From Then Till Now (Chapter 6)
Title: From Then Till Now
Group/pairing: Arashi/ Ohmiya
Word Count: 2958 words
Rating: PG
Summary: Nino had thought he had left his past behind for good until he meets an old ghost he once loved.
Disclaimer: So far I only own two photosets of Sho and a set of Arashi playing cards. I wish I'd own Arashi, but no. I don't. ._.
Author note: The back story plot thickens ohohohohohoho! >D I've finally finalised the outline of the back story and am working on weaving the details together for a nice ending. Look forward to it! Meanwhile, it seems something is wrong with our OC. D:
Chapter 6
Back at the bar, Nino sat down and looked blankly at his drink as he recalled what had transpired between him and Ohno. He sighed as he rested his chin in the palm of his right hand on the bar. He absently touched his bottom lip, slightly swollen and warm like a gentle burn from the kiss back in the dark streets.
"The first time we had a proper conversation in seven years," he said sadly, "and we already fought. "
Just then, he felt his phone ring. He unlocked it to see it was Sho.
"Hello? Are you two do-"
"Nino! Come to the sick room at the hotel now! Quick!"
"Hah? Wh-"
"Sh-shizuka fainted off the bungee jumping platform! "
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nino hurried his way over to the room Shizuka was lying in and slid the door open. Beside Sho lay a sleeping Shizuka, her face visibly pale.
"How is she?!" Nino asked hurriedly.
"It's okay," Sho said, "she's alright. The doctor said it was just exhaustion. She's been working pretty hard the past few days and barely got enough sleep. And then on an exciting day at the thrill rides, well..."
Nino sighed in relief. "What happened anyway?"
Sho started flushing just a bit and reluctantly told his story.
/// short flashback ///
"Are you ready, Sho-kun~~" Shizuka cheered from behind him.
Sho looked down from the platform and gave a silent gasp. Below the platform was nothing but… a huge space plunging to the trees below. It was as if he was taking a free -fall into the depths of hell. He could feel himself shake and tremble at the thought of the cord possibly breaking as he fell, and the hard impact that would come as his head meets the-
"I..am… NOT READY!" Sho said and pushed himself unsteadily back towards the group, clutching the railings with his shaking hands. Shizuka sighed and shook her head while giggling.
"I'll go first then. I'll show you it's not so bad." She said and stepped towards the instructor, who positioned her carefully on the edge.
"Stay still over here," he said, "I'll take off his bungee jumping cord and secure it to you."
Shizuka nodded and stayed still, her eyes roaming around the scenery ahead of her.
Just then, the mountains in front of her seemed to shift. She violently shook her head and looked, but her vision seemed unstable. The throbbing pain in her head rapidly intensified and she could almost feel the ground start to trip beneath her feet.
"S-SHO-KUN!" Shizuka yelled in panic, and Sho looked up.
Shizuka turned slowly to face him, her face whiter than paper. Something was wrong with her since she started making consecutive misses at the shooting game and she knew it.
"He - help…"
And in the next moment, her eyes fell shut and her body fell back off the platform towards the abyss below.
"OH MY GOSH!" a few women screamed and before anyone could blink, Sho had sprinted towards the edge and leapt off the platform, willing his body to fall faster as he reached out for Shizuka's limp body.
Finally, his arms managed to reach her arms, and he wrapped his arms securely around her body in a tight embrace.
"It's okay," he whispered as he felt the air spiral rapidly up around them ,"I'm here. I'm here.."
He then closed his eyes and braced themselves for impact as they went down together.
…
Except that the impact never came, because Sho suddenly felt a sharp pull of the bungee cord around his waist, and it hoisted them both upwards before slacking again and letting them down. Sho's eyes flew open in shock as he looked around. He realised that they didn't fall into an empty abyss but nearly touched the surface of a beautiful lake amidst a beautiful forest. He could see some people waving from a far as his cord slacked once more and they went down again.
"Is she alright?!" Someone yelled from the distance.
Sho only felt himself nod his head a bit as some people helped them both down. He then carried Shizuka in his arms, his senses numb from the close brush with death they both had.
"Oh my God, we're alive..."
"Of course you are," another instructor said, "it isn't really as high as it seemed to be. We're just a short cab ride away from the hotel."
"… This isn't some valley?" Sho asked uncertainly and the instructor laughed jovially.
"No, no! We did make use of the illusory perception of height in here but I assure you- it wasn't really too high. Come now, let's get your friend to the hotel's sick room and have her examined."
/// short flashback ///
Nino listened to Sho's account, his jaw dropping open.
"I can't believe it."
"I can't believe it either," Sho said, "I had thought we were falling to our deaths in the depths of hell or something but-"
"No it's not that," Nino said, "but you didn't realise you still had the bungee cord on you?
"No. I probably forgot that I still had it," Sho said, "but seeing her fall off… I reacted before I could think."
"That's what I can't believe," Nino said, "that in spite of your fear of heights, you leapt down to save her."
Sho felt his heart thud and looked away as he felt his face flush.
"Well, thank you,"Nino said sincerely, "you saved a dear friend of mine. "
"What are you talking about," Sho answered, "she's important to me too."
"Oh~ she is~?" Nino teased, "how important, exactly?"
He then felt a sharp jab on his elbow from the bed.
"You two are damn noisy.." Shizuka grumbled.
"Shizuka-chan! Are you okay? !" Sho asked anxiously.
"Ah.. yeah," she answered with a sad smile on her face," I'm sorry. I must have troubled you so. I promise to sound out if I feel unwell next time."
"N-no. It's okay," Sho said, "it wasn't much trouble."
"Saving her life in an embrace can't possibly be trouble," Nino teased and Shizuka looked at Sho in quiet shock. Sho looked away with a reddening face.
"I - I'm going to get a drink!" Sho said and hurriedly excused himself with a tomato-red face.
"What exactly did you mean?" Shizuka asked Nino.
"Just what I said. You fainted off the platform without a bungee cord. But Sho-kun leapt down and saved you by hugging you."
"He did WHAT?!" Shizuka asked, completely mortified, "oh my. Oh my God that could not be he was so scared of heights how could he..."
"He didn't seem to mind, even though he was supposedly deathly afraid of heights too," Nino said with a wink, and Shizuka rolled her eyes.
"I know what you're getting at, Nino-kun. But think about it. If it were you, you wouldn't let me fall to my death either, right?" she said.
Nino nodded.
"It's the same with Sho-kun. He saved me because we're really good friends."
"That doesn't mean it couldn't mean anything more," Nino teased and received a prompt poke in the shoulder.
"Do not shoot at a calm lake," Shizuka said quietly as she laid back down, "if there's nothing, there's no point thinking that there is."
She then flipped over to face the window.
"I'll like to sleep now, Nino-kun."
"Shall I accompany you?"
Shizuka turned over to look at him.
"Sure. But you'll just be watching me sleep. And that is quite boring."
"So? What are the arrangements? Will you be staying here?" Nino asked.
"I believe so. Even though I'm better now, I think I should rest a bit more and get some good food."
"I'll bring you something tomorrow," he said, "maybe some really good cheese fries and a beef burger."
"Mm. Yum yum. Because nothing says healthy recovery like junk food. Sure."
"You're suffering from exhaustion, not malnutrition," Nino replied wittily, "anyway... erm. Can I sleep in your room tonight? Back at the hotel, that is."
"Hmm? Might there be a problem with your current room? "She asked as she sat up to reach for her bag.
"…you can say that," Nino replied as he watched her fish out her hotel room key and hand it to him.
"Well, alright. I suppose I can understand. But rummage through my luggage and I'll really make sure your 3DS never sees the light of day."
"Like I said, you're not my type," Nino rebutted with a thankful smile.
"Something happened with him, right?" she asked, " Ohno-kun, I mean."
"… we fought, " Nino said, "so.. I can't really sleep in the same room as him. Even with Sho around."
"Nino-kun, forgive me for being indelicate," she said, "but shouldn’t you at least give him a listen? "
Nino huffed. "Why the hell should I?"
"Alright. Answer me. What exactly are you angry with him about?"
"First he avoided me without telling me why," Nino answered coldly, "and then he suddenly pops up from nowhere and expects me to forgive him."
"Well? Did he try to tell you why?"
"He did but I stopped him. I don't want to remember anymore," Nino said, "I'm done..fricking done with the past and all his nonsense."
"Yeah okay I get that you want to just.. well, move along and get things over and done with," Shizuka said, "but if you don't face your past head-on, you won't do a good job with the facing your future."
"I don't get it."
"Think of it as going back to the person who shackled you and asking for the keys to your release because your parole is due," she said, "whether you believe it or not, closure is really important."
"Some things can hardly be forgotten so simply," Nino said, "like when I got-"
He shook his head and stopped himself, and Shizuka's ears pricked up.
"What? Go on."
"Never mind," Nino said as he stood up abruptly, "anyway, I have to go."
"Wait! Nino-kun!"
"I'll be back tomorrow with your junk food," Nino said hurriedly and walked out of the room. Shizuka frowned lightly and sighed.
"Tch. People say we're often similar but sometimes I really don't quite understand him," Shizuka sulked under her breath and laid back down in her bed, closing her eyes to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nino walked briskly and was only stopped by Sho's grip on his arm.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Nino answered, "well? Will you be coming back to the hotel or will you be looking after Shizuka? She's sleeping now."
"I'll watch over her a little longer and then return to the hotel," Sho said, "shall I walk you back first?"
"No, I can find my way back," Nino said, "I'd rather you go and take care of Shizuka back there. You know. In case any baddies go and visit her or something."
"Now why would there be baddies preying on Shizuka? Considering that you had some alcohol, it's best if I send you back." Sho insisted as he guided Nino over to the exit," she's in good hands."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Back in the hotel room, Ohno paced back and forth in his room.
Well, not exactly his room per se, but the room he was sharing with Sho and Nino.
He wondered if Jun and Aiba would mind putting up with him for one night because of the huge mistake he made. What had meant to be a chance to make up and change things between them ended up completely awry- engaging in a loud, irrational fight at the bar and outside of it, angrily (but passionately nevertheless) making out in the corner of the dark street to shut him up and convey the extent that the separation had hurt him.
Yeah, he sure did change something. He was not certain just a while ago, but now he was DEFINITELY sure Nino hated him that he was the last person he'd want to see tomorrow.
"Let alone tonight," Ohno groaned as he buried his face in the pillow, not knowing what to do.
Just then, a voice came from the door to his room.
"Hey, Ohno-san? Erm, I'm getting Nino's stuff." Sho's voice called as he walked in, and Ohno blinked in surprise.
Ohno was shocked. "What happened?"
"Shizuka-chan fainted off the bungee-jumping platform and is resting in the hotel's sick room," Sho said, and Ohno's eyes went wide in anxiety.
"Th-then, how is she now? Is she awake?"
Sho smiled. "She's alright. It seems she was stressed and overworked before coming, so she got pretty exhausted. But otherwise, she is resting well now."
Ohno nodded, visibly relieved as he laid back down on the bed.
"So," Sho said as he reached for Nino's bag, "Nino will be sleeping in Shizuka's hotel room until she comes back to us tomorrow."
"Ah... Okay," Ohno said as he let out a sigh of relief as he rolled over.
"I guess it is a good thing, huh?" Sho said and Ohno nodded into the pillow.
"I don't think either of us want to see each other right now," Ohno spoke, "well, not after everything that happened."
Sho pursed his lips in deep thought and decided against commenting any further. He stood up with Nino's bag in hand.
"I'll buy something for us both later, so wait a little, alright?"
Ohno only gave a muffled "Mmm" before relaxing his body against the soft bed. After all that had happened that day, he wanted to at least take his mind off things with a short nap.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Here's your bag. You sure you're sleeping here alone tonight?" Sho asked. Nino nodded as he snuggled on the bed, burying his face into a fluffy pillow.
"I'd like space and rest. And I'm getting both here in Shizuka's room."
"Well, if you say so," Sho answered resignedly, " Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."
Nino nodded and closed his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
/// flashback ///
"What are you talking about?" the muscular boy sneered as he ambled towards Ohno, who knelt down on his knees.
"Just let him go, won't you?!" Ohno cried angrily, "it's ME you should be attacking, not him!"
"Oh-ho...but isn't it precisely the reason I want to do this? What else could possibly break your heart than something else happening to Ninomiya Kazunar-"
"I beg you! I'll do anything! JUST LET HIM OFF!" Ohno begged, and the boy's eyes glinted.
"Anything?"
"Yes!"
" I will take your word for it," the guy said and looked away with a grin on his face, "you do this one thing for me, and I will leave him alone. I swear on it."
"You'd better," Ohno said as he stood up, "so what is it?"
The boy turned towards him, a playful grin on his lips.
"You simply undo what you have done to me," he said and Ohno almost felt his heart drop.
"I... I can't do that! I-"
///
"Ohno-kun? Ohno-kun?"
Ohno felt himself getting shaken awake and his eyes opened to see Sho'd anxious face in front of him.
"Are you okay?"
Ohno breathed shallowly as he sat up on the bed.
".. yeah. I just.. I just had a bad dream."
Sho held up a few cans of beer.
"Shall we?"
The two men opened up their beer cans and started drinking as they stared out of the hotel room's window.
"You spoke to Shizuka-chan earlier before coming here, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Well..what did she do?"
"She gave me a few punches on the shoulder for ditching her," Ohno answered with a smile, "and she told me about how Nino was like when I left."
"Why did you leave in the first place?" Sho asked, "weren't the three of you really good friends?"
Ohno looked over at him in surprise.
"... Shizuka-chan told you?"
Sho nodded. Ohno looked down quietly at his beer can and took a long sip.
"... Sho-kun.." Ohno began, "how was middle school like for you?"
"Well..ookay I guess. I scored well enough on my tests and all," Sho said.
"You know how every school has its own designated group of losers?" Ohno said bitterly, "like, those group of people who somehow get picked on for the sole reason of existing?"
Sho's eyes widened in slight realisation and turned to Ohno.
".. Don't tell me you.."
Ohno nodded in agreement.
"Back then, that loser.... was me."
Sho blinked in complete surprise.
"I wasn't alway bullied though," Ohno said, "in the beginning of middle school, I was perfectly alright. But things changed after an important mid-term test."
Sho waited for him to continue.
"... I reported someone for cheating," Ohno said, "and that someone happened to be the son of the principal. He was banned from the rest of the tests and was suspended."
Sho's grip on his beer can tightened as he took in the new bit of information.
"When his suspension was over.." Ohno said shakily, "... I became his punching bag."
"Wouldn't Nino have known if you were bullied? The two of you went to the same school after all."
"We were in a different class. Also, I happened to be in the same class as the principal's son."
"...so you didn't tell him because you did not want to worry him?" Sho asked, and Ohno looked away.
"Yeah. I tried to hide it to ensure he didn't find out. Thankfully enough, he did not. But... I ended up hurting him nevertheless after all."
"Why?"
Ohno sighed and looked up at the sky, the moon staring back down forlornly at the two men.
"Because we loved each other," the answer came out of Ohno's lips in a painful whisper, as if the account that followed it squeezed the life out of his beating heart.
Group/pairing: Arashi/ Ohmiya
Word Count: 2958 words
Rating: PG
Summary: Nino had thought he had left his past behind for good until he meets an old ghost he once loved.
Disclaimer: So far I only own two photosets of Sho and a set of Arashi playing cards. I wish I'd own Arashi, but no. I don't. ._.
Author note: The back story plot thickens ohohohohohoho! >D I've finally finalised the outline of the back story and am working on weaving the details together for a nice ending. Look forward to it! Meanwhile, it seems something is wrong with our OC. D:
Chapter 6
Back at the bar, Nino sat down and looked blankly at his drink as he recalled what had transpired between him and Ohno. He sighed as he rested his chin in the palm of his right hand on the bar. He absently touched his bottom lip, slightly swollen and warm like a gentle burn from the kiss back in the dark streets.
"The first time we had a proper conversation in seven years," he said sadly, "and we already fought. "
Just then, he felt his phone ring. He unlocked it to see it was Sho.
"Hello? Are you two do-"
"Nino! Come to the sick room at the hotel now! Quick!"
"Hah? Wh-"
"Sh-shizuka fainted off the bungee jumping platform! "
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nino hurried his way over to the room Shizuka was lying in and slid the door open. Beside Sho lay a sleeping Shizuka, her face visibly pale.
"How is she?!" Nino asked hurriedly.
"It's okay," Sho said, "she's alright. The doctor said it was just exhaustion. She's been working pretty hard the past few days and barely got enough sleep. And then on an exciting day at the thrill rides, well..."
Nino sighed in relief. "What happened anyway?"
Sho started flushing just a bit and reluctantly told his story.
/// short flashback ///
"Are you ready, Sho-kun~~" Shizuka cheered from behind him.
Sho looked down from the platform and gave a silent gasp. Below the platform was nothing but… a huge space plunging to the trees below. It was as if he was taking a free -fall into the depths of hell. He could feel himself shake and tremble at the thought of the cord possibly breaking as he fell, and the hard impact that would come as his head meets the-
"I..am… NOT READY!" Sho said and pushed himself unsteadily back towards the group, clutching the railings with his shaking hands. Shizuka sighed and shook her head while giggling.
"I'll go first then. I'll show you it's not so bad." She said and stepped towards the instructor, who positioned her carefully on the edge.
"Stay still over here," he said, "I'll take off his bungee jumping cord and secure it to you."
Shizuka nodded and stayed still, her eyes roaming around the scenery ahead of her.
Just then, the mountains in front of her seemed to shift. She violently shook her head and looked, but her vision seemed unstable. The throbbing pain in her head rapidly intensified and she could almost feel the ground start to trip beneath her feet.
"S-SHO-KUN!" Shizuka yelled in panic, and Sho looked up.
Shizuka turned slowly to face him, her face whiter than paper. Something was wrong with her since she started making consecutive misses at the shooting game and she knew it.
"He - help…"
And in the next moment, her eyes fell shut and her body fell back off the platform towards the abyss below.
"OH MY GOSH!" a few women screamed and before anyone could blink, Sho had sprinted towards the edge and leapt off the platform, willing his body to fall faster as he reached out for Shizuka's limp body.
Finally, his arms managed to reach her arms, and he wrapped his arms securely around her body in a tight embrace.
"It's okay," he whispered as he felt the air spiral rapidly up around them ,"I'm here. I'm here.."
He then closed his eyes and braced themselves for impact as they went down together.
…
Except that the impact never came, because Sho suddenly felt a sharp pull of the bungee cord around his waist, and it hoisted them both upwards before slacking again and letting them down. Sho's eyes flew open in shock as he looked around. He realised that they didn't fall into an empty abyss but nearly touched the surface of a beautiful lake amidst a beautiful forest. He could see some people waving from a far as his cord slacked once more and they went down again.
"Is she alright?!" Someone yelled from the distance.
Sho only felt himself nod his head a bit as some people helped them both down. He then carried Shizuka in his arms, his senses numb from the close brush with death they both had.
"Oh my God, we're alive..."
"Of course you are," another instructor said, "it isn't really as high as it seemed to be. We're just a short cab ride away from the hotel."
"… This isn't some valley?" Sho asked uncertainly and the instructor laughed jovially.
"No, no! We did make use of the illusory perception of height in here but I assure you- it wasn't really too high. Come now, let's get your friend to the hotel's sick room and have her examined."
/// short flashback ///
Nino listened to Sho's account, his jaw dropping open.
"I can't believe it."
"I can't believe it either," Sho said, "I had thought we were falling to our deaths in the depths of hell or something but-"
"No it's not that," Nino said, "but you didn't realise you still had the bungee cord on you?
"No. I probably forgot that I still had it," Sho said, "but seeing her fall off… I reacted before I could think."
"That's what I can't believe," Nino said, "that in spite of your fear of heights, you leapt down to save her."
Sho felt his heart thud and looked away as he felt his face flush.
"Well, thank you,"Nino said sincerely, "you saved a dear friend of mine. "
"What are you talking about," Sho answered, "she's important to me too."
"Oh~ she is~?" Nino teased, "how important, exactly?"
He then felt a sharp jab on his elbow from the bed.
"You two are damn noisy.." Shizuka grumbled.
"Shizuka-chan! Are you okay? !" Sho asked anxiously.
"Ah.. yeah," she answered with a sad smile on her face," I'm sorry. I must have troubled you so. I promise to sound out if I feel unwell next time."
"N-no. It's okay," Sho said, "it wasn't much trouble."
"Saving her life in an embrace can't possibly be trouble," Nino teased and Shizuka looked at Sho in quiet shock. Sho looked away with a reddening face.
"I - I'm going to get a drink!" Sho said and hurriedly excused himself with a tomato-red face.
"What exactly did you mean?" Shizuka asked Nino.
"Just what I said. You fainted off the platform without a bungee cord. But Sho-kun leapt down and saved you by hugging you."
"He did WHAT?!" Shizuka asked, completely mortified, "oh my. Oh my God that could not be he was so scared of heights how could he..."
"He didn't seem to mind, even though he was supposedly deathly afraid of heights too," Nino said with a wink, and Shizuka rolled her eyes.
"I know what you're getting at, Nino-kun. But think about it. If it were you, you wouldn't let me fall to my death either, right?" she said.
Nino nodded.
"It's the same with Sho-kun. He saved me because we're really good friends."
"That doesn't mean it couldn't mean anything more," Nino teased and received a prompt poke in the shoulder.
"Do not shoot at a calm lake," Shizuka said quietly as she laid back down, "if there's nothing, there's no point thinking that there is."
She then flipped over to face the window.
"I'll like to sleep now, Nino-kun."
"Shall I accompany you?"
Shizuka turned over to look at him.
"Sure. But you'll just be watching me sleep. And that is quite boring."
"So? What are the arrangements? Will you be staying here?" Nino asked.
"I believe so. Even though I'm better now, I think I should rest a bit more and get some good food."
"I'll bring you something tomorrow," he said, "maybe some really good cheese fries and a beef burger."
"Mm. Yum yum. Because nothing says healthy recovery like junk food. Sure."
"You're suffering from exhaustion, not malnutrition," Nino replied wittily, "anyway... erm. Can I sleep in your room tonight? Back at the hotel, that is."
"Hmm? Might there be a problem with your current room? "She asked as she sat up to reach for her bag.
"…you can say that," Nino replied as he watched her fish out her hotel room key and hand it to him.
"Well, alright. I suppose I can understand. But rummage through my luggage and I'll really make sure your 3DS never sees the light of day."
"Like I said, you're not my type," Nino rebutted with a thankful smile.
"Something happened with him, right?" she asked, " Ohno-kun, I mean."
"… we fought, " Nino said, "so.. I can't really sleep in the same room as him. Even with Sho around."
"Nino-kun, forgive me for being indelicate," she said, "but shouldn’t you at least give him a listen? "
Nino huffed. "Why the hell should I?"
"Alright. Answer me. What exactly are you angry with him about?"
"First he avoided me without telling me why," Nino answered coldly, "and then he suddenly pops up from nowhere and expects me to forgive him."
"Well? Did he try to tell you why?"
"He did but I stopped him. I don't want to remember anymore," Nino said, "I'm done..fricking done with the past and all his nonsense."
"Yeah okay I get that you want to just.. well, move along and get things over and done with," Shizuka said, "but if you don't face your past head-on, you won't do a good job with the facing your future."
"I don't get it."
"Think of it as going back to the person who shackled you and asking for the keys to your release because your parole is due," she said, "whether you believe it or not, closure is really important."
"Some things can hardly be forgotten so simply," Nino said, "like when I got-"
He shook his head and stopped himself, and Shizuka's ears pricked up.
"What? Go on."
"Never mind," Nino said as he stood up abruptly, "anyway, I have to go."
"Wait! Nino-kun!"
"I'll be back tomorrow with your junk food," Nino said hurriedly and walked out of the room. Shizuka frowned lightly and sighed.
"Tch. People say we're often similar but sometimes I really don't quite understand him," Shizuka sulked under her breath and laid back down in her bed, closing her eyes to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nino walked briskly and was only stopped by Sho's grip on his arm.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Nino answered, "well? Will you be coming back to the hotel or will you be looking after Shizuka? She's sleeping now."
"I'll watch over her a little longer and then return to the hotel," Sho said, "shall I walk you back first?"
"No, I can find my way back," Nino said, "I'd rather you go and take care of Shizuka back there. You know. In case any baddies go and visit her or something."
"Now why would there be baddies preying on Shizuka? Considering that you had some alcohol, it's best if I send you back." Sho insisted as he guided Nino over to the exit," she's in good hands."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Back in the hotel room, Ohno paced back and forth in his room.
Well, not exactly his room per se, but the room he was sharing with Sho and Nino.
He wondered if Jun and Aiba would mind putting up with him for one night because of the huge mistake he made. What had meant to be a chance to make up and change things between them ended up completely awry- engaging in a loud, irrational fight at the bar and outside of it, angrily (but passionately nevertheless) making out in the corner of the dark street to shut him up and convey the extent that the separation had hurt him.
Yeah, he sure did change something. He was not certain just a while ago, but now he was DEFINITELY sure Nino hated him that he was the last person he'd want to see tomorrow.
"Let alone tonight," Ohno groaned as he buried his face in the pillow, not knowing what to do.
Just then, a voice came from the door to his room.
"Hey, Ohno-san? Erm, I'm getting Nino's stuff." Sho's voice called as he walked in, and Ohno blinked in surprise.
Ohno was shocked. "What happened?"
"Shizuka-chan fainted off the bungee-jumping platform and is resting in the hotel's sick room," Sho said, and Ohno's eyes went wide in anxiety.
"Th-then, how is she now? Is she awake?"
Sho smiled. "She's alright. It seems she was stressed and overworked before coming, so she got pretty exhausted. But otherwise, she is resting well now."
Ohno nodded, visibly relieved as he laid back down on the bed.
"So," Sho said as he reached for Nino's bag, "Nino will be sleeping in Shizuka's hotel room until she comes back to us tomorrow."
"Ah... Okay," Ohno said as he let out a sigh of relief as he rolled over.
"I guess it is a good thing, huh?" Sho said and Ohno nodded into the pillow.
"I don't think either of us want to see each other right now," Ohno spoke, "well, not after everything that happened."
Sho pursed his lips in deep thought and decided against commenting any further. He stood up with Nino's bag in hand.
"I'll buy something for us both later, so wait a little, alright?"
Ohno only gave a muffled "Mmm" before relaxing his body against the soft bed. After all that had happened that day, he wanted to at least take his mind off things with a short nap.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Here's your bag. You sure you're sleeping here alone tonight?" Sho asked. Nino nodded as he snuggled on the bed, burying his face into a fluffy pillow.
"I'd like space and rest. And I'm getting both here in Shizuka's room."
"Well, if you say so," Sho answered resignedly, " Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."
Nino nodded and closed his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
/// flashback ///
"What are you talking about?" the muscular boy sneered as he ambled towards Ohno, who knelt down on his knees.
"Just let him go, won't you?!" Ohno cried angrily, "it's ME you should be attacking, not him!"
"Oh-ho...but isn't it precisely the reason I want to do this? What else could possibly break your heart than something else happening to Ninomiya Kazunar-"
"I beg you! I'll do anything! JUST LET HIM OFF!" Ohno begged, and the boy's eyes glinted.
"Anything?"
"Yes!"
" I will take your word for it," the guy said and looked away with a grin on his face, "you do this one thing for me, and I will leave him alone. I swear on it."
"You'd better," Ohno said as he stood up, "so what is it?"
The boy turned towards him, a playful grin on his lips.
"You simply undo what you have done to me," he said and Ohno almost felt his heart drop.
"I... I can't do that! I-"
///
"Ohno-kun? Ohno-kun?"
Ohno felt himself getting shaken awake and his eyes opened to see Sho'd anxious face in front of him.
"Are you okay?"
Ohno breathed shallowly as he sat up on the bed.
".. yeah. I just.. I just had a bad dream."
Sho held up a few cans of beer.
"Shall we?"
The two men opened up their beer cans and started drinking as they stared out of the hotel room's window.
"You spoke to Shizuka-chan earlier before coming here, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Well..what did she do?"
"She gave me a few punches on the shoulder for ditching her," Ohno answered with a smile, "and she told me about how Nino was like when I left."
"Why did you leave in the first place?" Sho asked, "weren't the three of you really good friends?"
Ohno looked over at him in surprise.
"... Shizuka-chan told you?"
Sho nodded. Ohno looked down quietly at his beer can and took a long sip.
"... Sho-kun.." Ohno began, "how was middle school like for you?"
"Well..ookay I guess. I scored well enough on my tests and all," Sho said.
"You know how every school has its own designated group of losers?" Ohno said bitterly, "like, those group of people who somehow get picked on for the sole reason of existing?"
Sho's eyes widened in slight realisation and turned to Ohno.
".. Don't tell me you.."
Ohno nodded in agreement.
"Back then, that loser.... was me."
Sho blinked in complete surprise.
"I wasn't alway bullied though," Ohno said, "in the beginning of middle school, I was perfectly alright. But things changed after an important mid-term test."
Sho waited for him to continue.
"... I reported someone for cheating," Ohno said, "and that someone happened to be the son of the principal. He was banned from the rest of the tests and was suspended."
Sho's grip on his beer can tightened as he took in the new bit of information.
"When his suspension was over.." Ohno said shakily, "... I became his punching bag."
"Wouldn't Nino have known if you were bullied? The two of you went to the same school after all."
"We were in a different class. Also, I happened to be in the same class as the principal's son."
"...so you didn't tell him because you did not want to worry him?" Sho asked, and Ohno looked away.
"Yeah. I tried to hide it to ensure he didn't find out. Thankfully enough, he did not. But... I ended up hurting him nevertheless after all."
"Why?"
Ohno sighed and looked up at the sky, the moon staring back down forlornly at the two men.
"Because we loved each other," the answer came out of Ohno's lips in a painful whisper, as if the account that followed it squeezed the life out of his beating heart.