Us, after the Countdown ~ Chapter 1: Would you...?
The traditional Johnny's Countdown held on 31th December 2021 is a long awaited first time for the two of them. What Meguro will ask Michieda during the event will equally be a first time for both. A beginning for more.
Meguro Ren/Michieda Shunsuke (Snow Man /Naniwa Danshi / JE). Fluff, first love, developing relationship, awkward flirting, first date
Inspired by Megurin's Snow Nichijou life posted 3rd January 2022, fufufu.
This started as a one-shot in my mind, but since it became longer and longer, I decided to turn it into a kind of multi-chaptered story because otherwise I’d be using a New Year prompt next Spring XD
So here you are with the first part, a sort of prologue, please enjoy!
Please also find it here @Ao3
Chapter 1: Would you...?
Chapter Text
They had searched for each other's faces amidst the crowd of idols gathered in the Tokyo Dome for the usual Johnny's Countdown event, and as soon as they had gingerly spotted the satin pink and the flashy blue clothes they were respectively wearing, they had wished one another all the best for the New Year.
When Michieda Shunsuke looked up, his senpai Meguro Ren was still staring softly at him.
"Thank you always, for everything," the younger guy said, bowing again under that gentle gaze.
"Michieda-kun... I actually wondered, you know..."
"Uh?"
"Do you... do you usually eat crabs at New Year's?" Meguro politely asked.
"Eh? Oh. Uhm... sometimes we do, at home. But n-not so frequently, actually," he replied, biting his lip.
"Would you maybe like to have some at my place tonight?" Meguro further asked, eyes almost gleaming and yet displaying a gaze that couldn't be revealing more discretion than it actually was.
Michieda's cheeks suddenly tinged as pink as the sparkling robes he was wearing.
"I... I'd love to, but I think I'll have to ask the manager if we have plans afterwards and so on, you know..." he felt like blushing, not really knowing why himself. He felt like an idiot, the burden of his being still underage hitting him like a boulder, among other things.
"Sure, of course," Meguro replied, smiling softly.
Michieda felt almost hurt by that polite understanding, wondering if the guy did ever show his disappointment somehow.
"Then... may I let you know the address, just in case?" Meguro gently enquired.
Michieda nodded and thanked him; he quickly excused himself, turning on his heels to disappear behind Kanjani8 members, the SixTones senpais and his Kansai Ae! Group friends.
When he finally reached his Naniwa Danshi companions, he tried not to look at anyone's face for as long as he could, for he knew that his facial expression always gave his thoughts away.
He knew that Meguro's kind invitation did not imply... things.
He was just being extremely courteous towards a former colleague on the set and an actual colleague with whom he had just started to have those connections among Johnny's members that most of them usually had, before the Covid-19 changed almost everything.
And maybe, -or better, surely- he knew that they would have not been the two of them alone, at Meguro's place, even if not even a minute of the time they had shared on the Kieta Hatsukoi set had led to the idea that such a quiet guy loved being surrounded by a bunch of acquaintances during his private time. Rather the contrary, if any.
And still, the idea that he could spend just some more time with Meguro out of any work correlation did make his stomach flutter. He just couldn't help it, even if he were to blame his Aoki character for intruding and meddling in with his personality.
But the thing was, that poor sweet Aoki was not to blame.
That warm and fuzzy feeling that he felt inside whenever Meguro's eyes settled on him was not Aoki's. It was just his, Michieda Shunsuke's. And he had to deal with it.
As soon as he went back to the dressing room, he quickly and sheepishly asked the manager for permission, mentioning an invitation he had just received from a friend.
He knew how the Naniwa Danshi members were supposed to go back to the hotel, maybe have a small party together, and they would have had to visit the shrine all together for the Hatsumode the following evening, but he still wondered whether he might have been allowed to make somehow way for something private and quite dear to him.
The manager looked at him for a while, then excused himself before typing a message on his smartphone.
A few minutes later, while he was still struggling with his sweatshirt, Michieda received an incoming call from his beloved senpai Ohkura Tadayoshi.
"Mo-moshi moshi?" he asked, pretty bewildered.
"First of all, Shunsuke-kun, I would like to thank you for earlier," the man's reassuring voice told him. "I already congratulated you all, but please allow me to tell you once again. I am so proud of you," he went on, and just by the sound of that tone, Michieda could tell his senpai was smiling fondly at him over the line.
"I-It's all thanks to your efforts, Ohkura-san," he blurted out, blushing faintly at the thought of how trusted and prominent the man had quickly become to them all, almost like a foster father.
"Don't even mention it," Ohkura laughed. "By the way, is it Meguro-kun, the one inviting you out?" the Kanjani8 member bluntly asked, all of sudden.
"I... er... is it okay if I say-"
"You might be young, but you're a very responsible guy, Shunsuke-kun," Ohkura firmly told him. "You needn't me to ask you if you understand the consequences of careless actions. At the same time, I know very well how it feels when you'd love to follow what your soul encourages you to do, without stopping treasuring your own group and its members at the same time. How it feels when you reckon a balance is impossible and you have no other choice but to give up half of your heart. It happened to me, as well, so believe me it has very little to do with the fact that you're underage."
He paused, and Michieda wondered how difficult it must have been for him to give voice to such a confessional speech aloud, especially to someone as young and inexperienced as he still was.
"I wish, no, I am sure, you will deal amazingly with it. Way better than me. So please have a very unforgettable and happy new year, Shun-chan," Ohkura told him, as soft as he had never heard him.
He could almost feel the tears pricking the corner of his eyes, but he pushed them back.
"I promise... I promise you'll always be proud of me, Ohkura-san. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm truly grateful."
After hanging up the call he nodded at their manager, who briefly smiled at him; he immediately typed Meguro a short message, heart thumping in his ears while he tried to choose the best words without sounding too eager nor too rude.
>> I will be delighted to come to your place. Please tell me at what time it'll be convenient for you, and I'll be there. Thanks. <<
The reply came right while he was heading out of the Tokyo Dome.
>> I'm glad. Anytime. Waiting for you. Thanks. <<
He almost blushed reading it, for it made him imagine how maybe Meguro had felt relieved while typing his message. Michieda looked around, wondering whether the guy was still nearby. But even if he was, they were to be together soon again, and the realization struck him warm.
Notes:
Notes:
1. Hatsumode: first visit to the temple of the year in Japan.
Some more notes: I know this first part with Micchi worrying about being underage and Kanjani8 Ohkura's speech might sound a bit "too serious". It's not like Micchi and Meme are going to marry the following day (sadly), since according to the beginning of my story they almost still have to establish a relationship that goes beyond friendship.
But at the same time, I wanted to point out a few RL 'details' that are not included every time in fanfictions. The idol world can be a very tricky one when it comes to underage people or to (basically officially non-existent) homosexual relationships. Those fans who have been in the JE for a few years might remember well how Uchi Hikoki was kicked out from Kanjani8 because of drinking underage and other 'scandals' like that, while Ohkura's speech comes also from a wider perspective of Kanjani8 and their struggle in the recent years, after Subaru's and then Ryo's departure. Since I am a HUGE Ohkura/Ryo shipper, that's it.
I thought these thoughts matched well with Micchi's clear sense of responsibility so that's why I put them in the story, I hope it didn't sound too OT. I wanted Micchi to visit Meme's place with his heart flying free of worries and bad thoughts ;)
Chapter 2: Kuidaore