Now and Forever...Itsumademo... - Chapter 14B
Title: Now and Forever…いつまでも…
Author: Mayonaka no Taiyou/Unare Haineko
Pairing: [Juntoshi] Matsumoto Jun x Ohno Satoshi
Rating: R-ish.
Summary: This story follows Ayumu, a more or less normal child born in 2012, three years after the ending of ‘Kodoku kara Umareta Ai’ (which you can read here). His parents, Jun and Ohno, are everything but ‘normal’ in their often unconventional attempts to deal with some of the challenges of parenthood as they try to ‘blend in’ with ‘normal people’.
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Daisuke shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he watched the monitor in front of him. There was no sound, but he could see Nino pinned up against the wall by none other than Reiya (冷矢), who went by Matsumoto Jun 008, or 008 for short, at Host Club Nozoki. Ironically, ‘rei-ya’ was also how one could read the last two digits of his nickname, ‘rei’ meaning ‘zero’ and ‘ya’ meaning ‘eight’. According to Reiya, his number had been a completely random one that he had just drawn from an opaque bag amongst all the other Matsumoto Jun wannabes and lookalikes.
Reiya was a bit of a celebrity in his own right. He was one of the highest grossing hosts at the club and feared by many in the industry as well. A near perfect facsimile of the former Arashi member, he was not only a man who knew how to appeal to people’s desires through his appearance, but he was many times more dangerous than the real thing because of his reputation as a morally depraved sex maniac. Daisuke felt sick just watching Reiya move about like Kaa in the Disney version of ‘The Jungle Book’. Daisuke overheard others say that when they looked into Reiya’s ebony eyes and listened to the sound of his voice while he moved towards them, it was like being hypnotized after having been paralyzed by fear.
Reiya had no conscience. Everything was a game to him. He did not care who he destroyed in the process because all that mattered was that he got his kicks and that he was compensated for his time. Daisuke heard horror stories about clients (both male and female) who had run themselves to the ground financially because of their addiction to Reiya, who had cleverly manipulated them so that they would continue to come back until one or a combination of the following happened-all funds had been exhausted, the client had lost touch with reality and was banned from the club for getting ‘too involved’ or ‘too attached’ to the employee, or the ones most dear to the client had discovered the client’s addiction and the chaos that ensued made it impossible for the client to return to the host club. Reiya felt nothing for the families that had been ruined in his game of cat and mouse. He was protected by the waiver, so he could care less about everyone else. According to one of Daisuke’s sempai, Reiya was as his name suggested, a ‘cold arrow’ that once it pierced the soul drove the person to love the illusion that Reiya crafted until it brought about the victim’s ultimate destruction.
“Good work, boy,” said a sultry voice that made Daisuke feel like he was like a fly drowning in honey. “I don’t know how you brought him here so quickly, but as agreed, here’s your 250,000 yen.”
The large middle-aged woman in the pin striped black suit and fancy designer accessories set an unmarked envelope in front of Daisuke. Daisuke crinkled his nose at the overpowering smell of cosmetics and perfume as she walked away.
“It’s all there,” she said, lighting up a cigarette while tossing her caramel colored hair behind her shoulders with her French manicured hand.
Daisuke did not move.
“It was all thanks to me,” bragged Kei.
“You? What did you have to do with it, you useless piece of-“
“Hey, don’t talk to me like that, you old hag-“
“Old hag?! My name is-“
“You don’t sign my check, Kakia (仮揆蛙)-“
“But I’m still in charge here, Kei. You better listen to me, you third rate cheap MatsuJun copy-“
“It’s not my fault that I happen to look like Matsumoto Jun! I didn’t have plastic surgery like your boy Reiya over there. I just happen to look like him! And I’m not cheap. You know that so take it back. I’m the smartest one in this crap hole and the boss knows it.“
“What about Reiya? The boss likes Reiya quite a lot-“
“That’s only because he likes that Reiya ruins people. It’s just an ego boost. Besides, Reiya could never do what I do-“
“And what’s that? Sit at your stupid desk job during the day and pretend to be intelligent?”
“It’s not easy deceiving people-“
“I do it all the time-“
“Not like that, you stupid hag. Whatever. I’m wasting my breath on you.”
“You’re just stopping because you don’t have anything to say about Reiya-“
“Listen here, you witch. Reiya doesn’t think. He only is concerned about his own needs. He’d fuck a goat if there was nothing left on the planet to fuck. You couldn’t send Reiya to be a CPA or something. He wouldn’t make it past the first semester. The bastard would get bored. The only head he’s ever gonna use is the head of his cock to fuck someone else or fuck them over! So admit it, I’m way better than Reiya-“
“As if,” she scoffed. “You know the only reason why the boss keeps you around is because you do the books and-“
“Shut up-“
“What? Daisuke works for the boss too. He needs to hear what I have to say-“
“He was probably watching from somewhere,” Daisuke said quietly trying to diffuse the tension and change the subject while he watched Nino continue to squirm under Reiya.
“Just take the money and go home already. We’ll take care of Ninomiya-san,” sighed Kakia, grabbing the envelope off the table and stuffing it into Daisuke’s pocket.
Kakia turned off the monitor. She picked Daisuke up by the arm and pulled him towards the door.
“But what about Kei?”
“He has to go on the floor in about an hour, so he’s probably not going to go home-“
“Oh…”
“Go on,” Kakia waved, dismissing him.
Daisuke nodded and bowed once before exiting.
0-0-0-0-0
Roughly forced against the wall, the Jun imitation had Nino pinned by the arms.
“Ever been to heaven?” breathed Reiya.
“No…but I’ve been to hell and back,” Nino said through gritted teeth. “Stop, get off me-“
“You’re so cute when you’re mad…How about a game? What do you play? Gin? Strip Poker?”
“No games,” Nino said firmly, yanking himself free.
“You honestly don’t expect me to just give you information about Matsuda Kei, do you?”
“Forget Matsuda Kei. He was the one who recommended me to this damn place. I just wanted to see what all the hype was about. But clearly it was a waste of my time. I’m leaving,” Nino said, fixing his shirt.
“Wait, don’t go-“
Nino’s lips curved up in a small smile.
I knew it! Even this one is tsundere…
“You’re not MatsuJun,” shrugged Nino, smoothing out the wrinkles before walking towards the door. “You work for a host club. Don’t you guys specialize in illusions? This illusion sucks.”
Reiya looked as if he had been bashed in the face for no one had ever been so bold as to say that he was anything but amazing.
“What difference does it make if I’m the real Ninomiya Kazunari or not? I came here to see what the ‘best’ imitation of MatsuJun was like because we both know that it isn’t Matsuda Kei. He just happens to look a bit like MatsuJun. He doesn’t have the surgically altered appearance or finesse like you do. But you botched everything. You’re nothing like MatsuJun.”
Nino dismissed Reiya with a disinterested wave.
“Well, if you know so much about MatsuJun, then you tell me how he should be behaving!” snapped Reiya defensively.
Nino made a big show of rolling his eyes and stomping back over to Reiya.
“Amateur!” spat Nino. “I think even Jun when he first started out acting was a better actor than you! And let me tell you, he was awkward. You only have to play one freaking person and you can’t even do it right!”
“Excuse me?”
“Haven’t you ever watched him on television or read his interviews in magazines? He’s not a goody two shoes, but he’s far from your interpretation of him. I can see how you would sell as a host. You can command a pretty penny because you look like him and I guess if people aren’t looking for conversation, then sex with a MatsuJun lookalike is fine and dandy.”
“Hey!”
“No, I’m not done yet. You asked me how you should be behaving, so I’m gonna tell you. You don’t even know a thing about the man you’re supposed to be pretending to be. You’re just whoever you are with a MatsuJun skin stretched over you-“
“You would know that because?”
“Trust me, I’ve been around actors all my life-good ones, bad ones, and everything in between. You, my friend, on a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest, are a four. Your words and actions are not consistent with the character, so how am I supposed to believe the illusion that I’m sitting with MatsuJun? All wrong, I tell you.”
“I-“ began Reiya, attempting to recover from Nino’s sharp words.
“You think Jun is all about sex and dominating the other person?!” Nino said, cutting him off. “You don’t know Jun. I KNOW Jun! He’s straight-forward. He tells things like they are. He doesn’t bother hiding them. If he thinks you’re an asshole, he’d be the first to tell you to your face. He wouldn’t try to manipulate the situation or people like how you’re doing. You may have his face, but you’re a crummy imitation of him. You think I just came down here to have sex with a Jun-lookalike? Don’t flatter yourself! I’ve met the real thing before! He may be brash, pretentious, and look like a violent person because of the roles he chooses, but he’s extremely kind, hard working and generous to a fault! He’s rough on the outside, but only because he’s afraid of being hurt! You don’t know the first thing about him-“
Nino’s eyes widened as he stopped midsentence in realization.
My god. I think I’ve just made a terrible mistake…
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To be continued…! Replies to comments from last chapter when I come home tonight.
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