Kodoku kara Umareta Ai - Chapter 12
Title: 孤独から生まれた愛 (Love Born out of Loneliness)
Author: Mayonaka no Taiyou/Unare Haineko
Pairing: [Juntoshi] Matsumoto Jun x Ohno Satoshi
Rating: PG-13-ish overall
Summary: Due to some bizarre coincidence, Ohno unexpectedly wanders into Jun’s company one lonely evening. Jun, in a rare display of his softer side, unknowingly fills some of Ohno’s emotional voids, voids Ohno was not aware he even had in his heart-that is, not until Jun filled them.
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Kodoku kara Umareta Ai (Love Born out of Loneliness) - Chapter 12
First week in December…
Jun was sitting on the couch in the living room with his legs stretched out underneath the warmth of an electric blanket while he read his latest book. He vaguely heard the sound of the front door opening, signaling that Ohno had returned from his studio, which was just across the hall.
Ohno appeared a few minutes later holding two mugs of hot cocoa.
“Whacha reading?” he asked, handing Jun one of the mugs.
“A book on making French bread…” Jun said, setting the book down on the coffee table before accepting the mug and making space on the couch for Ohno.
Ohno gave his own mug to Jun and wiggled under the electric blanket, snuggling as close as he could to Jun before taking back his mug. With Ohno half lying on Jun’s lower body, they were quite cozy and very warm as they sipped the rich winter beverage.
“Where did you get this cocoa from?” asked Jun blowing on his and immediately recognizing the aroma as he breathed in the steam. “It’s very expensive and they limit the production of it every year.”
“Nishikido gave it to me.”
“Nishikido?”
“Yeah, said something about not liking cocoa after drinking so much last winter. His manager for some reason gave him a whole bunch the other day and he gave me some.”
“Thanks,” Jun said sticking his finger into the mug to verify that the liquid was at a drinkable temperature as Jun had the cat’s tongue of all cat’s tongues when it came to steaming hot foods and drinks.
“You’re welcome,” smiled Ohno, resting his head on Jun’s chest.
“Leader…?” Jun said after several moments of silence.
“Hmm?”
“Are you happy here?” asked Jun, scratching Ohno’s scalp gently with his perfectly manicured nails.
“Happier than I’ve been in a long time…” sighed Ohno dreamily.
“…”
“Are you happy, Jun?” asked Ohno looking up at Jun who stroked his head absently.
“Only because you’re here,” replied Jun, kissing Ohno on the forehead.
“Jun?”
“Yeah?”
“Um…” began Ohno nervously.
“Something wrong, Leader?”
“You know it’s already December and…”
Jun straightened up and focused his attention on Ohno.
“Well, what do you normally do for the holidays?” finished Ohno.
“Me? Hmm…”
“I mean, do you go back to see your parents or something?”
“No, I stay here in Tokyo. I usually have work and stuff to do at the end of the year.”
“Oh…”
“Why?”
“No reason…” said Ohno quietly as he swirled his half drunk cup of cocoa.
“If you have plans to go back home to your family that’s cool,” said Jun. “You have such a great family that it’d be a waste not to spend at least Christmas with them.”
“What about you?”
“I’m not on very good terms with my parents and Erina and I are…well, you can probably imagine how that goes…so I usually don’t go home.”
“But you’ll be all alone-“protested Ohno.
“Only for a few days,” said Jun reassuringly. “I’ll miss you, but I’ll live. Don’t worry about me.”
“Then I won’t go home,” said Ohno, setting his now empty mug on the coffee table and lying directly on top of Jun so that his chin rested on Jun’s chest.
“Don’t be silly,” said Jun finishing up his cocoa and setting his mug down next to Ohno’s. “Go home to your family-“
“No,” said Ohno adamantly. “They’ll be fine not seeing me…”
“But you hardly see them,” pointed out Jun.
“The only reason why I would go home was because Nino would go home. I didn’t want to be in that apartment all alone, so I made it seem like I always wanted to go home during Christmas too when in reality I wouldn’t have minded spending it with Nino…”
“Leader…”
“Wait!” Ohno said suddenly. “I just got an idea. Why don’t you come home with me and meet my family-that is, if you don’t mind?”
“What?”
“My mom wouldn’t mind I’m sure. We have a modest guest room that you could stay in…or you could sleep in my room if you want…that way it won’t be weird that I didn’t come home to spend time with my family and we can spend Christmas together too…” Ohno said blushing.
“Has Nino ever been to your house?”
“Only when no one’s home. We went a couple times when I knew my mom would be out…” trailed off Ohno.
“I see…”
“But, if you were to come, I’d introduce you to my family. Well, to my mom. My dad’s probably not coming home this winter because of work,” Ohno said quickly. “What do you say?”
Jun considered Ohno’s proposition.
“I’d say okay,” Jun answered.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Great. I can’t wait,” Ohno smiled chewing on his lip cutely as he wiggled up to whisper in Jun’s ear. “My parents’ room is next to mine, but we can still do it on my bed if we’re quiet…”
Jun nearly had a nosebleed. Not only was the prospect of sex in Ohno’s bed exciting, but it was also his first Christmas since he debuted when he would be spending the holiday in the company of someone he actually cared about. It was going to be the best end of the year ever. Jun was certain of it.
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Nino returned sometime that week exhausted from filming in Tochigi for what seemed like months on end. They finished most of his scenes in Tochigi, but there were still a few more that needed to be filmed in Tokyo. Nino let himself into his apartment and let out a loud sigh when he remembered that everything was a mess.
“Oh-chan?” he called. “Odd…I wonder where he went…”
Nino kicked the suspicious piles of god knows what as he tried to clear a path for himself from the front door to at least the kitchen. He pulled off his socks and tossed them aside as he made his way past the refrigerator, setting his bag on the only open space on the kitchen counter. Nino looked around and was disgusted with himself. It was a wonder that there were no roaches. He figured that he could clean up later and decided that at this very moment, he wanted a shower and to go to bed.
He slept for nearly two days to catch up on missed sleep as a result of the busy schedule he had been forced to adhere to for the duration of the filming. On the second day, he woke up and figured that he should straighten up the place so that he could at least determine which clothes were clean and where the memory card for his PlayStation had gone. He had bought two new games at the electronics store inside the station on his way back from Tochigi and his thumbs were itching to feel the plastic controller.
Nino rummaged about sniffing clothes and throwing a majority of them into the laundry basket. He ran the hot water over the dishes to loosen the crusted food residue and set about straightening, or at least putting everything into piles to be sorted later. Nino determined that even he could not stand the stuffiness and proceeded to open all the windows to let some fresh air and light into his apartment.
A sudden heavy breeze blew through the kitchen and Nino heard something fall onto the floor. He turned around and found a small envelope addressed to ‘Ninomiya Kazunari’ resting against a forgotten left shoe in the middle of the walkway leading from the kitchen. He picked it up curiously and slowly slid his finger underneath the sealed flap. Nino lifted the small half sheet of stationery from the plain envelope and found the following message:
‘Kazu,
I’m sorry. I’ve met someone else.
-Satoshi.’
Nino blinked and turned the paper over.
“Is this some sort of dokkiri Ni no Arashi copycat joke?” laughed Nino uneasily. “Guys this isn’t funny!”
Nino looked around his apartment and was only greeted with silence.
“Guys? Aiba..? Sho..? Jun…?”
There were no cameras rushing out or the excited laughter of his group mates as they made fun of the person who had been the target of trickery. Nino shook the envelope and out slid Ohno’s key with the identifying green rubber on the bow of the key. Nino grabbed his mobile phone and dialed Ohno’s number.
‘I’m sorry the party you are trying to contact is unavailable-‘
Nino tried calling Ohno twenty times, only giving up when his poorly charged phone died from lack of battery.
“He must be screening my calls…” breathed Nino.
Nino’s vision suddenly started spinning out of focus as his mind entered a state of blankness. He was not sure how long he sat there in his cold empty apartment, but when he finally managed to gather his thoughts, Ninomiya Kazunari had only one thing on his mind.
I wanna see the face of the bastard who stole away my Satoshi…
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Several hours later on the other side of town…
“Ack, I just remembered! Jun, lend me your phone,” Ohno said, reaching into Jun’s back pocket of his pants and groping around for the mobile device.
“If you wanted to touch my ass, all you had to do was ask,” Jun smiled, drawing Ohno closer into his embrace.
“No, I really need to use your phone-“
“What happened to yours?” asked Jun, pulling his phone from his coat pocket and handing it to Ohno.
“I forgot it on the boat the other day when I went fishing,” said Ohno, closing his eyes in disgust at his own stupidity.
“Why don’t you go and pick it up?”
“Because they sent that boat to get serviced and it won’t be back for another few days.”
“Do you want me to get you something temporary?”
“No, I’ll just use your phone. I just need to call my manager. He’s probably wondering why the hell I haven’t called back about the script I was supposed to read.”
“Do you have the number?”
“Yeah,” Ohno said, fishing out a scrap of paper from his pocket.
“Geez, I hope no one important is or has been trying to call you,” muttered Jun.
“Well, why do I need to worry about my phone when you’re right here?” smiled Ohno, flashing Jun the peace sign before apologizing profusely to his manager who was talking so loud that even Jun could hear him.
And in the background on one of the large screens in the middle of a major shopping intersection, there was an advertisement blaring.
‘…due its immense popularity, the anime series ‘Aienkien’ will have two games coming out in January, one for PlayStation and one for Nintendo DS. Lauded for its gorgeous art, high paced story, and talented voice actors, these two games are expected to be one of the most highly anticipated games of the coming year. A must have for any game otaku. Both games will go on sale January 10th…’
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A few days later, Nino, who was so consumed by anger, made it his number one priority to stalk Ohno and find out who this ‘someone else’ was. Today, Ohno was sitting at the window of a small mom and pop run coffee shop reading a fishing magazine. He had run into Ohno’s manager quite by accident on the train who he buttered up until he was able to ask him if he had seen Ohno that day, to which he replied that Ohno had mentioned that he was going to meet someone at a coffee shop somewhere near Kagurazaka station. Nino thanked him and knew exactly where Ohno had gone.
Nino stood outside the flower shop, hiding behind a large display of winter bouquets watching Ohno read his magazine for a good twenty minutes before he saw someone pull up a chair next to the Arashi leader. Reminding himself that this could possibly be Ohno’s lover and that he needed to restrain himself in order to find concrete proof, he watched as the stranger ordered coffee and a bunch of pastries. Ohno’s companion wore sunglasses the entire time, which led Nino to believe that it might be another celebrity. However, when Ohno accidentally dropped his magazine, the stranger bent down to pick it up, causing his floppy bucket hat to fall off for a brief moment. Just a look at his hair, Nino realized that it was only Jun. He cursed his luck as Arashi members having coffee or hanging out with each other was nothing new or special.
After about two hours, they went their separate ways and Nino followed Ohno to the jimusho, where Ohno was giving a bunch of the juniors some choreography lessons. Nino was about to go home thinking that it was going to be a waste of his time, but then he wondered if Ohno had fallen for one of the juniors. Thus, Nino subjected himself to watching every move and glance that Ohno gave to each of the juniors. It was difficult to tell whether Ohno was just being nice or if he was flirting, but Nino eventually concluded that it was probably not one of the juniors as they seemed to be more infatuated with him (Ohno) than the other way around.
The practice ended a droning five hours later and Nino recognized this as a chance to see if Ohno’s lover would appear. After all, Ohno did not live at home when he had been with Nino. Perhaps his lover would come by to pick him up or Ohno would go home with him in the unlikely event that his lover was indeed one of the juniors. Ohno was cleaning up and talking to Chinen when Nino felt his mobile vibrating in his pocket. He reached in and pulled the phone out preparing to send whoever it was to voicemail. However, it was just an email and in the brief second that he took his eyes off of Ohno to check who had emailed him, Ohno had disappeared. Nino looked around and saw the juniors chatting excitedly as they planned their evening. Ohno had not gone with Chinen because Chinen was now being teased by the other members about his infatuation with ‘Ohno-san’.
Day 1: Results inconclusive.
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The next day, they all had costume fittings for some spring event that he could not remember the name of in March. Nino’s appointment was at 9:20. He arrived at 9:18, just when Aiba was coming out of the fitting room.
“Oh, hello, Nino,” Aiba chirped cheerful as ever.
“Hey,” Nino waved plainly. “How was it?”
“Not bad. They just had me try on a bunch of stuff. I think I grew a centimeter since they last measured me.”
“Which way?” snickered Nino.
“Are you suggesting that I’m getting fat, Nino?!!!” said Aiba with horror.
“I dunno, you tell me,” shrugged Nino. “I mean, have you ever heard of a 25 year old man growing taller? Wider maybe, but not taller.”
“Noooo!! I’m not getting fat!!” said Aiba, covering his ears. “Sho-chan says that I’m not fat. I just have big bones!!”
Nino rolled his eyes.
“Oh, Aiba-chan,” Nino said, suddenly changing his tune.
“Yes?”
“Have you seen Oh-chan?”
“Leader? Hmm…I think he had the first fitting, which was before me…When I saw him he said something about clay and fishing…No wait!! I remember! Today, he has a meeting and more junior practice. Tomorrow he’s going to his secret hideout to do clay, and the day after tomorrow he’s going fishing out in Chiba.”
“I see-“
“Ninomiya-san!” called the woman with a soft measuring tape around her neck. “Fitting!”
“Oh, I better go,” Nino said excusing himself.
“See you later then,” waved Aiba.
After his fitting, Nino went downstairs and watched the juniors practice from the upper stairwell he had stood on previously, where he could easily see the juniors down below, but where he was mostly hidden due to the way the light played off the metal to create shadows. Ohno appeared at ten thirty and helped them until half past noon, when they took a break for lunch. Sho and Jun appeared, presumably after having finished their fittings and brought Ohno something from the cafeteria.
Sho and Jun stuck around after lunch and Ohno borrowed them for a demonstration in flexibility. In a group of five or more young boys there was bound to be differences in abilities. Sho and Jun made rather nice examples of ‘stiff as a board’ and ‘bendy like a wet noodle’ respectively, in Ohno’s exact words. True to his unleaderlike, yet very leader-like abilities, Ohno was able to demonstrate how to recognize and thereby choreograph to everyone’s strengths. The juniors were impressed how Sho, despite being not flexible did not seem any less visible since his rap showcased what he was good at. In addition, Ohno took the time to point out that even though Jun was extremely flexible he was rarely seen doing the tricks and jumps that were often associated with juniors. Ohno had Jun perform the kick turn from the bridge of ‘truth’ to illustrate his point. The juniors fawned over their sempai. Nino was bored.
Nino was so bored that he completely missed when Sho and Jun finally took their leave, when Ohno allowed the juniors a smoke/bathroom break. Sho needed to pick up some paperwork and excused himself while Ohno walked Jun out to the parking lot. Ohno had given Jun a peck on the cheek before returning, which went largely unnoticed by Nino, who was still sitting in the practice room staring at the chaotic mess of juniors below.
The practice finished at around four and Nino’s legs had fallen asleep. As Ohno exited, Nino stumbled out wearily hoping that he could at least find out where Ohno ended up after work. Much to his dismay, he saw Ohno get into a taxi and speed off down one of the back roads along the north gate of the jimusho.
Day 2: Still conclusive.
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The third and fourth day of stalking yielded no better results. Nino was unable to track down Ohno at his pottery place and he had watched Ohno with his binoculars from the dock in Chiba, which also proved to be inconclusive as Ohno simply fished for most of the day, ate his bento, and came back to chat up the other fisherman before meeting up with Aiba, Sho, and a few other sempai with whom they saw a movie. After the movie, they went to get something to eat where Ohno got a bit tipsy and went back to the Sakuraiba apartment, where he apparently passed out.
Nino was forced to go back alone after having wasted four days trailing Ohno who really did not seem to have found another lover. Ohno would not lie, but it was infuriating to think that he had not seen this ‘someone else’ for four days and Ohno had unknowingly outwitted him. As someone who was always naturally good at whatever he had tried his hand at, Nino was not used to having to wait so long for a sign of progress. He soon grew weary of his agricultural experiments that he performed for their programs. By nature, due to his impatience, he made a poor researcher and a poor fisherman. His idea to stalk Ohno, the ultimate random person, was no exception and had resulted in his resignation for the time being that short of asking Ohno directly, he would most likely not be able to find the identity of Ohno’s new lover.
Of course, had he stayed another hour or so outside of the Sakuraiba apartment, he would have seen Jun drive up in his sports car and drag a drunk, horny Ohno out of the building where he fucked Ohno in his car before driving home.
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Nino locked himself in his apartment and did nothing but play video games in the days leading up to Christmas. He kept his contact with the other members to a minimum, preferring to lose himself in the fantasy world of computer graphic generated monsters and bosses. He barely ate and chose not to sleep so as to maintain his almost zombie like state of mind where he momentarily forgot about how he had lost Ohno to someone else. He knew that he was in denial and that he should honestly take a look at the relationship to see what might have gone wrong, but he did not want to think about it. It was too painful, so until Aiba’s birthday, which was Christmas Eve, Nino hid in his world of make-believe.
At Aiba’s birthday dinner, which started in the early evening, Nino discretely avoided Ohno. He put on a happy face and made it seem as though he was excited to see Aiba, but in reality, he could not face Ohno, nor did he have the courage or balls to demand an explanation from Ohno. He refused to accept that Ohno had cheated on him, telling himself instead that someone must have manipulated him so that they could steal him away.
Aiba’s birthday had been planned by Sho and Jun, which meant that instead of weird games, they actually rented out a proper room of a fancy restaurant where they were able to celebrate the anniversary of his birth with slightly more class than the birthday version of ‘Arashi no Shukudai-kun.’
Five bottles of fancy alcohol later, everyone was more than pleasantly buzzed when Aiba began to open his gifts. Clothes from Jun, a random gadget from Ohno, sexy under garments (including a thong) from Sho, and Nino had given him a set of books on safari wildlife. Aiba started bawling into Sho’s shoulder at how touching it was that they were all together on Christmas Eve celebrating his birthday. They ate birthday cake and Christmas cake in honor of the season while discussing plans for Christmas. Nino was going back home like he assumed Ohno would. Jun would probably stay in Tokyo like he normally did and the topic of the conversation went to the Sakuraiba birthday trip, where Sho was planning to take Aiba up to the mountains to go skiing on Christmas Day.
The party disbanded at around eight since everyone needed to catch their trains. Jun had called a taxi for Sho and Aiba to help them with the gifts. He had asked Nino if he needed a taxi, but he declined the extravagance. Nino shuffled his way to the train station and while he was standing at the intersection waiting for the crosswalk to turn green, he turned back absently half wondering if Jun, being the extravagant person that Nino believed him to be, planned to take a taxi home.
As the sign flashed to green, Nino took a step forward, watching as the restaurant owner helped Jun with a few suitcases. Jun hailed a taxi and was loading the luggage in the trunk when Ohno, who Nino had forgotten about, came out of the restaurant. Bowing to the restaurant owner as he returned back into the shop, Nino stopped at the curb opposite the one he had just come from and stared as Ohno reached up and kissed Jun, caressing Jun’s cheek with his fluffy gloved hand. Jun smiled gently and brushed Ohno’s bangs from the front of his forehead to the side before kissing Ohno on the nose cutely. Ohno pushed Jun playfully and then ducked into the backseat of the taxi followed by Jun.
He fell for Jun…
Nino stood on the curb gaping in disbelief and before he could will them away, large hot tears began to stream down his cheeks as the sickening feeling of betrayal, the anger, and the hurt resonated through his body while he watched the taxi drive away with the man who he never imagined would leave him one day.
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To be continued…
Sho: Oi! Unare Haineko-san!! What is the meaning of this?! Where are you going with this?! Nino…. Ohno-san and MatsuJun… Oi! Even Aiba-san is silent!! --Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen. You won’t wanna miss the next installment of ‘Kodoku kara Umareta Ai’!!!
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