#032 - Delight - Nino/Ohkura
Title: Delight!
Pairing/Focus: Ninomiya Kazunari/Ohkura Tadayoshi
Rating: PG
Warnings: possible OOC. I hope not, but I truly apologize if it is. DX
Summary: Nino is an ice cream vendor who has a weird palate and hates ice cream. Ohkura is a pretty male customer who is also his...fan? (Nino as a synesthete AU)
Notes: Written for ltgmars at the ninoexchange 2013. Big thanks to gomushroom who became my sounding board, (in sickness and in defective keyboards), and an awesome beta ♥ I don't know what to do without you and your amazing rainbow pompoms. :D
Nino doesn't get what's so great with ice cream.
Well, Nino doesn't get what's so great with food in general aside from the obvious fact that humans will die without it for three weeks (or so some research says) so he doesn't enjoy food like most people. He attributes it to the fact that his taste buds are different from most, especially when the word chicken taste like corn, and the word corn taste like cheese until he actually takes a bite. Every word has a taste, but foods are especially taxing to Nino as their names and the actual thing taste different. The only exception is hamburgers, which tastes exactly like they sound and makes it his favorite food by default.
But Nino doesn't get what's great with ice cream especially. Even for a food, it's just a combination of artificial flavors and frozen milk - nothing entirely special. Its names give Nino headaches and it numbs his tongue when the words strawberry and strawberry ice cream tasting different when they roll off his tongue, and they also taste different when Nino actually dares to eat them. Imagine this dilemma for over fifty and counting flavors and no one would blame Nino and his query.
He needs to suck it up though or he'll lose his job.
"Welcome!" Nino greets the first flow of customers during his shift as he takes their orders and recommends Delight!’s ice cream flavor of the week.
※
Nino has his fair share of remarkably handsome yet peculiar customers. He serves Aiba his pecan ice cream who asks if it is safe for pelican birds to eat. He also gives Sho his blueberry ice cream as he furiously types on his smartphone before screaming. He also gives Ohno the least selling flavor before he sails out to the sea--or back to his art canvases (Nino cannot be bothered to know every time). And he also provides Jun his green tea ice cream as the guy waits for thirty minutes to pass before retrieving his shopping bags (Nino has a hunch that the man will go for another round of shopping). He even becomes fast friends with the likes of Ryo and Subaru, whose relationship started as awkward, and ending up being more awkward than is necessary for a pair who buys one another chocolate ice cream. He endures Yasu and his failed attempts of scoring a free ice cream scoop (which is really unfortunate for Yasu since the puppy eyes would've worked if Nino isn't busy making money) and lets Yoko and Hina think that he’s listening to their long talks (which is fine since the amount of ice cream that they buy in that duration justifies it, no matter how pointless it is sometimes).
So really, he shouldn't have been surprised when a customer enters an hour before closing, with long limbs and seemingly average facial features unless you put each part together to appreciate his beauty in its entirety, and orders a raspberry ice cream stick dipped in chocolate sauce, a cup of vanilla ice cream, and a scoop of sweet corn ice cream in a Belgian waffle cone - none of which is the flavor of the week Nino has just recommended minutes prior.
This is still normal aside from the fact that he gives Nino his fourth one: an ice cream cup-mint chocolate chip before he dashes off without a word of explanation.
All the pretty guys who enter the store are weird, one way or another.
※
The next day, the same guy visits at the same time and orders another set of different flavors, except for the last cup which he hands to Nino before he leaves again.
Same thing happens the next day, in the same fashion, only Nino must've done something before the man before him even hands the mint chocolate chip ice cream cup back to him.
"You don't like this flavor?" The man asks and Nino finds himself answering that no, it is not just the mint chocolate chip flavor but ice cream in general.
When the next thing people would've asked is why he works at an ice cream parlor in the first place, this man asks him a different question altogether: "What's your favorite food?" And Nino has to blink a few times, thrown off by the inquiry.
"Why do you ask?"
"What's your favorite food?" The guy repeats, persistently disregarding his follow-up question.
"Hamburgers," Nino replies, acknowledging the fact that the guy across him wouldn't budge unless he answers.
"Hamburgers." He echoes and then a smile slowly creeps up his face it's almost unnerving, if not for the fact that Nino also thinks the customer in front of him is gorgeous when he finally shows some of his perfect white teeth.
And then he is gone for the day before Nino remembers to ask what that was for.
※
When the usual twenty o'clock customer dashes through the doors, Nino isn't really surprised. But it still makes him wonder about the mysterious paper bag placed on top of the counter.
"Open it."
And Nino warily does. "Hamburgers?" Nino says when the waft of the beef patty permeates the air.
"It's for you" the man across him smiles.
Nino wants to ask a load of questions: why hamburgers? Why him? What comes out of his mouth is a flat "I don't take food from strangers."
"Ohkura Tadayoshi." The name tastes like crackers - it isn't bad. Nino just continued staring, still processing the taste when the man adds "That's my name."
"Still doesn't change the fact that you're a stranger."
The man named Ohkura frowns. "I'm a regular customer as of late, Ninomiya-san!"
"A customer who ignores my recommended flavor of the week"
Ohkura pouts as Nino laughs.
"I'd take this, if you tell me why I'm even receiving it in the first place."
"Let's just say I'm a fan."
"A fan?"
And then Ohkura leaves before he even orders his usual fare.
※
"You seem happy nowadays"
"Huh?"
"You smile a lot." Maru beams at him. "It suits you better. Are you using your camera again?"
Nino replies, "No, I'm not. I haven't found my muse yet. And I always smile, Maru."
"Nope. I've been watching you. Your real smiles have been frequent lately."
"Oh. Maybe it's because I gained a fan" who gives me free hamburgers.
"But I'm your fan too!" Maru insists.
"Thanks. But it's...different." Nino pats Maru as the latter gradually looked like a kicked puppy as he realizes that it's true-Ohkura is different somehow.
※
For the past few days, Nino's nightly routine consists of Ohkura and his tasty hamburgers. (Maru has night classes at the nearby college). Watching Ohkura fidget as he limits himself to three flavors a day, appearing annoyed as Nino is forced to eat hamburgers in front of the other guy to convince the latter that he isn't wasting food (which Nino really wouldn't since it will mean wasting money as well), and then being given a mint chocolate ice cream at the end of their day.
If Nino doesn't know any better, he'll think that he is being wooed. Judging from the weirdness level of the people patronizing Delight! though, he'll just take the word of the young man being a fan (maybe he is more an ice cream enthusiast than Nino thought Ohkura is).
Nino has no delusions in locking up early. If the week prior is an indication, Ohkura will come up through the glass doors at exactly eight p.m. and demand him to recommend the flavor of the week, order three ice cream with varying flavors for himself and another (mint chocolate chip) for Nino, and then hands him the hamburger again.
Any minute now.
When the clock strikes nine, he realizes the guy will not come and Nino has to suppress his disappointment.
※
Three days has passed (not that Nino's counting) before Ohkura appears in front of him armed with the usual paper bag containing the hamburgers and an unusual question: "Tomorrow's your day off, right?"
"How did you know?"
"I asked the other staff, Maruyama-kun, yesterday."
"Why would you ask Maru?"
"Would you like to go on a game center with me?" Ohkura ignores Nino's question. "You like games right?"
"Where did you hear that from?"
"The other customers."
"Stalker. What makes you think I'd come with you?"
"You hate losing. Are you afraid that I'm gonna defeat you?"
"I'm not gonna fall for that."
"If you won, I'd treat you to any restaurant you desire!"
"I can barely finish the hamburgers you brought everyday. I think I'll pass."
"I'm going to work here for three days on your behalf! And you'll get to keep the salary too."
"Why are you so desperate?" Nino has to inquire but is only met with silence. "Make it a week and I'm in."
Ohkura's face lit up before he continues, "I need you to promise something though."
Nino waits.
"You'll date me for a day if I won."
"Fine. It's not like you'll win. You can even pick the game."
"Are you sure?"
Nino smirks. "You really don't know who you're talking to."
※
"Come on, Ninomiya-san. Act like you're happy. It's our date!" Ohkura nudges him. Nino sulks more. He wouldn't have lost if Ohkura chose any other game. It's not like Nino's bad at rhythmic games-it was just that he underestimated Ohkura who appears to be a professional drummer on days when he wasn't busy ordering ice cream, or any food in general, as Nino came to learn. (Nino conveniently ignores the fact that he is cheering for Ohkura halfway through the first song as he gathers quite a crowd). Taiko no Tatsujin is one game he'll never play again.
Ohkura seems to be enjoying walking and eating street foods and Nino doesn't have the heart to protest much. He does wonder about the seemingly endless stomach pit of the guy beside him. He doesn't eat like he's going to choke on his food (unlike Sho), doesn't flail too much about it as well (unlike Aiba), doesn't open his eyes as wide as saucers when he encounters a food that he cannot explain (unlike Jun), neither does he simply compliment everything edible (unlike Ohno). He eats like he savors every single bite, he closes his eyes as if to imagine the ingredients of the current food he's indulging in, and then beams as he raves. Nino almost wishes he have his camera right now; only Nino doesn't really do portraits and the urge to take a picture never took him like this. As he's lost in his thoughts, however, Ohkura grabs his hand and orders some mint chocolate ice cream.
"If you wanted some ice cream for the date we could've just scored ourselves some at my workplace, free of charge." Nino grumbles and hopes that it hides the fact that he's turning tomato red due to the warmth travelling from the hand Ohkura's holding.
"Stop babbling and start eating or it will melt." Ohkura insists as he removes his hand to give Nino's ice cream. Nino stops himself from feeling down by taking a wary bite. Yup, tastes like mint.
And then Ohkura does the unthinkable and orders two glasses of orange juice.
If there is any food that lives up to its name aside from the hamburgers, it's the combination of orange juice and mint toothpaste. And Nino has long recognized the fact that the combination of the two is disgusting to an inexplicable degree. Mint chocolate chip ice cream and mint toothpaste, needless to say, taste almost the same.
So the horror of Nino as he watches Ohkura take his glass of orange juice and brings it towards his lips makes Nino feel like he is watching a silent movie in slow-motion. He can't even find the words to warn the man from committing the mistake, cannot fully appreciate the way the man's Adam's apple bobs as Ohkura gulps, as he awaits the comical or pissed off reaction.
Yet it never came. What came out is a very satisfied moan and a clear "delicious" before Ohkura proceeds on digging in his ice cream. Nino wonders if Ohkura's taste receptors are broken.
"Are you not going to drink your orange juice? It's refreshing especially in this heat." And Nino should just say no - he managed to ignore Aiba and Yasu's kicked puppy eyes look before. There is no way Ohkura's look of expectation and hope could compare. It should be easy--oh what the hell.
Nino mans up and drinks his glass in one go and waits. Its...delicious?
"You're that thirsty? Let me order you another glass." Ohkura orders as Nino sorts himself through his shock.
"Shouldn't this taste disgusting?"
"What should?"
"Mint and orange"
"Of course-- did you mean the toothpaste?"
Nino nods.
"It's not the mint - it's the toothpaste. It would still taste disgusting even if it's not mint toothpaste. If you combine orange and mint though, it would just be refreshing." And then Ohkura follows it up with a "do you remember who I am now?" Which naturally gets a weird look from Nino.
"I guess not." He smiles bitterly. "What do you think about going to the amusement park next time?"
"Who says there's a next time? I only agreed to date you once!"
※
"Ninomiya-san, would you like to go to the arcade center at the second floor of that building?"
"If you wanted to play some arcade games we could've just gone to the same game center we went to before."
"I wanted you to taste the churros here. It’s delicious but it opens an hour later so I figured we could just kill time? I know you don't really fancy the thrill rides."
"Why are we really here?"
"This is where I first met you." Ohkura answers after a while. "I wasn't really planning on dying, it was just an urge I got when I finally reached the roof and then everything bad came crashing down."
"You're that guy who was stupid enough to try jumping off in front of kids and traumatize them?"
"Like I said, I wasn't thinking. And then you took a picture of me and shouted that the picture you’ve just taken was disgusting. You said that if life is really that hard-"
"-imagine one who has to constantly taste combination of mint toothpaste and orange juice every time someone as much as mentions them. You think you have the worst problems in the world? Don't get full of yourself."
"You remember."
"Just now."
"Back then I didn't really know how that tastes so I figured I could postpone dying. And then I did try drinking some orange juice after brushing. It did taste disgusting. I was wondering about you ever since."
"So the reason you said you are my fan is because I accidentally saved your life?"
"Something like that." Ohkura grins, and Nino goes quiet. "What?"
"So it's something like a hero worship."
"Yes and no. I'm curious about you." And then he leaves it at that.
Ohkura still tries to feed Nino afterwards.
※
"You look healthier." Jun greets him as he pays for his ice cream.
"Thank TOKIO's hamburgers." Among many food chains, Nino thinks but doesn't clarify further.
"TOKIO's hamburgers are not cheap. Someone's been treating you." Jun states.
"Oooh! Are we taking about Nino's love life? Who is the unlucky girl? Or is it a guy? We won't judge!" Aiba suddenly enters the conversation. Sho sighs loudly at his phone before he joins the counter. He could barely hear a whimper from Maru at his side.
"First of all he's not unlucky." Aiba bites his lower lip to stifle his laughter, Jun raises his eyebrow, Sho crosses his arms as if to protect himself from Nino's glare. "Second, it's not some juicy love story. I sort of saved his life once."
"But that's how most love stories begins, right?" Aiba asks as Ohno enters the store.
"Nino, what's good today?"
"Ohno-kun, go to Maruyama-kun." Jun waves Ohno off before Nino could think of escaping. Maru may have cried a little in the background.
"No it isn't." Nino answers Aiba's question.
"Did he say anything else?"
Nino hasn't disclosed his strange palate to anyone and so he settles for "He said he's curious about me."
"There you go." Sho gives his input for the first time. "Just go for it."
※
And go for it, Nino does. As for the reason he went as far as going to Ohkura's apartment, he only has his customers-slash-friends to blame.
"Make yourself comfortable." Ohkura says. It makes Nino more nervous and just hopes it doesn't show. He forgets about it when Ohkura offers him mint chocolate ice cream in a cup and a glass of orange juice.
"Are you not tired of this?"
Ohkura shakes his head.
"Why are you curious about me?" Nino inquired after he finishes his cup.
"Wouldn't anyone be? You can taste food before you even eat them, yet you don't like food. I love food; I just wonder why you don't."
"You're getting it all wrong." Nino says. "I taste words, not just food. I could taste someone's name, the traffic signs, any word. Food is frustrating since more often than not, their names taste different than the actual food."
"Oh." Ohkura replies and Nino understands. It’s not like he discusses this everyday-Ohkura is the first. "Names. You mean, you can taste everyone's names?"
Nino nods.
"What does Maruyama-kun's name taste like?"
"Like dango"
"How about that customer, Yokoyama-san?"
"Cheese sticks."
"Murakami-san?"
"Eggplants."
"Yasuda-kun?"
"Pop tarts."
"Ryo-kun and Subaru-kun?"
"How did you know most of them?" Ohkura opens his mouth but Nino cuts him. "Don't answer that. Apple and cinnamon. Aiba-shi tastes like cherry, Sho-chan tastes like strawberry daifuku, J tastes like watermelon, and Oh-chan tastes like seaweed. Any other questions?"
"Me."
"You?"
"What does my name taste like?"
"...crackers."
"Crackers?"
"The edible kind, don't you worry" Nino smirks at Ohkura's dismay. "It doesn't taste bad."
"Do...people's name live up to their taste?"
"What do you-you mean-oh."
Ohkura turns pink, Nino follows suit. All of his nervousness coming back to him in full force.
"I have no idea. I didn't really focus on the taste aspect when-you know." Nino finally answers.
"Do you ever wonder?"
"Not until you've mentioned it tonight."
"Do you ever wonder...about me?" Ohkura whispers. Nino knows an invitation if he heard one and he's not one to deny it; especially if it's Ohkura
"Yes. I always have." Nino turns to Ohkura and then strides to where the latter is seated and kisses him.
Ohkura doesn't taste like crackers, he tastes so much better. Nino cannot even explain what kissing Ohkura tastes like-it has the combination of mint chocolate chip ice cream and orange juice that they just ate but also more, like he's going to discover a new flavor the longer he kisses Ohkura. And if Nino is going to be honest, he'd like to taste it again and again.
※
"So...."
"We kissed" Nino declares and Ohkura becomes silent once more.
"...was your curiosity satisfied?" Nino whispers.
"Not by a long shot." Ohkura answers without looking at him. "I like to know more and more about you. And I think if it's you, I'd be fine with you knowing about me too. That is if you would allow me to." And then Ohkura closes his eyes.
Nino isn't sure about the emotions that Ohkura is going through right now but he is sure of one thing: he's willing to try this with him.
"Okay."
"Okay?" Ohkura whips his head towards him.
"Okay." Nino says and this time, Ohkura takes the initiative to kiss him.
※
A year and twenty eight days has passed since Ohkura entered the glass doors. A year and twenty eight days since Ohkura gave him mint chocolate chip ice cream. Since then, Ohkura fed him those burgers, dated him and generally changed his life and view of food and his job in general. Nino learns to smile more sincerely, learns to enjoy some of the food (though not all, expensive food with complicated names will never sit well with him), and takes his camera again to take pictures (with Ohkura being his subject most, if not all, of the time). In that duration, he learns to embarrass Ohkura by complimenting him a lot, and if Nino doesn't find anything cute before, he does now.
A year and twenty eight days later, the same man enters the place, kisses him on the cheek, orders a glass of orange juice (they're selling them now) and asks for a scoop of his personal favorite flavor.
"One Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, coming right up!"
END NOTES:
• Nino has a lexical to gustatory synesthesia in my mind, although it's not as intense as most people, I guess. I watched a YouTube video (forgot what exactly) but I'm pretty sure it had a guy who claims that the name Elizabeth tastes like chiffon cake or something similar.
Pairing/Focus: Ninomiya Kazunari/Ohkura Tadayoshi
Rating: PG
Warnings: possible OOC. I hope not, but I truly apologize if it is. DX
Summary: Nino is an ice cream vendor who has a weird palate and hates ice cream. Ohkura is a pretty male customer who is also his...fan? (Nino as a synesthete AU)
Notes: Written for ltgmars at the ninoexchange 2013. Big thanks to gomushroom who became my sounding board, (in sickness and in defective keyboards), and an awesome beta ♥ I don't know what to do without you and your amazing rainbow pompoms. :D
Nino doesn't get what's so great with ice cream.
Well, Nino doesn't get what's so great with food in general aside from the obvious fact that humans will die without it for three weeks (or so some research says) so he doesn't enjoy food like most people. He attributes it to the fact that his taste buds are different from most, especially when the word chicken taste like corn, and the word corn taste like cheese until he actually takes a bite. Every word has a taste, but foods are especially taxing to Nino as their names and the actual thing taste different. The only exception is hamburgers, which tastes exactly like they sound and makes it his favorite food by default.
But Nino doesn't get what's great with ice cream especially. Even for a food, it's just a combination of artificial flavors and frozen milk - nothing entirely special. Its names give Nino headaches and it numbs his tongue when the words strawberry and strawberry ice cream tasting different when they roll off his tongue, and they also taste different when Nino actually dares to eat them. Imagine this dilemma for over fifty and counting flavors and no one would blame Nino and his query.
He needs to suck it up though or he'll lose his job.
"Welcome!" Nino greets the first flow of customers during his shift as he takes their orders and recommends Delight!’s ice cream flavor of the week.
※
Nino has his fair share of remarkably handsome yet peculiar customers. He serves Aiba his pecan ice cream who asks if it is safe for pelican birds to eat. He also gives Sho his blueberry ice cream as he furiously types on his smartphone before screaming. He also gives Ohno the least selling flavor before he sails out to the sea--or back to his art canvases (Nino cannot be bothered to know every time). And he also provides Jun his green tea ice cream as the guy waits for thirty minutes to pass before retrieving his shopping bags (Nino has a hunch that the man will go for another round of shopping). He even becomes fast friends with the likes of Ryo and Subaru, whose relationship started as awkward, and ending up being more awkward than is necessary for a pair who buys one another chocolate ice cream. He endures Yasu and his failed attempts of scoring a free ice cream scoop (which is really unfortunate for Yasu since the puppy eyes would've worked if Nino isn't busy making money) and lets Yoko and Hina think that he’s listening to their long talks (which is fine since the amount of ice cream that they buy in that duration justifies it, no matter how pointless it is sometimes).
So really, he shouldn't have been surprised when a customer enters an hour before closing, with long limbs and seemingly average facial features unless you put each part together to appreciate his beauty in its entirety, and orders a raspberry ice cream stick dipped in chocolate sauce, a cup of vanilla ice cream, and a scoop of sweet corn ice cream in a Belgian waffle cone - none of which is the flavor of the week Nino has just recommended minutes prior.
This is still normal aside from the fact that he gives Nino his fourth one: an ice cream cup-mint chocolate chip before he dashes off without a word of explanation.
All the pretty guys who enter the store are weird, one way or another.
※
The next day, the same guy visits at the same time and orders another set of different flavors, except for the last cup which he hands to Nino before he leaves again.
Same thing happens the next day, in the same fashion, only Nino must've done something before the man before him even hands the mint chocolate chip ice cream cup back to him.
"You don't like this flavor?" The man asks and Nino finds himself answering that no, it is not just the mint chocolate chip flavor but ice cream in general.
When the next thing people would've asked is why he works at an ice cream parlor in the first place, this man asks him a different question altogether: "What's your favorite food?" And Nino has to blink a few times, thrown off by the inquiry.
"Why do you ask?"
"What's your favorite food?" The guy repeats, persistently disregarding his follow-up question.
"Hamburgers," Nino replies, acknowledging the fact that the guy across him wouldn't budge unless he answers.
"Hamburgers." He echoes and then a smile slowly creeps up his face it's almost unnerving, if not for the fact that Nino also thinks the customer in front of him is gorgeous when he finally shows some of his perfect white teeth.
And then he is gone for the day before Nino remembers to ask what that was for.
※
When the usual twenty o'clock customer dashes through the doors, Nino isn't really surprised. But it still makes him wonder about the mysterious paper bag placed on top of the counter.
"Open it."
And Nino warily does. "Hamburgers?" Nino says when the waft of the beef patty permeates the air.
"It's for you" the man across him smiles.
Nino wants to ask a load of questions: why hamburgers? Why him? What comes out of his mouth is a flat "I don't take food from strangers."
"Ohkura Tadayoshi." The name tastes like crackers - it isn't bad. Nino just continued staring, still processing the taste when the man adds "That's my name."
"Still doesn't change the fact that you're a stranger."
The man named Ohkura frowns. "I'm a regular customer as of late, Ninomiya-san!"
"A customer who ignores my recommended flavor of the week"
Ohkura pouts as Nino laughs.
"I'd take this, if you tell me why I'm even receiving it in the first place."
"Let's just say I'm a fan."
"A fan?"
And then Ohkura leaves before he even orders his usual fare.
※
"You seem happy nowadays"
"Huh?"
"You smile a lot." Maru beams at him. "It suits you better. Are you using your camera again?"
Nino replies, "No, I'm not. I haven't found my muse yet. And I always smile, Maru."
"Nope. I've been watching you. Your real smiles have been frequent lately."
"Oh. Maybe it's because I gained a fan" who gives me free hamburgers.
"But I'm your fan too!" Maru insists.
"Thanks. But it's...different." Nino pats Maru as the latter gradually looked like a kicked puppy as he realizes that it's true-Ohkura is different somehow.
※
For the past few days, Nino's nightly routine consists of Ohkura and his tasty hamburgers. (Maru has night classes at the nearby college). Watching Ohkura fidget as he limits himself to three flavors a day, appearing annoyed as Nino is forced to eat hamburgers in front of the other guy to convince the latter that he isn't wasting food (which Nino really wouldn't since it will mean wasting money as well), and then being given a mint chocolate ice cream at the end of their day.
If Nino doesn't know any better, he'll think that he is being wooed. Judging from the weirdness level of the people patronizing Delight! though, he'll just take the word of the young man being a fan (maybe he is more an ice cream enthusiast than Nino thought Ohkura is).
Nino has no delusions in locking up early. If the week prior is an indication, Ohkura will come up through the glass doors at exactly eight p.m. and demand him to recommend the flavor of the week, order three ice cream with varying flavors for himself and another (mint chocolate chip) for Nino, and then hands him the hamburger again.
Any minute now.
When the clock strikes nine, he realizes the guy will not come and Nino has to suppress his disappointment.
※
Three days has passed (not that Nino's counting) before Ohkura appears in front of him armed with the usual paper bag containing the hamburgers and an unusual question: "Tomorrow's your day off, right?"
"How did you know?"
"I asked the other staff, Maruyama-kun, yesterday."
"Why would you ask Maru?"
"Would you like to go on a game center with me?" Ohkura ignores Nino's question. "You like games right?"
"Where did you hear that from?"
"The other customers."
"Stalker. What makes you think I'd come with you?"
"You hate losing. Are you afraid that I'm gonna defeat you?"
"I'm not gonna fall for that."
"If you won, I'd treat you to any restaurant you desire!"
"I can barely finish the hamburgers you brought everyday. I think I'll pass."
"I'm going to work here for three days on your behalf! And you'll get to keep the salary too."
"Why are you so desperate?" Nino has to inquire but is only met with silence. "Make it a week and I'm in."
Ohkura's face lit up before he continues, "I need you to promise something though."
Nino waits.
"You'll date me for a day if I won."
"Fine. It's not like you'll win. You can even pick the game."
"Are you sure?"
Nino smirks. "You really don't know who you're talking to."
※
"Come on, Ninomiya-san. Act like you're happy. It's our date!" Ohkura nudges him. Nino sulks more. He wouldn't have lost if Ohkura chose any other game. It's not like Nino's bad at rhythmic games-it was just that he underestimated Ohkura who appears to be a professional drummer on days when he wasn't busy ordering ice cream, or any food in general, as Nino came to learn. (Nino conveniently ignores the fact that he is cheering for Ohkura halfway through the first song as he gathers quite a crowd). Taiko no Tatsujin is one game he'll never play again.
Ohkura seems to be enjoying walking and eating street foods and Nino doesn't have the heart to protest much. He does wonder about the seemingly endless stomach pit of the guy beside him. He doesn't eat like he's going to choke on his food (unlike Sho), doesn't flail too much about it as well (unlike Aiba), doesn't open his eyes as wide as saucers when he encounters a food that he cannot explain (unlike Jun), neither does he simply compliment everything edible (unlike Ohno). He eats like he savors every single bite, he closes his eyes as if to imagine the ingredients of the current food he's indulging in, and then beams as he raves. Nino almost wishes he have his camera right now; only Nino doesn't really do portraits and the urge to take a picture never took him like this. As he's lost in his thoughts, however, Ohkura grabs his hand and orders some mint chocolate ice cream.
"If you wanted some ice cream for the date we could've just scored ourselves some at my workplace, free of charge." Nino grumbles and hopes that it hides the fact that he's turning tomato red due to the warmth travelling from the hand Ohkura's holding.
"Stop babbling and start eating or it will melt." Ohkura insists as he removes his hand to give Nino's ice cream. Nino stops himself from feeling down by taking a wary bite. Yup, tastes like mint.
And then Ohkura does the unthinkable and orders two glasses of orange juice.
If there is any food that lives up to its name aside from the hamburgers, it's the combination of orange juice and mint toothpaste. And Nino has long recognized the fact that the combination of the two is disgusting to an inexplicable degree. Mint chocolate chip ice cream and mint toothpaste, needless to say, taste almost the same.
So the horror of Nino as he watches Ohkura take his glass of orange juice and brings it towards his lips makes Nino feel like he is watching a silent movie in slow-motion. He can't even find the words to warn the man from committing the mistake, cannot fully appreciate the way the man's Adam's apple bobs as Ohkura gulps, as he awaits the comical or pissed off reaction.
Yet it never came. What came out is a very satisfied moan and a clear "delicious" before Ohkura proceeds on digging in his ice cream. Nino wonders if Ohkura's taste receptors are broken.
"Are you not going to drink your orange juice? It's refreshing especially in this heat." And Nino should just say no - he managed to ignore Aiba and Yasu's kicked puppy eyes look before. There is no way Ohkura's look of expectation and hope could compare. It should be easy--oh what the hell.
Nino mans up and drinks his glass in one go and waits. Its...delicious?
"You're that thirsty? Let me order you another glass." Ohkura orders as Nino sorts himself through his shock.
"Shouldn't this taste disgusting?"
"What should?"
"Mint and orange"
"Of course-- did you mean the toothpaste?"
Nino nods.
"It's not the mint - it's the toothpaste. It would still taste disgusting even if it's not mint toothpaste. If you combine orange and mint though, it would just be refreshing." And then Ohkura follows it up with a "do you remember who I am now?" Which naturally gets a weird look from Nino.
"I guess not." He smiles bitterly. "What do you think about going to the amusement park next time?"
"Who says there's a next time? I only agreed to date you once!"
※
"Ninomiya-san, would you like to go to the arcade center at the second floor of that building?"
"If you wanted to play some arcade games we could've just gone to the same game center we went to before."
"I wanted you to taste the churros here. It’s delicious but it opens an hour later so I figured we could just kill time? I know you don't really fancy the thrill rides."
"Why are we really here?"
"This is where I first met you." Ohkura answers after a while. "I wasn't really planning on dying, it was just an urge I got when I finally reached the roof and then everything bad came crashing down."
"You're that guy who was stupid enough to try jumping off in front of kids and traumatize them?"
"Like I said, I wasn't thinking. And then you took a picture of me and shouted that the picture you’ve just taken was disgusting. You said that if life is really that hard-"
"-imagine one who has to constantly taste combination of mint toothpaste and orange juice every time someone as much as mentions them. You think you have the worst problems in the world? Don't get full of yourself."
"You remember."
"Just now."
"Back then I didn't really know how that tastes so I figured I could postpone dying. And then I did try drinking some orange juice after brushing. It did taste disgusting. I was wondering about you ever since."
"So the reason you said you are my fan is because I accidentally saved your life?"
"Something like that." Ohkura grins, and Nino goes quiet. "What?"
"So it's something like a hero worship."
"Yes and no. I'm curious about you." And then he leaves it at that.
Ohkura still tries to feed Nino afterwards.
※
"You look healthier." Jun greets him as he pays for his ice cream.
"Thank TOKIO's hamburgers." Among many food chains, Nino thinks but doesn't clarify further.
"TOKIO's hamburgers are not cheap. Someone's been treating you." Jun states.
"Oooh! Are we taking about Nino's love life? Who is the unlucky girl? Or is it a guy? We won't judge!" Aiba suddenly enters the conversation. Sho sighs loudly at his phone before he joins the counter. He could barely hear a whimper from Maru at his side.
"First of all he's not unlucky." Aiba bites his lower lip to stifle his laughter, Jun raises his eyebrow, Sho crosses his arms as if to protect himself from Nino's glare. "Second, it's not some juicy love story. I sort of saved his life once."
"But that's how most love stories begins, right?" Aiba asks as Ohno enters the store.
"Nino, what's good today?"
"Ohno-kun, go to Maruyama-kun." Jun waves Ohno off before Nino could think of escaping. Maru may have cried a little in the background.
"No it isn't." Nino answers Aiba's question.
"Did he say anything else?"
Nino hasn't disclosed his strange palate to anyone and so he settles for "He said he's curious about me."
"There you go." Sho gives his input for the first time. "Just go for it."
※
And go for it, Nino does. As for the reason he went as far as going to Ohkura's apartment, he only has his customers-slash-friends to blame.
"Make yourself comfortable." Ohkura says. It makes Nino more nervous and just hopes it doesn't show. He forgets about it when Ohkura offers him mint chocolate ice cream in a cup and a glass of orange juice.
"Are you not tired of this?"
Ohkura shakes his head.
"Why are you curious about me?" Nino inquired after he finishes his cup.
"Wouldn't anyone be? You can taste food before you even eat them, yet you don't like food. I love food; I just wonder why you don't."
"You're getting it all wrong." Nino says. "I taste words, not just food. I could taste someone's name, the traffic signs, any word. Food is frustrating since more often than not, their names taste different than the actual food."
"Oh." Ohkura replies and Nino understands. It’s not like he discusses this everyday-Ohkura is the first. "Names. You mean, you can taste everyone's names?"
Nino nods.
"What does Maruyama-kun's name taste like?"
"Like dango"
"How about that customer, Yokoyama-san?"
"Cheese sticks."
"Murakami-san?"
"Eggplants."
"Yasuda-kun?"
"Pop tarts."
"Ryo-kun and Subaru-kun?"
"How did you know most of them?" Ohkura opens his mouth but Nino cuts him. "Don't answer that. Apple and cinnamon. Aiba-shi tastes like cherry, Sho-chan tastes like strawberry daifuku, J tastes like watermelon, and Oh-chan tastes like seaweed. Any other questions?"
"Me."
"You?"
"What does my name taste like?"
"...crackers."
"Crackers?"
"The edible kind, don't you worry" Nino smirks at Ohkura's dismay. "It doesn't taste bad."
"Do...people's name live up to their taste?"
"What do you-you mean-oh."
Ohkura turns pink, Nino follows suit. All of his nervousness coming back to him in full force.
"I have no idea. I didn't really focus on the taste aspect when-you know." Nino finally answers.
"Do you ever wonder?"
"Not until you've mentioned it tonight."
"Do you ever wonder...about me?" Ohkura whispers. Nino knows an invitation if he heard one and he's not one to deny it; especially if it's Ohkura
"Yes. I always have." Nino turns to Ohkura and then strides to where the latter is seated and kisses him.
Ohkura doesn't taste like crackers, he tastes so much better. Nino cannot even explain what kissing Ohkura tastes like-it has the combination of mint chocolate chip ice cream and orange juice that they just ate but also more, like he's going to discover a new flavor the longer he kisses Ohkura. And if Nino is going to be honest, he'd like to taste it again and again.
※
"So...."
"We kissed" Nino declares and Ohkura becomes silent once more.
"...was your curiosity satisfied?" Nino whispers.
"Not by a long shot." Ohkura answers without looking at him. "I like to know more and more about you. And I think if it's you, I'd be fine with you knowing about me too. That is if you would allow me to." And then Ohkura closes his eyes.
Nino isn't sure about the emotions that Ohkura is going through right now but he is sure of one thing: he's willing to try this with him.
"Okay."
"Okay?" Ohkura whips his head towards him.
"Okay." Nino says and this time, Ohkura takes the initiative to kiss him.
※
A year and twenty eight days has passed since Ohkura entered the glass doors. A year and twenty eight days since Ohkura gave him mint chocolate chip ice cream. Since then, Ohkura fed him those burgers, dated him and generally changed his life and view of food and his job in general. Nino learns to smile more sincerely, learns to enjoy some of the food (though not all, expensive food with complicated names will never sit well with him), and takes his camera again to take pictures (with Ohkura being his subject most, if not all, of the time). In that duration, he learns to embarrass Ohkura by complimenting him a lot, and if Nino doesn't find anything cute before, he does now.
A year and twenty eight days later, the same man enters the place, kisses him on the cheek, orders a glass of orange juice (they're selling them now) and asks for a scoop of his personal favorite flavor.
"One Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, coming right up!"
END NOTES:
• Nino has a lexical to gustatory synesthesia in my mind, although it's not as intense as most people, I guess. I watched a YouTube video (forgot what exactly) but I'm pretty sure it had a guy who claims that the name Elizabeth tastes like chiffon cake or something similar.