi."
Hikaru is quiet.
"This is the part where you're supposed to remember all the fun times you had together and cry."
"What the fuck."
"It's okay, have my handkerchief."
"What do you want me to do with it?"
"Don't get any snot on it."
pairing: Yaotome Hikaru/Inoo Kei
fandom: HSJ
rating: g
word count: ~1265
notes: I looked at the date when I started this: October 20, 2008. And I only had the first paragraph that time. Oh my god guys I. Will write something better and happier when I have more time. EDIT LOL this one does not involve any kisses AT ALL let's just overlook that detail for now ok.
It has become routine for Yaotome Hikaru, seventeen, Sagittarius, to leave the studio fourteen minutes and fifty-seven seconds after Yuto gets the usual nagging phone call from his mother, the timer starting from the pause between yes, mother, I am eating well, and the pained mom, stop that. He traverses a flight of stairs, twenty-eight steps, the fourth step from the bottom a millimeter meter too short in height. Hikaru jogs at twenty-five meters per second from the stairs to the door and exits the building, flirting with three point five ladies along the away. (Point five being the lesbian behind the counter during his usual stop at 7-11) He has not in any way noticed all of this himself -- Inoo does all the counting, and it is Inoo who jogs with him until they get off the shinkansen at their stop, where they part ways.
Today is no different.
"I wish every day was like this forever," Hikaru says before he heads for Sendai, Inoo to Saitama.
"Me too," Inoo sighs wistfully.
Sometimes, they'd believe there was a forever. But they both know that they would have to wake up one day. Hikaru pulls his pillow over his head, curls up into a little ball and shuts his eyes tight. He doesn't want to do that.
"Love runs at twenty-five meters per second," Inoo muses after one morning jog, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his wrist. "I can never catch up."
Inoo almost has Hikaru off-guard by this statement, but it has reached the point at which Hikaru never takes him literally. "You better start running, then!"
Inoo blinks. "I guess I should."
"I fell in love once," Keito reminisces. Inoo listens because Ryutaro refuses to talk about matters of the heart. Keito sighs and goes on.
"It was the fifth grade. She was a nice girl. She gave me cookies for no reason, other than that she was nice. She was pretty, too, but she was quiet so she didn't stand out much. I liked that. I couldn't tell her I liked her, though; I was too shy. Being that pretty, she probably liked someone else. She'd look away whenever our eyes met and she spoke in a soft voice whenever we talked and I never knew why. She rejected a boy once, you know? Good guy too. She cried because she didn't want to tell him she liked someone else, and when I heard that, I never thought about confessing to her again. I thought it might upset her. "
"And then?" Inoo begs him to go on, genuinely interested.
"I left for Japan and became an idol."
"I think," Inoo murmurs after a while. "that she might have liked you."
"Huh," and that was all that Keito said.
"You haven't applied to a university," Inoo does not ask, he states the facts.
"I don't plan to."
Inoo stops counting the days until they graduate; he had hoped that they'd be in the same class someday, and studying for the entrance exams nearly loses all meaning.
"You got into Meiji, that's great!" Hikaru slings an arm over the boy's shoulder, proud. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Aren't you sad?" he asks. "I won't be able to see you guys as often anymore. I won't be able to eat lunch with you anymore. Nothing will be fun anymore."
"You're exaggerating. 'Course it will." Hikaru thinks of something to cheer Inoo up. "When I'm not around, you'll have Yabu."
"I won't have Yabu."
It was a refusal, not a statement.
Lonliness, Hikaru learns, is difficult to bear. It starts with Inoo's absence and Hikaru's need to walk home with someone.
"Can't. Have to work on a paper. It's due this Thursday," Yabu says curtly before he leaves.
"Right," Hikaru's voice trails off. He asks a preoccupied Takaki, busy fiddling with his cellphone.
"Oh, um," the brunette scratches his head. "I promised Hasshi I'd treat him to dinner today."
Everyone has an excuse. Daiki's mom will yell at him for being late again. Yamada has a date with Yuto; Chinen declares that he will go with him. Ryutaro leaves shortly after that, he has to catch his show before Shintaro hogs the TV.
"But One Piece doesn't start until nine!" shouts an exasperated Hikaru. He turns to his last hope, Keito, who has his bag slung over his shoulder, papers in one hand and a pen in another. Keito stares at his shoes when Hikaru looks at him expectantly.
"I have homework, Hikaru," he could tell Keito wasn't lying by the pained expression on his face. "I'm sorry."
"S'alright, Keito," he reassures the boy. "S'alright."
Tonight, Hikaru realizes as he looks out on the streets, he would have to walk alone.
Inoo shows up, but only when there is actual work to do. Hikaru tries to start a conversation. In spite of looking busy, he knows Inoo doesn't mind.
"So how is everything?"
"Fine," His hand is still gliding across the paper, writing.
"Are you still running?"
Inoo stops rewriting his notes, eyes still on the new line he was about to start on.
"I'm afraid I've gone too fast."
What if I can't stop?
What if I won't stop?
What if I go so fast I
never
see him
again?
Will things be different for him?
Will things be different for me?
I will be lonely. He will be lonely.
But how am I so sure?
Am I running so fast
that he is too far?
Or is he slowing down, hoping
that I will catch up?
One day, Hikaru wakes up.
On the last day of school, he approaches a schoolmate after class.
"Daiki, I want you to do me a favor."
The sun is not baking the track oval anymore, so when Hikaru gets into position and places his hands on the ground, he feels nothing but cold clay. Daiki holds a stopwatch in his hand. Hikaru looks at Daiki, gives him one quick nod. Daiki starts timing and he takes off.
Hikaru's heartbeat goes faster, he breathes harder with each step. His back gets hotter as he moves, he sweats. The end gets closer and his legs can't stop won't stop. He runs faster and faster and stops when he crosses that thick white line.
"How fast was I?"
"Four seconds."
"That's," he pauses to breathe. "twenty-five."
"Meters per second," Daiki glances at the stopwatch. Hikaru lies on the ground. He is a little exhausted.
"Thanks," Hikaru puts the back of his palm on his forehead, trying to hide his smile. "I just wanted to know."
It has become routine for Yaotome Hikaru, eighteen, Sagittarius, to leave the studio four minutes and fifty-three seconds after Yabu gets the unusual nagging phone call from his mother, the timer starting from the pause between mom can you call later Takaki is being annoying and the pained mom for the last time I am not a fag. He traverses a flight of stairs, twenty-eight steps, the fourth step from the bottom now taller by an inch. Hikaru jogs at twenty-five meters per second from the stairs to the door and exits the building, flirting with three ladies along the away. (He resolved to stop all sexual advances toward Ms. 7-11) He has not in any way noticed all of this himself -- Inoo did all the counting, and it is Inoo who doesn't jog with him until they get off the shinkansen at their stop, where they used to part ways.
Today is no different.
omake
"Stop moping around," Ryutaro commands Hikaru and pops a Pocky stick in Hikaru's mouth. "I hope you like chocolate."
"Thanks."
"I liked it better when you hung out with Inoo. You wouldn't be here sitting in my spot."
Hikaru twitched. "You little--"
"I saw him at MeiDai today. He says hi."
Hikaru is quiet.
"This is the part where you're supposed to remember all the fun times you had together and cry."
"What the fuck."
"It's okay, have my handkerchief."
"What do you want me to do with it?"
"Don't get any snot on it."