Family Matters: Chapter 19
Title: Family matters ~ Chapter 19/22
Pairing: Jun, Masaki, Sho, Satoshi, Kazu (there are going to be additional side-characters though. No OCs.) I'm trying to give each of the five their well-deserves spot-light <3
Rating: PG
Multi-chapter
Genre: family!AU in which Arashi are brothers :-) slice of life, a little drama (and I'm trying to add some light-hearted, funny moments to it too)
Summary: Since they were little they were always close to each other. And when unfortunate events force them to live together without their parents, it's only natural that they try to make the best out of it.
Jun opens the window to his room with a sigh. He needs some fresh air, despite the fact that he just ran around the lake for two hours straight. But he still feels restless. He.does.not.fight.with.Kazu. Ever. It feels bad, and he just wants to go to him and make up. He should probably be more patient and understand that things aren’t so easy for Kazu, although he wishes he would let him in and share what’s happening with him. And-
Before he can think further, something bumps against his head and he squeals in shock. “Ops,” Kazu’s voice comes from the window to his room at the other side of the house. “Did it hit you, Jun?”
Jun blinks and picks up the little drone-bird. So Kazu has worked on it and got it going? Cool! There is a little message on its computer screen. Sorry. In blue capital letters. It’s so random, and so Kazu.
Jun leans out of his window and searches for the window to his brother’s room. Kazu waves to him. “Hey, how do I answer?”
“I have no idea!”
“How did you write a message?” Jun wants to know.
Kazu chuckles. “I don’t know. I just tried to press several buttons.”
“Didn’t you read the manual?”
“What? Who needs a manual!?”
Jun frowns. “I can’t believe you!”
Right at that moment Satoshi gets out of a taxi, eyeing the both of them immediately. “Hey you two idiots,” he yells. “Don’t lean that far out of the window! I can’t even watch you! If you don’t want me to get really mad, you’ll stop doing something so dangerous immediately.”
“Okay,” Jun chuckles. “I’ll come to you with the thingy, Kazu. Prepare the manual.”
“Fine.” Kazu nods. “Oh and…” he pauses awkwardly, looking down towards Satoshi. “Thanks for the present Satoshi.” Then he closes the window swiftly. Jun smiles apologetically for not keeping Satoshi’s present a secret and waves before he disappears.
~~~
Finally Kazu seems to come back into the light, or at least he pretends to or tries, which is still a huge improvement to staring at the wall in a dark room. Jun is in such a good mood during the next days that he even sometimes talks to Shota alone, without feeling overly uncomfortable.
He can see the surprise in Shota’s eyes, clearly, when he is so open and heart-felt friendly to him. It’s like he doesn’t quite get what’s going on right now. Jun however doesn’t want to overanalyse anything right now and bother with his stirred up emotions that Shota makes him remember everything that happened in the past.
Later that day right after school Jun decides to go to his favourite sportswear shop to finally buy himself new shoes for jogging. Just last week Masaki has given him the money for it with the words that he can’t wear his old ones anymore, since they were slowly dissolving.
When Shota asks him if he should join him, Jun declines, back to his more awkward self. He tells him he is meeting up with one of his brothers. It’s a lie, obviously, but well… He does feel bad about it though, gladly… His conscious still seems to work, which is a relief.
When he roams through the shelves with shoes he almost wishes for someone to be there to help him choose though because there are several he likes.
“What about this one?”
Jun almost jumps in shock when he hears Shota’s voice right next to him. His mind goes blank for a moment. “You followed me?” he asks in sincere disbelief and shock.
Shota ignores him. “You like the colour, and they are good shoes for running. Not too expensive either, and you can use them for winter.”
Out of a loss for words Jun nods, and buys them. They go back by foot, not talking anything at all, until they reach a small back alley. “I don’t get it,” Shota finally says. “What the hell is going on!?”
“Nothing?” Jun offers casually. It’s worth a try. “I just wanted to be alone today.”
Shota doesn’t buy it though, instead he grabs Jun’s collar and pushes him against the wall. Jun needs only a second to recover from the shock, then he grabs Shota’s arm firmly, eyes glinting. “What the hell do you think are you doing!? Don’t tell me you want to beat me up now?”
“Is being scary the reason you are always avoiding me?” Shota huffs.
“Not at all,” Jun explains calmly, but apparently his calm approach pisses Shota off even further. “I’m definitely not scared of you. And I’m not half as weak as you might think I am. I have four older brothers which I learned how to fight, so be careful I don’t bite you!”
It’s a sentence he normally only uses as a joke, but this time he means it. Being the youngest in a family with five boys has definitely taught him how to stand his ground. Besides that all of the others are strong and confident characters, he is no exception. It’s their trademark.
Shota lets go all of a sudden. “An emotional sentiment from you towards me,” he mumbles. “It’s almost relieving. So why the hell are you so cold when it’s not my appearance?”
“I-“
He can’t finish his sentence as there is a sudden shadow approaching them. Jun is not sure what he would have said anyways, but other than that he has different worries right now as there is a bunch of guys approaching them from both sides of the alley.
“You should try to run away,” Shota tells him.
“What!? And where to? They block both sides of the alley.” Jun blinks. “Who the hell are these guys?”
To his surprise Shota just shakes his head and looks away, making Jun blink. The answer however is provided by the guys themselves because one of them snickers in a disgusting way. “Yo, isn’t that the rich son of the new doctor? How about you lend us some money?”
“How about-” Shota offers with a particularly friendly voice. “-you just fuck off?”
Jun can’t help a grin. Shota has guts, and he is not scaring away from this bunch of bullies. However, inside Jun already braces himself for what’s going to be inevitable. When one of the guys clenches his fist, he knows he is right. The guy however goes for Shota first, not expecting Shota’s flexibility as the latter just ducks away and the guy hits the wall in exchange. When he yells in pain, Jun knows it's basically the signal. He is not a violent guy at all, but there is no way he is going to let those idiotic, pathetic bullies just wipe the floor with him and Shota, and not defend himself, because seriously there is no way to escape them as they block both sides of the alley. Shota seems to see it similar because although he throws Jun an apologetic glance, he has that grim look in his eyes immediately afterwards.
Five minutes later Jun has however lost track of what Shota does, as there are around three guys hovering above him, one of them kneeling on his upper body, the second one’s fist hitting right into his face and the third one kicking into his stomach. There is no fucking way he is going to let them beat him up so that he would need to be sent to the hospital, damn it! He can’t send his brothers through this turmoil again. Jun gathers his strength, biting into the other’s arm as strong as possible, and uses the moment of strength to kick him away.
There is the taste of iron on his tongue, but he tries to ignore it for now. When he eyes to the side, he sees Shota being pushed against the wall. “Hey get off him,” Jun yells and pushes one of the bigger guys away.
“And now?” Shota mumbles when they are standing back to back.
Jun is about to answer him, but his eyes catch the dude he just bit before. He has a knife in his hands. A fucking knife. Oh my god! What should he do now!? For a moment Jun considers to run, he is fast, and there is a little hole between some of the guys he could push through. But what about Shota? That would be a horrible move to just leave him back…
“Let’s see,” the guy with the knife hisses. “What I can do to your pretty face!”
Jun’s eyes widen in horror. He can take it up with a guy fighting with his fists, thanks to the self-defence class Sho sent him and Kazu to one year ago because his job as a lawyer made him so careful and foresightful. But he is not some kind of superhero to take it up with someone holding a knife.
Shota spins around too, eyes glued to the idiot approaching them. The others have paused too. “What are you doing?” one of the guys mumbles in sudden fear.
“This fucking kid bit me!” Dude grabs Jun’s collar and pushes him against the wall. He moves the tip of his knife over Jun’s cheek.
“Are you stupid!?” Shota yells in sudden anger. “That’s not a joke, you fatassed idiot. What do you think will happen when you hurt him for real? Do you even know who his brother is?”
“Why do I care for that!?” dude huffs.
“You’ll care when he ruins your life forever,” Shota yells. “He is a fucking lawyer, you idiot. A real shark. Your life is going to be over!”
“Damn it, he is right, drop the knife,” the big dude that clung to Shota before yells out now. “That’s the kid from the Sakurai family. You won’t want to mess with them. The higher ups of the police are on their side too.”
The guy with the knife doesn’t seem to hear them though, he moves the knife over Jun’s neck now, leaving a thin trail of blood there. Jun doesn’t move, his heart hammering against his chest like madly. What is he going to do now? Was that how Kazu felt when the gang members threatened his life? He closes his eyes, not to see that idiot in front of him. There are pictures flashing underneath his eyelids from that night four years ago, and it’s scarier than he will ever admit it to be. He is basically frozen, not able to move an inch.
Then however, the guy is away all of a sudden, and when Jun turns to look, he blinks in surprise. The big dude is swinging a baseball bat; apparently he hit his friend unconscious. “You never saw us,” the big dude grunts now.
“Wait a moment,” Shota frowns deeply. “I never saw you? After you threatened my friend’s life?”
“We’ll take care of that!”
Before Shota can say something, Jun angles for his phone. It’s not broken, gladly. “I want proof,” he says calmly and takes his phone. “I’m going to take a photo of you. If you ever cross my path or Matsuda-kun’s again, I’ll let my brother hunt you down.” He points at his neck where that idiot left a cut with his knife.
The guys seem scared enough to retreat.
For a while Jun and Shota just lean against the wall, panting heavily. “You have some guts,” Shota mumbles.
“You too.”
Shota chuckles before he nods, changing the topic swiftly. “Let’s leave this pathetic place and go somewhere else.”
Somewhere else is Toma’s house because he basically lives alone most of the time, as his parents are mostly abroad. “What the fuck?” he breaths out when he sees the two.
“Yeah,” Jun sighs. “Exactly my sentiment.”
“What happened?” Toma wants to know, leading them into the living room of his house.
“What do you think happened?” Shota grumbles.
“A bunch of bullies were surprising us in a back alley,” Jun explains, ignoring Shota’s glare. “Apparently they were getting on Shota-kun’s nerves since a while already. Something he forgot to tell us!”
“Sarcastic prick,” Shota mumbles.
Toma blinks in shock. “Is that true? How did you get away from them? We should call the police.”
“I have a photo of them,” Jun muses. “I’m not sure what we should do though.”
“Show it to the police!” Toma demands. “That’s your chance.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Jun blushes. “But that would mean that I need to tell the whole story to my brothers…”
“A problem I can sympathize with,” Shota agrees quietly.
“I think you should still show it Sho-san.” Toma pushes the issue. “It’s the only logical thing to do. I mean, these idiots won’t hurt you anymore, but what about others? Or maybe they will come back to you when you don’t expect it?”
Jun nods carefully. “I need to think about that. Meanwhile…” He looks at Toma beggingly. “Can’t you bring us something to clean us up with? I can’t go home like that.”
Toma nods immediately and hurries out of the room. For a moment it’s quiet between them. “Would you tell me now,” Shota mumbles all of a sudden, much to Jun’s surprise. “Why it is you are always avoiding me? It can’t be because you hate me, because man… did you help me out back there.”
Jun swallows, giving himself a mental kick in his butt. “Your father…”
“What’s with him?” Shota blinks. “Did he say something annoying to you when he was treating your brother?”
“Not at all.” Jun smiles warily. “Actually your father has always been very patient and friendly. We know him from our life in Tokyo.”
Shota blinks. “Wait… what!?”
“He was treating me and Kazu back then, after the accident.” Jun eyes Shota thoughtfully. “How much do you actually know?”
“Not much. Mao-chan wouldn’t tell me, and Toma doesn’t seem to know any details himself. And Shun-kun stayed even quieter than Mao.”
“You know we had a car accident, right?” Jun asks. When Shota nods, he continues. “We were actually abducted. There was a robbery right before, and my parents didn’t know that and accidentally picked one of the guys up. You know, my parents were really nice people. They thought that person was hurt and needed a ride to the hospital. Unfortunately it was a trick, and he had a gun.”
“Can’t be,” Shota mumbles quietly.
“The streets were icy too, it added to the whole tension. And then the car crashed against the guardrail of the highway, falling down several meters. The gun went loose too and hit me, and my father, but the doctors told me that it was not what initially killed him. Back then, Kazu and I survived, but it was really tight. Our parents unfortunately died. That other guy… too.” Jun’s lips tug nervously. He still hates remembering it, or worse… talking about it. “It was right around my birthday by the way. The rehabilitation was crazy. Kazu spent a year in hospital all in all, I was 8 months there. We were suffering from heavy traumata so that we were transferred to a neuropathic hospital, specialised not only for accidents but also for… well… special cases.”
“My father was the head of such a facility,” Shota concludes. “Does that mean…”
Jun shrugs. “He was in charge of both me and Kazu. I don’t think it was easy though, because back then I was hunted by panic attacks and temper tantrums, and Kazu had to learn how to walk again, and was in a huge stage of depression and had several mental breakdowns. At one point they even transferred him to a different part of the facility where they could watch him daily. They were afraid he would kill himself.”
“I’m sorry,” Shota stutters, obviously nervous. It’s clear that he doesn’t know what to say, and it makes him surprisingly sympathetic that he doesn’t pretend to have any great advice. “I mean, I didn’t want to force you into talking about it.”
“Fact is.” Jun shrugs helplessly. “Kazu and I don’t talk much about these times, only sometimes with each other. And we don’t like to be reminded of it either, though by now I think our approach might not have been right. That’s why I’m so weird around you sometimes. I’m sorry, it’s childish and of course not your fault because you are a good friend. But when I first saw you, you immediately reminded me of your father. And he reminded me of what happened back then. So, you could say, I went into panic mode.”
Shota smiles nervously. “I reminded you of my father? You are kidding me?”
“You have the same way to move and walk, the same laugh, and the same way to talk sometimes.” Jun smiles. “You resemble him more than you think you do.”
“Wow,” Shota sighs. “Does anyone like to hear that he is like their father?”
“But he is a good guy,” Jun grins. “Be glad to be similar to him.”
Shota grunts. “So, does that mean you will stop treating me like someone with an infectious decease?”
Did it really feel like that? Not particularly a good move from his side, Jun has to admit that much to himself. “I’m sorry,” he says and means it. “It was never intended to be like that. I swear. I’ll try not to be all creepy around you. And when I slip into my melancholic pattern again, just tell me.”
“Okay,” Shota chuckles. “I will.”
The rest of the time they stay quiet and Jun is eternally grateful to Shota for not asking any stupid questions or, worse, pitying him. It feels so much better that way. They wait in silence until Toma is finally back with two towels in his hands, and Jun cleans himself up as good as possible, especially the trace of blood that idiot with the knife left. “How do I look?” he asks Toma carefully.
Toma sighs. “Like someone who was punched in the face at least twice.”
“And I?” Shota wants to know.
“Like someone who was punched several times.”
“Just awesome,” Shota mumbles. “Wondering how I am going to hide that from my father. Make-up, I guess. Glad he is working long these days.”
“Something my family unfortunately doesn’t do today,” Jun muses. “Guess I have to play out some sort of weird excuse. Hope they’ll believe me. Gladly, Kazu might be helping me out. He owes me a whole list with favours. And the others believe I’m extremely sensitive and easy to irritate - might play into my cards.”
~~~
Talking about it with his friends sounds simple, but now that he opens the door of their house, Jun’s heart does beat… loud and frantically. There is quite some noise coming from the living room - of course he could try to sneak pass them secretly. But maybe it’s better to just go by them than to sneak. It would only be suspicious to do that, and they might not buy his excuse at all then. He hopes he will come off believable. He tries to go for an indifferent expression - something he manages quite well most of the time.
Still, Masaki almost drops his sandwich when he sees him. “Jun? Your face! Did something happen?”
Sho and Satoshi stare at him through wide-opened eyes. “Did someone hit-“
He doesn’t let Sho finish his sentence. “What!? We played football, and someone accidently kicked that stupid ball into my face - okay?” Jun huffs. “Now my face is ruined! What the hell am I going to do? I can never go to school again!”
“Your face is still perfect,” Satoshi intervenes. “It’s not that dramatic, really.”
“It is,” Jun sighs deeply. “But you don’t understand that. I know.” He has obviously taken some wind out of their sales, as Masaki and Satoshi exchange a sympathetic glance that just screams teenagers.
Good! Before anyone of them can deepen their conversation or take a too detailed look at his face, he pads away and upstairs. Slowly and casually to not awake their suspicion. It’s only when he is upstairs that he finally lets out a deep sigh and goes for Kazu’s room immediately.
The latter has already opened his door, leaning against it. He obviously has heard their conversation from downstairs, because he just blinks. “You really are good, J. That was a perfect performance down there.”
Jun sighs deeply. “Help?”
“Yeah, come in.”
They settle down on Kazu’s fluffy yellow-black-striped carpet and Kazu slips a bit closer. He looks at him earnestly while checking his face. “What happened?” he wants to know.
Jun sighs. “Shota and I ran into a bunch of bad guys that harassed him.”
“Why didn’t you call the police?”
“There was not enough time,” Jun explains honestly.
Kazu shakes his head. “You should be more careful. It’s not a good thing, okay?
Jun stares at Kazu in surprise. “This coming from you out of all?”
Kazu blushes. “I’m sorry for having a bad past! I didn’t think you would hold it against me.”
“I am not,” Jun huffs. “When did I ever? That’s not fair!”
Kazu looks away and to the floor. “You are right, it is not. I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to repeat my mistakes, you know.”
For a moment there is an uncomfortable silence around them, and Jun wonders what the hell it is that’s going wrong right now. He doesn’t quite get it. While he still tries to grasp it, there is a knock at the door.
“Just my luck,” Jun sighs, while Kazu almost looks a little relieved.
“Wait, I’m coming,” Kazu says, about to stand up, but the door opens nevertheless, much to Jun’s surprise because they normally very much respect each other’s privacy.
It’s Sho. And without further ado, he closes the door behind him, approaches them, and sits down next to them on the carpet. “You know,” Sho says casually while he stretches a bit. “Though your excuse was perfectly delivered, I think I’m in my job too long already not to get it… The others might buy it, but I definitely don’t.”
It’s deathly silent, until Kazu clears his throat. “J and I were about to play a game. Care to join?”
“Yeah, right,” Sho chuckles, before he turns towards Jun. “Let me see,” he mumbles, cups Jun’s chin and turns his face, eyeing it properly. “It could be worse,” he says, then however his eyes widen and he tightens the grip of his fingers. “What the hell!? Is that actually a cut on your neck!?”
Wow, he has sharp eyes. “Well…”
“A knife!?” Kazu breaths out. “Oh my god, Jun, you had a fight with a dude holding a knife? Are you stupid? You-“
“Hey,” Jun huffs. “Ever thought of the possibility that I had no option and was threatened with a knife later on? Like seriously what’s your problem?”
“Shh, guys.” Sho raises his hands. “Just calm down.”
Kazu blinks. “But-“
“Give me the ointment from your bedside table, Kazu. The one in the brown box.”
Kazu does what he wants him to, but his eyes are wide-opened in wariness, and Jun supposes he himself doesn’t look any better. Just their reasons for looking nervous and appalled are probably different. As for Jun, he thinks it’s super scary to have Sho around and be so composed. And Kazu? He has no idea what’s going on in his mind right now.
“How did it happen?” Sho wants to know.
So the questioning starts officially now. Well, as things are he can as well just be honest. “I was going home with a friend. Some bullies appeared in a back alley and harassed us. They originally only wanted him, but it just so happened that I was there too.”
Sho frowns. “Why were they after him?”
“Because he is rich, and Matsuda-sensei is his father.”
“It was self-defence?” Sho wants to know.
Jun nods. “Yes.”
“Couldn’t you run?”
“No,” Jun shakes his head. “They were circling us from both sides. There was no way out.”
“Couldn’t you call the police?”
“Not when I wanted them to break my phone and some bones of my body. There was really no time to use my phone without getting beaten up even worse.”
Sho seems to believe him, gladly, then however he tilts his head, eyeing him thoughtfully. “Fine, I believe you. But, was there a moment - any, in between this fight - for you where you could have run and then called the police?”
Tricky question indeed. Jun blushes slightly under Sho’s glance. “Yes…” he finally admits. There is really no use in lying right to Sho’s face right now. “There was one, in between, a few seconds where they weren’t really watching. But I… I mean… what would they have done to Shota… and I couldn’t… and while I was still thinking they closed the gap again. I mean… well…”
Sho nods. “Okay,” he interrupts him.
For a moment they are all quiet, until Jun gives himself a mental kick in the butt. “And now? What are you doing now?” he wants to know.
Sho blinks. “What do you mean? I’m definitely going to try to make your face look decent again, so that it’s not all blue tomorrow.”
“No,” Jun shakes his head. “I mean, what are you going to do now that you know? With me?”
Sho grins. “What do you expect?”
His lawyer mode is so freaking annoying sometimes, mainly because he is so tricky and a bit sly in his questions. Jun frowns, not sure how to answer that, and what to say, because he seriously doesn’t want to give Sho any creative ideas. So, figuring that Sho is still waiting for an answer, he decides to go for the least creative option all in all. “Like ground me. Something like that. So, what are you going to do?”
Sho stays quiet for a long while, until he chuckles. “Nothing. It’s not like I’m happy about it, because I don’t like any of you to get hurt. But I get it that it was a difficult situation, and you have never been in something like that. I can’t blame you for defending yourself. That would be a real douchebag move from me. Just don’t go through a back alley again, unless you are a big group of people! This goes for you too Kazu.”
Kazu and Jun exchange a glance. “Are you for real?” Kazu asks in surprise. “You out of all are letting something pass?”
“Well, after listening to how and why it happened, I can pretty much understand it. And I can very much tell if someone lies or says the truth, especially when it’s one of my brothers. No one is worse at lying that Masaki though.” Sho grins before he is all earnest again. “I’m just glad I sent you guys to that defence class when you were younger, and that nothing worse happened. Why would I punish any of you for defending yourself? That would be a pretty low blow from my side. I rather need to think about what to do to avoid something like that again. It reminds me of the times when Masaki was regularly fighting with those school bullies in his school in Tokyo.” Sho tilts his head, a deep frown on his face. “It’s appalling and scary to know that one of them threatened you with a knife. That’s the part I think is very unsettling. But I can’t really hold the fact against any of you when you didn’t run away in that short moment. So no, I can’t think of any options to punish him.”
Kazu shrugs, eyes clouded like he is far away in his thoughts. “Well, I could think of several options.”
“Damn it, Kazu.” Jun shoots him a serious glare. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I was just thinking aloud, and a bit out of context,” Kazu mumbles.
“You know what,” Jun huffs. “Could you just leave for now?”
Kazu frowns in annoyance. “Hey, this is my room!”
“Yeah, but you are no help at all right now. At least not to me!”
Kazu blushes and opens his mouth, most likely to retort something, but Sho stops them yet again. “Go to the kitchen, Kazu-”
“WHAT!?” Kazu huffs.
Sho however seems to be in his newly found zen mode because he doesn’t even wince at getting interrupted, something he normally hates. “And get some ice, a few smaller towels and the first aid kit for me.”
Kazu blinks, apparently as surprised by Sho’s calm approach as Jun. When he throws Jun a glance, Jun turns his head away. Kazu lets out a sigh, but gladly decides not to argue anymore and instead go for what Sho told him to do. When he left the room, Jun lets out a sigh in relief.
For a while Sho just seems to look at nothing in particular before he shifts his glance towards Jun. “Don’t be mad at him,” Sho tells him.
“But I am,” Jun mumbles. “I mean, he asked so much of me during the last year and I helped him through everything. Over and over and over again. We just made up recently, and he promised me to be fairer again. But now…”
“I know, but he sees things differently right now,” Sho tries to reason. “He has had that bad friends and encounter, and it almost ruined his life. Every tiny sign that something like that happens to you already unsettles him.”
“Still, he could have asked before jumping into my face. Besides that the chance for me joining a gang is even lower than for Satoshi to do something like that. I don’t even know any underground clubs, or any specific location, or any hide-outs.”
“Sure,” Sho nods. “But when you are facing a trauma, I wonder if you can really approach things that logically.”
Sho might be right, still… it is not fair. “I just want him to be there for me, nothing more. And when he can’t be there for me with actions, I would be more than happy to have his emotional support. But right now, he has zero faith in himself and in me. Even you believe me more than he does.”
Sho smiles slightly. “Well, I personally came a long way too,” he jokes lamely but still it makes Jun smile.
“You mean, like buying a hot-dog-maker all of a sudden?”
Sho chuckles. “Don’t pretend like you don’t find it awesome.” He is all earnest again suddenly. “Kazu is probably going to slip a few more times. He told me and Masaki to stop him from hurting you. He likes you the most within all of us, and I guess that’s the problem. He wants to know that you are sound and safe, and never get hurt.”
Jun sighs. He understand, but it’s not fair. Absolutely not fair. Sho however shifts the topic all of a sudden. “Tell me, Jun, are you alright?”
Jun blinks. “Hm?”
“It had to be awfully scary,” Sho says all of a sudden and moves his hand over Jun’s arm soothingly. “I mean, you were almost attacked with a knife. Are you sure you are alright?”
“Sure.” Jun nods.
When Sho points at his hands, Jun blinks in confusion for a moment. Then however he looks down, seeing how his fingers tremble. Seriously? He blushes slightly, hiding his hands under his sweater.
“You are going to see Matsuda-sensei tomorrow, okay?” Sho says, and it doesn’t really sound like a question at all. “I don’t want you to get any panic attacks from that incident.”
There are seven reasons Jun can think of immediately, why he doesn’t need to see Matsuda. If he has more time, he will most likely even find more, but he has no chance to say anything because Kazu is suddenly back.
“Here,” he says and hands Sho the promised items. His gaze is a lot clearer and not that weirdly clouded like before. Jun assumes he has met Masaki downstairs and talked to him. He sits down next to Jun again, not scaring away from the glare he shows him.
“Good, thank you.” Sho nods and wraps the ice into a towel before he presses it against Jun’s temples. “Hold that for a while, Jun.”
Sho is surprisingly good with that. Jun wonders when he actually visited a first aid class, because he seems to know what he is doing. Much to his surprise. Out of the corner of his eyes he can also see Kazu’s clear surprise.
It takes him only fifteen minutes to nurse Jun’s face and the cut on his neck.
“How do you know what to do?” Kazu asks finally.
Sho grins. “A few months ago Masaki got on Satoshi’s and my nerves about how we never do something together, so he booked a first aid course for himself, Satoshi and me, and a fishing class. Back then I was annoyed. Now I think it’s good that I went there, some things are important to know.”
When Sho hands him a new ice-bag in a towel, Jun presses it against his left cheek. “There is something else,” Jun suddenly hears himself say much to his own surprise. He wanted to think about that first and then make a decision, but he just can’t hold it as a secret. Maybe he is innocent and naïve like that, but it’s the right thing to do.
Sho looks up. “What?”
“I have a photo.”
“A photo?” Kazu blinks.
Sho’s eyes basically snap open. “Of the guys?”
Jun nods and takes his phone to show it to Sho. “The one on the ground is the dude with the knife, he is still holding it. His buddies were completely freaked out when he threatened me with the knife. They also knew who you are because Shota threatened them with your name. And, well… I kinda played out a dangerous card…”
“You told them you’ll only let them run after you took a photo?” Sho concludes. “That is indeed a dangerous card. Maybe I should change my opinion and punish you?”
“Hey!” Jun intervenes, but then he sees how Sho smirks slightly. Prick.
“No, seriously.” Sho takes Jun’s phone to send the photo to his own email address. “That’s something to work with. I’ll definitely get down to that.”
“You’ll be subtle?”
“Yes.” Sho nods. “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”
Jun sighs. “To be all honest, I made it out of an instinct but I wasn’t sure if I would show you.”
Sho raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Why’s that?”
“Well, in case you wouldn’t have noticed anything, I thought I might get myself into troubles for telling you something so delicate. I was kinda scared of the thousands of questions you would ask then. Pretty stupid, huh? But then I just had to show you…”
Sho just laughs. “I would rather say these are pretty normal threads of thoughts. You are too honest sometimes, just like Masaki.”
“No one beats Masaki though,” Kazu muses.
“So, you are really letting it pass?” Jun asks. “Without any lecture?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t come up with a lecture,” Sho grins. “But other than that, yes, I’m letting it pass, naturally. What reason would I have to do the opposite?” He smiles. “But there is a catch to it.”
He knew it! Jun chuckles. “What kind of catch?”
“I’m trading,” Sho explains. “I’ve told you before that I decided that we are all allowed to do something stupid once in a while. So in exchange for today, when it’s my turn, you won’t give me too much of a hard time. How does that sound?”
“Fine,” Jun agrees.
“And you’ll go and see Matsuda-sensei. Not only because of today, but because of your fear to drive.”
Jun swallows. “You are basically tricking me, aren’t you? What if I say that I would rather like you to ground me for two weeks? What would you do then?”
“Well,” Sho muses. “You are right. I might be using this moment now and push you with it - maybe that’s not fair -, but I’m not letting you talk me out of it so easily, kid.”
“Okay, let’s say three weeks. But it’s really my last offer!”
Sho blinks. “I’m not trading, Jun! This is not a bazar!”
“But you said, you are trading. Right before.”
“I can’t believe it,” Sho grumbles. “That you are using my own strategy against me.” He throws Kazu a glare, who is hiding his grin behind his hand. “So, let’s say in that issue I’m not trading. What will you do?”
Jun lets out such a deep sigh that Kazu shows him a sympathetic smile. Seeing Matsuda-sensei regularly is exactly what he doesn’t want to. At all. But he has thought a lot after Masaki’s warning a week ago, and… okay… not driving at all, ever, is not an option. Besides he would like to make his driving license too one day. “I will go and see him,” Jun says.
Sho stares at him in surprise. “Just like that?”
“Yes, just like that.”
“For real?” Kazu breaths out. “Since when are you so super-mature about that!?”
Jun just shrugs.
Sho smiles warmly. “Leaves only one thing, and it concerns the both of you.”
Kazu looks at him in surprise. “Me too?”
“Yes.” Sho leans back, eyeing him thoughtfully. “Tell Jun, why you reacted like you did before.”
“But-“
“From how I understood his words he feels betrayed,” Sho explains further, and Kazu sighs nervously.
He turns to face Jun. “You do?”
Jun shrugs helplessly.
“I’m sorry.” Kazu rubs through his black hair with a nervous gesture. “I just… I know you helped me out so much, and it’s freaking unfair. And I know what happened today is completely different to anything I did, but it just makes me freak out to know that someone beat you up. And well…”
“But I explained what happened,” Jun defends himself. “In every detail. You know that it’s entirely different. Still… What do you want me to do? Just let them beat me unconscious?”
“I’m sorry,” Kazu sighs. “For a second I thought it’s actually better for Sho to lock you up so that you are safe, because I don’t want you to get into danger at all. I know it’s not fair! I would be mad at me too if I was you. It’s just a feeling inside me. Something I can’t switch off that easily. I’ll try though. I promise. I also know I’ve promised a lot of things to you recently, which are hard for me to keep up with it. But I try. I am really trying. I can’t lose you from my side. So… forgive me?”
Sho grins. “Of course he will!”
“What!?” Jun huffs. “Talk for yourself please!”
Sho chuckles. “Now, don’t play hard to get,” he jokes. “Just make up already.”
With so much silliness around him, it’s difficult to stay earnest, and it’s not like he can’t understand Kazu’s sentiment at all, though it is unnerving that he doesn’t show more faith in him. “I’m not going to give in that easily next time when you obviously don’t show me any trust at all and doubt me. Because it’s freaking unfair.”
Kazu nods. “Don’t worry. I had my fair share of intense talks with Sho and Ma-chan too. I told them to kick me when I’m lashing out against you.” He smiles slightly. Then he wraps his arms around Jun’s waist. “You are my favourite teddy bear, you know that, right? Sorry for being such a difficult prick recently, will do better, I promise. You can put this on the list too.”
“Ah,” Sho grins and throws one arm around Kazu and one around Jun, squishing them. “You two are so cute.”
“Stop it,” Kazu whines. “You know I’m hurt…And Jun too!”
“Your leg is, your upper body isn’t. And Jun isn’t complaining, only you are,” Sho grins, and squishes Kazu even more.
Kazu’s hair tickles his nose, and Sho’s grip is almost too tight, but nevertheless Jun has to laugh. He feels relaxed and reassured all of a sudden. It’s just nice to have his stupid brothers around sometimes.
Then he can hear how the door flies open. “What are you doing here?” Masaki’s surprised voice reaches his ear.
“Bonding,” Sho says dryly.
“What!? Without me! Sho, you ass!” Masaki opens the door again. “Hey, Sa-chan, they are having all the fun without us! Come, fast!!”
A few seconds later Jun feels the additional weight of two more people pressed against them. So heavy. Next to him Kazu chuckles slightly.
A/N: OMG, I'm so sorry for the overdramatic chapter *lol* I don't know why and how it happened, but I only wanted Jun to settle his problems with Shota, and suddenly they ended up in a fight, and then Jun was at Sho's and Kazu's mercy. And Kazu went all dramatic and gloomy. Poor Jun really got a lot of backlash from Kazu's accident. I had to cut him some slack and make Sho all understanding in return (though he blackmailed Jun into going to a therapist)
Next chapter will focus on Kazu again, by the way.
Pairing: Jun, Masaki, Sho, Satoshi, Kazu (there are going to be additional side-characters though. No OCs.) I'm trying to give each of the five their well-deserves spot-light <3
Rating: PG
Multi-chapter
Genre: family!AU in which Arashi are brothers :-) slice of life, a little drama (and I'm trying to add some light-hearted, funny moments to it too)
Summary: Since they were little they were always close to each other. And when unfortunate events force them to live together without their parents, it's only natural that they try to make the best out of it.
Jun opens the window to his room with a sigh. He needs some fresh air, despite the fact that he just ran around the lake for two hours straight. But he still feels restless. He.does.not.fight.with.Kazu. Ever. It feels bad, and he just wants to go to him and make up. He should probably be more patient and understand that things aren’t so easy for Kazu, although he wishes he would let him in and share what’s happening with him. And-
Before he can think further, something bumps against his head and he squeals in shock. “Ops,” Kazu’s voice comes from the window to his room at the other side of the house. “Did it hit you, Jun?”
Jun blinks and picks up the little drone-bird. So Kazu has worked on it and got it going? Cool! There is a little message on its computer screen. Sorry. In blue capital letters. It’s so random, and so Kazu.
Jun leans out of his window and searches for the window to his brother’s room. Kazu waves to him. “Hey, how do I answer?”
“I have no idea!”
“How did you write a message?” Jun wants to know.
Kazu chuckles. “I don’t know. I just tried to press several buttons.”
“Didn’t you read the manual?”
“What? Who needs a manual!?”
Jun frowns. “I can’t believe you!”
Right at that moment Satoshi gets out of a taxi, eyeing the both of them immediately. “Hey you two idiots,” he yells. “Don’t lean that far out of the window! I can’t even watch you! If you don’t want me to get really mad, you’ll stop doing something so dangerous immediately.”
“Okay,” Jun chuckles. “I’ll come to you with the thingy, Kazu. Prepare the manual.”
“Fine.” Kazu nods. “Oh and…” he pauses awkwardly, looking down towards Satoshi. “Thanks for the present Satoshi.” Then he closes the window swiftly. Jun smiles apologetically for not keeping Satoshi’s present a secret and waves before he disappears.
~~~
Finally Kazu seems to come back into the light, or at least he pretends to or tries, which is still a huge improvement to staring at the wall in a dark room. Jun is in such a good mood during the next days that he even sometimes talks to Shota alone, without feeling overly uncomfortable.
He can see the surprise in Shota’s eyes, clearly, when he is so open and heart-felt friendly to him. It’s like he doesn’t quite get what’s going on right now. Jun however doesn’t want to overanalyse anything right now and bother with his stirred up emotions that Shota makes him remember everything that happened in the past.
Later that day right after school Jun decides to go to his favourite sportswear shop to finally buy himself new shoes for jogging. Just last week Masaki has given him the money for it with the words that he can’t wear his old ones anymore, since they were slowly dissolving.
When Shota asks him if he should join him, Jun declines, back to his more awkward self. He tells him he is meeting up with one of his brothers. It’s a lie, obviously, but well… He does feel bad about it though, gladly… His conscious still seems to work, which is a relief.
When he roams through the shelves with shoes he almost wishes for someone to be there to help him choose though because there are several he likes.
“What about this one?”
Jun almost jumps in shock when he hears Shota’s voice right next to him. His mind goes blank for a moment. “You followed me?” he asks in sincere disbelief and shock.
Shota ignores him. “You like the colour, and they are good shoes for running. Not too expensive either, and you can use them for winter.”
Out of a loss for words Jun nods, and buys them. They go back by foot, not talking anything at all, until they reach a small back alley. “I don’t get it,” Shota finally says. “What the hell is going on!?”
“Nothing?” Jun offers casually. It’s worth a try. “I just wanted to be alone today.”
Shota doesn’t buy it though, instead he grabs Jun’s collar and pushes him against the wall. Jun needs only a second to recover from the shock, then he grabs Shota’s arm firmly, eyes glinting. “What the hell do you think are you doing!? Don’t tell me you want to beat me up now?”
“Is being scary the reason you are always avoiding me?” Shota huffs.
“Not at all,” Jun explains calmly, but apparently his calm approach pisses Shota off even further. “I’m definitely not scared of you. And I’m not half as weak as you might think I am. I have four older brothers which I learned how to fight, so be careful I don’t bite you!”
It’s a sentence he normally only uses as a joke, but this time he means it. Being the youngest in a family with five boys has definitely taught him how to stand his ground. Besides that all of the others are strong and confident characters, he is no exception. It’s their trademark.
Shota lets go all of a sudden. “An emotional sentiment from you towards me,” he mumbles. “It’s almost relieving. So why the hell are you so cold when it’s not my appearance?”
“I-“
He can’t finish his sentence as there is a sudden shadow approaching them. Jun is not sure what he would have said anyways, but other than that he has different worries right now as there is a bunch of guys approaching them from both sides of the alley.
“You should try to run away,” Shota tells him.
“What!? And where to? They block both sides of the alley.” Jun blinks. “Who the hell are these guys?”
To his surprise Shota just shakes his head and looks away, making Jun blink. The answer however is provided by the guys themselves because one of them snickers in a disgusting way. “Yo, isn’t that the rich son of the new doctor? How about you lend us some money?”
“How about-” Shota offers with a particularly friendly voice. “-you just fuck off?”
Jun can’t help a grin. Shota has guts, and he is not scaring away from this bunch of bullies. However, inside Jun already braces himself for what’s going to be inevitable. When one of the guys clenches his fist, he knows he is right. The guy however goes for Shota first, not expecting Shota’s flexibility as the latter just ducks away and the guy hits the wall in exchange. When he yells in pain, Jun knows it's basically the signal. He is not a violent guy at all, but there is no way he is going to let those idiotic, pathetic bullies just wipe the floor with him and Shota, and not defend himself, because seriously there is no way to escape them as they block both sides of the alley. Shota seems to see it similar because although he throws Jun an apologetic glance, he has that grim look in his eyes immediately afterwards.
Five minutes later Jun has however lost track of what Shota does, as there are around three guys hovering above him, one of them kneeling on his upper body, the second one’s fist hitting right into his face and the third one kicking into his stomach. There is no fucking way he is going to let them beat him up so that he would need to be sent to the hospital, damn it! He can’t send his brothers through this turmoil again. Jun gathers his strength, biting into the other’s arm as strong as possible, and uses the moment of strength to kick him away.
There is the taste of iron on his tongue, but he tries to ignore it for now. When he eyes to the side, he sees Shota being pushed against the wall. “Hey get off him,” Jun yells and pushes one of the bigger guys away.
“And now?” Shota mumbles when they are standing back to back.
Jun is about to answer him, but his eyes catch the dude he just bit before. He has a knife in his hands. A fucking knife. Oh my god! What should he do now!? For a moment Jun considers to run, he is fast, and there is a little hole between some of the guys he could push through. But what about Shota? That would be a horrible move to just leave him back…
“Let’s see,” the guy with the knife hisses. “What I can do to your pretty face!”
Jun’s eyes widen in horror. He can take it up with a guy fighting with his fists, thanks to the self-defence class Sho sent him and Kazu to one year ago because his job as a lawyer made him so careful and foresightful. But he is not some kind of superhero to take it up with someone holding a knife.
Shota spins around too, eyes glued to the idiot approaching them. The others have paused too. “What are you doing?” one of the guys mumbles in sudden fear.
“This fucking kid bit me!” Dude grabs Jun’s collar and pushes him against the wall. He moves the tip of his knife over Jun’s cheek.
“Are you stupid!?” Shota yells in sudden anger. “That’s not a joke, you fatassed idiot. What do you think will happen when you hurt him for real? Do you even know who his brother is?”
“Why do I care for that!?” dude huffs.
“You’ll care when he ruins your life forever,” Shota yells. “He is a fucking lawyer, you idiot. A real shark. Your life is going to be over!”
“Damn it, he is right, drop the knife,” the big dude that clung to Shota before yells out now. “That’s the kid from the Sakurai family. You won’t want to mess with them. The higher ups of the police are on their side too.”
The guy with the knife doesn’t seem to hear them though, he moves the knife over Jun’s neck now, leaving a thin trail of blood there. Jun doesn’t move, his heart hammering against his chest like madly. What is he going to do now? Was that how Kazu felt when the gang members threatened his life? He closes his eyes, not to see that idiot in front of him. There are pictures flashing underneath his eyelids from that night four years ago, and it’s scarier than he will ever admit it to be. He is basically frozen, not able to move an inch.
Then however, the guy is away all of a sudden, and when Jun turns to look, he blinks in surprise. The big dude is swinging a baseball bat; apparently he hit his friend unconscious. “You never saw us,” the big dude grunts now.
“Wait a moment,” Shota frowns deeply. “I never saw you? After you threatened my friend’s life?”
“We’ll take care of that!”
Before Shota can say something, Jun angles for his phone. It’s not broken, gladly. “I want proof,” he says calmly and takes his phone. “I’m going to take a photo of you. If you ever cross my path or Matsuda-kun’s again, I’ll let my brother hunt you down.” He points at his neck where that idiot left a cut with his knife.
The guys seem scared enough to retreat.
For a while Jun and Shota just lean against the wall, panting heavily. “You have some guts,” Shota mumbles.
“You too.”
Shota chuckles before he nods, changing the topic swiftly. “Let’s leave this pathetic place and go somewhere else.”
Somewhere else is Toma’s house because he basically lives alone most of the time, as his parents are mostly abroad. “What the fuck?” he breaths out when he sees the two.
“Yeah,” Jun sighs. “Exactly my sentiment.”
“What happened?” Toma wants to know, leading them into the living room of his house.
“What do you think happened?” Shota grumbles.
“A bunch of bullies were surprising us in a back alley,” Jun explains, ignoring Shota’s glare. “Apparently they were getting on Shota-kun’s nerves since a while already. Something he forgot to tell us!”
“Sarcastic prick,” Shota mumbles.
Toma blinks in shock. “Is that true? How did you get away from them? We should call the police.”
“I have a photo of them,” Jun muses. “I’m not sure what we should do though.”
“Show it to the police!” Toma demands. “That’s your chance.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Jun blushes. “But that would mean that I need to tell the whole story to my brothers…”
“A problem I can sympathize with,” Shota agrees quietly.
“I think you should still show it Sho-san.” Toma pushes the issue. “It’s the only logical thing to do. I mean, these idiots won’t hurt you anymore, but what about others? Or maybe they will come back to you when you don’t expect it?”
Jun nods carefully. “I need to think about that. Meanwhile…” He looks at Toma beggingly. “Can’t you bring us something to clean us up with? I can’t go home like that.”
Toma nods immediately and hurries out of the room. For a moment it’s quiet between them. “Would you tell me now,” Shota mumbles all of a sudden, much to Jun’s surprise. “Why it is you are always avoiding me? It can’t be because you hate me, because man… did you help me out back there.”
Jun swallows, giving himself a mental kick in his butt. “Your father…”
“What’s with him?” Shota blinks. “Did he say something annoying to you when he was treating your brother?”
“Not at all.” Jun smiles warily. “Actually your father has always been very patient and friendly. We know him from our life in Tokyo.”
Shota blinks. “Wait… what!?”
“He was treating me and Kazu back then, after the accident.” Jun eyes Shota thoughtfully. “How much do you actually know?”
“Not much. Mao-chan wouldn’t tell me, and Toma doesn’t seem to know any details himself. And Shun-kun stayed even quieter than Mao.”
“You know we had a car accident, right?” Jun asks. When Shota nods, he continues. “We were actually abducted. There was a robbery right before, and my parents didn’t know that and accidentally picked one of the guys up. You know, my parents were really nice people. They thought that person was hurt and needed a ride to the hospital. Unfortunately it was a trick, and he had a gun.”
“Can’t be,” Shota mumbles quietly.
“The streets were icy too, it added to the whole tension. And then the car crashed against the guardrail of the highway, falling down several meters. The gun went loose too and hit me, and my father, but the doctors told me that it was not what initially killed him. Back then, Kazu and I survived, but it was really tight. Our parents unfortunately died. That other guy… too.” Jun’s lips tug nervously. He still hates remembering it, or worse… talking about it. “It was right around my birthday by the way. The rehabilitation was crazy. Kazu spent a year in hospital all in all, I was 8 months there. We were suffering from heavy traumata so that we were transferred to a neuropathic hospital, specialised not only for accidents but also for… well… special cases.”
“My father was the head of such a facility,” Shota concludes. “Does that mean…”
Jun shrugs. “He was in charge of both me and Kazu. I don’t think it was easy though, because back then I was hunted by panic attacks and temper tantrums, and Kazu had to learn how to walk again, and was in a huge stage of depression and had several mental breakdowns. At one point they even transferred him to a different part of the facility where they could watch him daily. They were afraid he would kill himself.”
“I’m sorry,” Shota stutters, obviously nervous. It’s clear that he doesn’t know what to say, and it makes him surprisingly sympathetic that he doesn’t pretend to have any great advice. “I mean, I didn’t want to force you into talking about it.”
“Fact is.” Jun shrugs helplessly. “Kazu and I don’t talk much about these times, only sometimes with each other. And we don’t like to be reminded of it either, though by now I think our approach might not have been right. That’s why I’m so weird around you sometimes. I’m sorry, it’s childish and of course not your fault because you are a good friend. But when I first saw you, you immediately reminded me of your father. And he reminded me of what happened back then. So, you could say, I went into panic mode.”
Shota smiles nervously. “I reminded you of my father? You are kidding me?”
“You have the same way to move and walk, the same laugh, and the same way to talk sometimes.” Jun smiles. “You resemble him more than you think you do.”
“Wow,” Shota sighs. “Does anyone like to hear that he is like their father?”
“But he is a good guy,” Jun grins. “Be glad to be similar to him.”
Shota grunts. “So, does that mean you will stop treating me like someone with an infectious decease?”
Did it really feel like that? Not particularly a good move from his side, Jun has to admit that much to himself. “I’m sorry,” he says and means it. “It was never intended to be like that. I swear. I’ll try not to be all creepy around you. And when I slip into my melancholic pattern again, just tell me.”
“Okay,” Shota chuckles. “I will.”
The rest of the time they stay quiet and Jun is eternally grateful to Shota for not asking any stupid questions or, worse, pitying him. It feels so much better that way. They wait in silence until Toma is finally back with two towels in his hands, and Jun cleans himself up as good as possible, especially the trace of blood that idiot with the knife left. “How do I look?” he asks Toma carefully.
Toma sighs. “Like someone who was punched in the face at least twice.”
“And I?” Shota wants to know.
“Like someone who was punched several times.”
“Just awesome,” Shota mumbles. “Wondering how I am going to hide that from my father. Make-up, I guess. Glad he is working long these days.”
“Something my family unfortunately doesn’t do today,” Jun muses. “Guess I have to play out some sort of weird excuse. Hope they’ll believe me. Gladly, Kazu might be helping me out. He owes me a whole list with favours. And the others believe I’m extremely sensitive and easy to irritate - might play into my cards.”
~~~
Talking about it with his friends sounds simple, but now that he opens the door of their house, Jun’s heart does beat… loud and frantically. There is quite some noise coming from the living room - of course he could try to sneak pass them secretly. But maybe it’s better to just go by them than to sneak. It would only be suspicious to do that, and they might not buy his excuse at all then. He hopes he will come off believable. He tries to go for an indifferent expression - something he manages quite well most of the time.
Still, Masaki almost drops his sandwich when he sees him. “Jun? Your face! Did something happen?”
Sho and Satoshi stare at him through wide-opened eyes. “Did someone hit-“
He doesn’t let Sho finish his sentence. “What!? We played football, and someone accidently kicked that stupid ball into my face - okay?” Jun huffs. “Now my face is ruined! What the hell am I going to do? I can never go to school again!”
“Your face is still perfect,” Satoshi intervenes. “It’s not that dramatic, really.”
“It is,” Jun sighs deeply. “But you don’t understand that. I know.” He has obviously taken some wind out of their sales, as Masaki and Satoshi exchange a sympathetic glance that just screams teenagers.
Good! Before anyone of them can deepen their conversation or take a too detailed look at his face, he pads away and upstairs. Slowly and casually to not awake their suspicion. It’s only when he is upstairs that he finally lets out a deep sigh and goes for Kazu’s room immediately.
The latter has already opened his door, leaning against it. He obviously has heard their conversation from downstairs, because he just blinks. “You really are good, J. That was a perfect performance down there.”
Jun sighs deeply. “Help?”
“Yeah, come in.”
They settle down on Kazu’s fluffy yellow-black-striped carpet and Kazu slips a bit closer. He looks at him earnestly while checking his face. “What happened?” he wants to know.
Jun sighs. “Shota and I ran into a bunch of bad guys that harassed him.”
“Why didn’t you call the police?”
“There was not enough time,” Jun explains honestly.
Kazu shakes his head. “You should be more careful. It’s not a good thing, okay?
Jun stares at Kazu in surprise. “This coming from you out of all?”
Kazu blushes. “I’m sorry for having a bad past! I didn’t think you would hold it against me.”
“I am not,” Jun huffs. “When did I ever? That’s not fair!”
Kazu looks away and to the floor. “You are right, it is not. I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to repeat my mistakes, you know.”
For a moment there is an uncomfortable silence around them, and Jun wonders what the hell it is that’s going wrong right now. He doesn’t quite get it. While he still tries to grasp it, there is a knock at the door.
“Just my luck,” Jun sighs, while Kazu almost looks a little relieved.
“Wait, I’m coming,” Kazu says, about to stand up, but the door opens nevertheless, much to Jun’s surprise because they normally very much respect each other’s privacy.
It’s Sho. And without further ado, he closes the door behind him, approaches them, and sits down next to them on the carpet. “You know,” Sho says casually while he stretches a bit. “Though your excuse was perfectly delivered, I think I’m in my job too long already not to get it… The others might buy it, but I definitely don’t.”
It’s deathly silent, until Kazu clears his throat. “J and I were about to play a game. Care to join?”
“Yeah, right,” Sho chuckles, before he turns towards Jun. “Let me see,” he mumbles, cups Jun’s chin and turns his face, eyeing it properly. “It could be worse,” he says, then however his eyes widen and he tightens the grip of his fingers. “What the hell!? Is that actually a cut on your neck!?”
Wow, he has sharp eyes. “Well…”
“A knife!?” Kazu breaths out. “Oh my god, Jun, you had a fight with a dude holding a knife? Are you stupid? You-“
“Hey,” Jun huffs. “Ever thought of the possibility that I had no option and was threatened with a knife later on? Like seriously what’s your problem?”
“Shh, guys.” Sho raises his hands. “Just calm down.”
Kazu blinks. “But-“
“Give me the ointment from your bedside table, Kazu. The one in the brown box.”
Kazu does what he wants him to, but his eyes are wide-opened in wariness, and Jun supposes he himself doesn’t look any better. Just their reasons for looking nervous and appalled are probably different. As for Jun, he thinks it’s super scary to have Sho around and be so composed. And Kazu? He has no idea what’s going on in his mind right now.
“How did it happen?” Sho wants to know.
So the questioning starts officially now. Well, as things are he can as well just be honest. “I was going home with a friend. Some bullies appeared in a back alley and harassed us. They originally only wanted him, but it just so happened that I was there too.”
Sho frowns. “Why were they after him?”
“Because he is rich, and Matsuda-sensei is his father.”
“It was self-defence?” Sho wants to know.
Jun nods. “Yes.”
“Couldn’t you run?”
“No,” Jun shakes his head. “They were circling us from both sides. There was no way out.”
“Couldn’t you call the police?”
“Not when I wanted them to break my phone and some bones of my body. There was really no time to use my phone without getting beaten up even worse.”
Sho seems to believe him, gladly, then however he tilts his head, eyeing him thoughtfully. “Fine, I believe you. But, was there a moment - any, in between this fight - for you where you could have run and then called the police?”
Tricky question indeed. Jun blushes slightly under Sho’s glance. “Yes…” he finally admits. There is really no use in lying right to Sho’s face right now. “There was one, in between, a few seconds where they weren’t really watching. But I… I mean… what would they have done to Shota… and I couldn’t… and while I was still thinking they closed the gap again. I mean… well…”
Sho nods. “Okay,” he interrupts him.
For a moment they are all quiet, until Jun gives himself a mental kick in the butt. “And now? What are you doing now?” he wants to know.
Sho blinks. “What do you mean? I’m definitely going to try to make your face look decent again, so that it’s not all blue tomorrow.”
“No,” Jun shakes his head. “I mean, what are you going to do now that you know? With me?”
Sho grins. “What do you expect?”
His lawyer mode is so freaking annoying sometimes, mainly because he is so tricky and a bit sly in his questions. Jun frowns, not sure how to answer that, and what to say, because he seriously doesn’t want to give Sho any creative ideas. So, figuring that Sho is still waiting for an answer, he decides to go for the least creative option all in all. “Like ground me. Something like that. So, what are you going to do?”
Sho stays quiet for a long while, until he chuckles. “Nothing. It’s not like I’m happy about it, because I don’t like any of you to get hurt. But I get it that it was a difficult situation, and you have never been in something like that. I can’t blame you for defending yourself. That would be a real douchebag move from me. Just don’t go through a back alley again, unless you are a big group of people! This goes for you too Kazu.”
Kazu and Jun exchange a glance. “Are you for real?” Kazu asks in surprise. “You out of all are letting something pass?”
“Well, after listening to how and why it happened, I can pretty much understand it. And I can very much tell if someone lies or says the truth, especially when it’s one of my brothers. No one is worse at lying that Masaki though.” Sho grins before he is all earnest again. “I’m just glad I sent you guys to that defence class when you were younger, and that nothing worse happened. Why would I punish any of you for defending yourself? That would be a pretty low blow from my side. I rather need to think about what to do to avoid something like that again. It reminds me of the times when Masaki was regularly fighting with those school bullies in his school in Tokyo.” Sho tilts his head, a deep frown on his face. “It’s appalling and scary to know that one of them threatened you with a knife. That’s the part I think is very unsettling. But I can’t really hold the fact against any of you when you didn’t run away in that short moment. So no, I can’t think of any options to punish him.”
Kazu shrugs, eyes clouded like he is far away in his thoughts. “Well, I could think of several options.”
“Damn it, Kazu.” Jun shoots him a serious glare. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I was just thinking aloud, and a bit out of context,” Kazu mumbles.
“You know what,” Jun huffs. “Could you just leave for now?”
Kazu frowns in annoyance. “Hey, this is my room!”
“Yeah, but you are no help at all right now. At least not to me!”
Kazu blushes and opens his mouth, most likely to retort something, but Sho stops them yet again. “Go to the kitchen, Kazu-”
“WHAT!?” Kazu huffs.
Sho however seems to be in his newly found zen mode because he doesn’t even wince at getting interrupted, something he normally hates. “And get some ice, a few smaller towels and the first aid kit for me.”
Kazu blinks, apparently as surprised by Sho’s calm approach as Jun. When he throws Jun a glance, Jun turns his head away. Kazu lets out a sigh, but gladly decides not to argue anymore and instead go for what Sho told him to do. When he left the room, Jun lets out a sigh in relief.
For a while Sho just seems to look at nothing in particular before he shifts his glance towards Jun. “Don’t be mad at him,” Sho tells him.
“But I am,” Jun mumbles. “I mean, he asked so much of me during the last year and I helped him through everything. Over and over and over again. We just made up recently, and he promised me to be fairer again. But now…”
“I know, but he sees things differently right now,” Sho tries to reason. “He has had that bad friends and encounter, and it almost ruined his life. Every tiny sign that something like that happens to you already unsettles him.”
“Still, he could have asked before jumping into my face. Besides that the chance for me joining a gang is even lower than for Satoshi to do something like that. I don’t even know any underground clubs, or any specific location, or any hide-outs.”
“Sure,” Sho nods. “But when you are facing a trauma, I wonder if you can really approach things that logically.”
Sho might be right, still… it is not fair. “I just want him to be there for me, nothing more. And when he can’t be there for me with actions, I would be more than happy to have his emotional support. But right now, he has zero faith in himself and in me. Even you believe me more than he does.”
Sho smiles slightly. “Well, I personally came a long way too,” he jokes lamely but still it makes Jun smile.
“You mean, like buying a hot-dog-maker all of a sudden?”
Sho chuckles. “Don’t pretend like you don’t find it awesome.” He is all earnest again suddenly. “Kazu is probably going to slip a few more times. He told me and Masaki to stop him from hurting you. He likes you the most within all of us, and I guess that’s the problem. He wants to know that you are sound and safe, and never get hurt.”
Jun sighs. He understand, but it’s not fair. Absolutely not fair. Sho however shifts the topic all of a sudden. “Tell me, Jun, are you alright?”
Jun blinks. “Hm?”
“It had to be awfully scary,” Sho says all of a sudden and moves his hand over Jun’s arm soothingly. “I mean, you were almost attacked with a knife. Are you sure you are alright?”
“Sure.” Jun nods.
When Sho points at his hands, Jun blinks in confusion for a moment. Then however he looks down, seeing how his fingers tremble. Seriously? He blushes slightly, hiding his hands under his sweater.
“You are going to see Matsuda-sensei tomorrow, okay?” Sho says, and it doesn’t really sound like a question at all. “I don’t want you to get any panic attacks from that incident.”
There are seven reasons Jun can think of immediately, why he doesn’t need to see Matsuda. If he has more time, he will most likely even find more, but he has no chance to say anything because Kazu is suddenly back.
“Here,” he says and hands Sho the promised items. His gaze is a lot clearer and not that weirdly clouded like before. Jun assumes he has met Masaki downstairs and talked to him. He sits down next to Jun again, not scaring away from the glare he shows him.
“Good, thank you.” Sho nods and wraps the ice into a towel before he presses it against Jun’s temples. “Hold that for a while, Jun.”
Sho is surprisingly good with that. Jun wonders when he actually visited a first aid class, because he seems to know what he is doing. Much to his surprise. Out of the corner of his eyes he can also see Kazu’s clear surprise.
It takes him only fifteen minutes to nurse Jun’s face and the cut on his neck.
“How do you know what to do?” Kazu asks finally.
Sho grins. “A few months ago Masaki got on Satoshi’s and my nerves about how we never do something together, so he booked a first aid course for himself, Satoshi and me, and a fishing class. Back then I was annoyed. Now I think it’s good that I went there, some things are important to know.”
When Sho hands him a new ice-bag in a towel, Jun presses it against his left cheek. “There is something else,” Jun suddenly hears himself say much to his own surprise. He wanted to think about that first and then make a decision, but he just can’t hold it as a secret. Maybe he is innocent and naïve like that, but it’s the right thing to do.
Sho looks up. “What?”
“I have a photo.”
“A photo?” Kazu blinks.
Sho’s eyes basically snap open. “Of the guys?”
Jun nods and takes his phone to show it to Sho. “The one on the ground is the dude with the knife, he is still holding it. His buddies were completely freaked out when he threatened me with the knife. They also knew who you are because Shota threatened them with your name. And, well… I kinda played out a dangerous card…”
“You told them you’ll only let them run after you took a photo?” Sho concludes. “That is indeed a dangerous card. Maybe I should change my opinion and punish you?”
“Hey!” Jun intervenes, but then he sees how Sho smirks slightly. Prick.
“No, seriously.” Sho takes Jun’s phone to send the photo to his own email address. “That’s something to work with. I’ll definitely get down to that.”
“You’ll be subtle?”
“Yes.” Sho nods. “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”
Jun sighs. “To be all honest, I made it out of an instinct but I wasn’t sure if I would show you.”
Sho raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Why’s that?”
“Well, in case you wouldn’t have noticed anything, I thought I might get myself into troubles for telling you something so delicate. I was kinda scared of the thousands of questions you would ask then. Pretty stupid, huh? But then I just had to show you…”
Sho just laughs. “I would rather say these are pretty normal threads of thoughts. You are too honest sometimes, just like Masaki.”
“No one beats Masaki though,” Kazu muses.
“So, you are really letting it pass?” Jun asks. “Without any lecture?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t come up with a lecture,” Sho grins. “But other than that, yes, I’m letting it pass, naturally. What reason would I have to do the opposite?” He smiles. “But there is a catch to it.”
He knew it! Jun chuckles. “What kind of catch?”
“I’m trading,” Sho explains. “I’ve told you before that I decided that we are all allowed to do something stupid once in a while. So in exchange for today, when it’s my turn, you won’t give me too much of a hard time. How does that sound?”
“Fine,” Jun agrees.
“And you’ll go and see Matsuda-sensei. Not only because of today, but because of your fear to drive.”
Jun swallows. “You are basically tricking me, aren’t you? What if I say that I would rather like you to ground me for two weeks? What would you do then?”
“Well,” Sho muses. “You are right. I might be using this moment now and push you with it - maybe that’s not fair -, but I’m not letting you talk me out of it so easily, kid.”
“Okay, let’s say three weeks. But it’s really my last offer!”
Sho blinks. “I’m not trading, Jun! This is not a bazar!”
“But you said, you are trading. Right before.”
“I can’t believe it,” Sho grumbles. “That you are using my own strategy against me.” He throws Kazu a glare, who is hiding his grin behind his hand. “So, let’s say in that issue I’m not trading. What will you do?”
Jun lets out such a deep sigh that Kazu shows him a sympathetic smile. Seeing Matsuda-sensei regularly is exactly what he doesn’t want to. At all. But he has thought a lot after Masaki’s warning a week ago, and… okay… not driving at all, ever, is not an option. Besides he would like to make his driving license too one day. “I will go and see him,” Jun says.
Sho stares at him in surprise. “Just like that?”
“Yes, just like that.”
“For real?” Kazu breaths out. “Since when are you so super-mature about that!?”
Jun just shrugs.
Sho smiles warmly. “Leaves only one thing, and it concerns the both of you.”
Kazu looks at him in surprise. “Me too?”
“Yes.” Sho leans back, eyeing him thoughtfully. “Tell Jun, why you reacted like you did before.”
“But-“
“From how I understood his words he feels betrayed,” Sho explains further, and Kazu sighs nervously.
He turns to face Jun. “You do?”
Jun shrugs helplessly.
“I’m sorry.” Kazu rubs through his black hair with a nervous gesture. “I just… I know you helped me out so much, and it’s freaking unfair. And I know what happened today is completely different to anything I did, but it just makes me freak out to know that someone beat you up. And well…”
“But I explained what happened,” Jun defends himself. “In every detail. You know that it’s entirely different. Still… What do you want me to do? Just let them beat me unconscious?”
“I’m sorry,” Kazu sighs. “For a second I thought it’s actually better for Sho to lock you up so that you are safe, because I don’t want you to get into danger at all. I know it’s not fair! I would be mad at me too if I was you. It’s just a feeling inside me. Something I can’t switch off that easily. I’ll try though. I promise. I also know I’ve promised a lot of things to you recently, which are hard for me to keep up with it. But I try. I am really trying. I can’t lose you from my side. So… forgive me?”
Sho grins. “Of course he will!”
“What!?” Jun huffs. “Talk for yourself please!”
Sho chuckles. “Now, don’t play hard to get,” he jokes. “Just make up already.”
With so much silliness around him, it’s difficult to stay earnest, and it’s not like he can’t understand Kazu’s sentiment at all, though it is unnerving that he doesn’t show more faith in him. “I’m not going to give in that easily next time when you obviously don’t show me any trust at all and doubt me. Because it’s freaking unfair.”
Kazu nods. “Don’t worry. I had my fair share of intense talks with Sho and Ma-chan too. I told them to kick me when I’m lashing out against you.” He smiles slightly. Then he wraps his arms around Jun’s waist. “You are my favourite teddy bear, you know that, right? Sorry for being such a difficult prick recently, will do better, I promise. You can put this on the list too.”
“Ah,” Sho grins and throws one arm around Kazu and one around Jun, squishing them. “You two are so cute.”
“Stop it,” Kazu whines. “You know I’m hurt…And Jun too!”
“Your leg is, your upper body isn’t. And Jun isn’t complaining, only you are,” Sho grins, and squishes Kazu even more.
Kazu’s hair tickles his nose, and Sho’s grip is almost too tight, but nevertheless Jun has to laugh. He feels relaxed and reassured all of a sudden. It’s just nice to have his stupid brothers around sometimes.
Then he can hear how the door flies open. “What are you doing here?” Masaki’s surprised voice reaches his ear.
“Bonding,” Sho says dryly.
“What!? Without me! Sho, you ass!” Masaki opens the door again. “Hey, Sa-chan, they are having all the fun without us! Come, fast!!”
A few seconds later Jun feels the additional weight of two more people pressed against them. So heavy. Next to him Kazu chuckles slightly.
A/N: OMG, I'm so sorry for the overdramatic chapter *lol* I don't know why and how it happened, but I only wanted Jun to settle his problems with Shota, and suddenly they ended up in a fight, and then Jun was at Sho's and Kazu's mercy. And Kazu went all dramatic and gloomy. Poor Jun really got a lot of backlash from Kazu's accident. I had to cut him some slack and make Sho all understanding in return (though he blackmailed Jun into going to a therapist)
Next chapter will focus on Kazu again, by the way.