Be Patient with Me (one shot) part 3
Nino recalled the tall and good-looking man. It seemed that everyone knew Sho and became part of his inner circle. Unlike Nino, Sho was always good at making new friends and people tended to be loyal to him.
Ohno still gripped his hand until they were inside the subway train. They sat side by side while looking outside at the darkness of the subway tunnel. Nino had never been to a bachelor party before and his first time would be attending his ex’s party. What a weird life.
The party was held in a hotel room, and there were around ten people who happened to be Sho’s closest friends. Aiba welcomed them with a broad smile and gestured for them to enter the suite room. Sho was already there, looking as confused as Nino was, but he managed to smile at them and invited them to sit on the cozy couch.
“Thanks for bringing Nino here,” Sho said to Ohno.
“Is this some kind of prank?” Nino asked. “I mean, we don’t contact each other for a long time and suddenly I get an invitation to be here.” He said what was in his mind without thinking further. There was a little satisfaction in Nino’s heart as he saw Sho’s awkwardness.
“It’s because I want you to be here,” Ohno answered from his left side. The cameraman’s face was as calm as a lake when he said those words. “Sho-kun has nothing to do with it.”
Nino looked back and forth from Sho and Ohno and snorted. He knew he couldn’t win any arguments against these two men. Both of them were stubborn in different ways, and both of them had something that made people obey them.
“Alright, alright,” Nino said. “I’m not complaining anymore. Are you guys inviting prostitutes or something?”
Sho chuckled at what Nino said. “We only have drinks. Jun would kill me if we invited a prostitute to the party.”
“Drinking is much better,” Ohno replied. “Wait here, I’ll get some from Aiba.”
When Ohno disappeared to get their drinks, Sho leaned closer to Nino and asked, “Are you guys…dating?”
“No,” Nino shook his head immediately. “He happens to be a lonely cameraman who’s looking for a friend. Besides, he’s not my type,” he continued.
Sho seemed unconvinced by Nino’s reply. “Aiba-kun is single if you’re interested.”
Nino snorted, “I’m not here to look for a boyfriend, Sho-chan.”
“Just in case, you know,” Sho shrugged. “You’re still as stubborn as you always were.”
“Look who’s talking,” Nino laughed.
It was odd talking about the past with Sho without feeling too devastated by the fact that he was getting married to a gorgeous man. Nino remembered Jun’s offer and was about to mention it to Sho, but he refrained. It wasn’t the right time to talk about work.
Ohno came back with two glasses of wine in his hands. “It isn’t as strong as a martini,” he said, handing the glass to Nino.
“Thanks, and I think you don’t need to remind me,” Nino replied with a smile on his lips.
Sho looked at them with an amused face. He told them to enjoy and left to the other corner of the room to talk with everyone.
Nino and Ohno walked towards the veranda to enjoy the warm night of summer. They could see the fireworks at the faraway corner of Tokyo. Nino sipped the wine and felt relaxed, and he glanced at Ohno, whose eyes were locked on the night scene. He wondered how Ohno viewed this world. Perhaps it was the opposite of what Nino felt. He always considered everything boring and plain and colorless.
“Nino, why don’t you consider agreeing to Matsujun’s offer,” Ohno said all of a sudden.
“The event is in Singapore. I can’t take many off days from my part time job,” Nino mumbled as an answer.
“You’re better than just a part-timer. You can do more with your writing talent.”
“Are you telling me that my current work is rubbish?” Nino said. He didn’t mean it, but the effect of the alcohol had taken control and he didn’t care anymore.
Ohno gave no answer. He sipped his wine as if it was water and kept on looking at the night scene. What did Ohno know about him? This man was a stranger. He had no right to tell Nino what he really needed.
“I’m going home,” Nino said, leaving the veranda, but he found Ohno’s hand grabbing his wrist.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“You can’t give me orders, Ohno-san.” Nino tried to loosen Ohno’s grip, but the man was stronger than him.
“I can’t,” Ohno said. “But I can listen to you. You need someone to talk to.”
“What makes you think I need someone?” Nino hissed from the corner of his mouth.
“I just do,” Ohno said with a soft tone. “Stay,” he continued. “It’s not an order, it’s a request.”
Ohno loosened his grip and pulled Nino closer to him. It was the first time they had stood this close to each other. Nino could smell Ohno’s natural odor, and he felt something strange in his chest. It overwhelmed him, but he couldn’t move away from Ohno, and he wanted to stay like this as long as time permitted.
“Maybe you need to take care of me again when I’m too drunk,” Nino said.
“I’m more than glad to do that,” Ohno whispered in his ear. The cameraman leaned closer to him and kissed him right on the lips. Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, Nino thought. The memories would be wiped clean tomorrow morning.
Ohno’s lips were soft and they kissed Nino deeper and deeper. Ohno placed his right hand behind Nino’s nape and pulled him closer, and now their bodies pressed against each other.
“He’s drunk,” Nino reminded himself. “This kiss doesn’t involve any serious feelings between us. He’s kissing me because of the supportive atmosphere, nothing more.”
***
Nino opened his heavy lids and found himself lying on the floor, someone’s arm wrapped around him from behind. He slowly turned around and saw Ohno’s sleeping face. Nino looked around the room. Sho was lying on the couch, and Aiba was on the other corner of the room. It seemed that everyone had left except the four of them.
He tried to remember the details, but it was like trying to grasp water within his fist. He freed himself from Ohno’s embrace and headed the bathroom to wash his face. When he came back, Sho had awoken and was sitting up while burying his face in his palms.
“Morning,” he greeted.
“Morning,” Sho replied with a heavy voice. “I drank too much.”
“Everyone did,” Nino answered, glancing at Ohno and Aiba on the floor.
Ohno stirred and slowly pushed himself to a sitting position; Aiba did the same in the other corner. They brewed themselves coffee to clear their heads. Sho mumbled that he had work in the evening, so he left after thanking Aiba for the surprise party. The three of them left the hotel room not long after that. They separated with Aiba at the station, leaving Nino and Ohno alone.
“I’ll reply to Jun tonight,” Nino said as they walked towards the bus stop.
Ohno nodded. “I’ll be leaving for Vietnam tomorrow night.”
“For how long?” Nino asked.
“A week. I’ll buy you souvenirs.”
Nino chuckled. “You don’t need to.”
Nino was sure that there was something important that happened the night before between them since Ohno’s presence felt more natural now. He wondered whether Ohno remembered it, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask the man.
“See you, Nino.” Ohno waved him goodbye as his bus came.
Nino felt a strange loneliness slip into his heart when the bus departed. He wanted to stay longer with Ohno, he wanted to talk about random topics with the man, he wanted to sit down on a park bench side by side with Ohno in silence.
Ohno wasn’t his type, but Nino couldn’t deny the warm feelings inside his chest every time he recalled Ohno’s shady smile.
***
The email he sent to Jun was simple. Nino had talked to the café manager and he could take four days off from work. He explained it to Jun and the man was more than glad when he heard it. He phoned Nino right away and asked him whether they could meet and talk.
“I’ll pick you up at Yokohama,” Jun said from the other end of the line. “We can go together somewhere, perhaps having dinner.”
“Alright,” Nino answered.
He hung up and looked at his phone, to Jun’s number. It was the strangest thing he had ever done; the appearance of Ohno had brought Sho into the picture again, and now he would be working together with Sho’s fiancé. A man whose personality was the complete opposite of Nino’s. A man whose fashion was far better than Nino’s.
Jun came before Nino finished his shift. The man waited while having a cup of coffee; he wore a nice combination of a cardigan and checkered shirt. His eyeglasses were rounded this time. Nino pulled off his apron and took his tote bag from the locker as his shift ended. He approached Jun’s table, and the man welcomed him with a warm smile.
“I’m ready,” Nino said.
“Let’s go then.” Jun stood up and guided their steps towards the central parking area. Jun drove a red Nissan with a comfortable interior. They headed towards Tokyo. “What’s your favorite food?” he asked Nino.
Nino thought for a while. He didn’t particularly favor certain foods. Anything as long as it wasn’t shells.
“I don’t really have a favorite food,” he replied.
“Let’s have yakiniku at my favorite restaurant,” Jun said.
“Okay,” Nino answered, guessing that perhaps Jun had made a reservation at the restaurant, and that he had asked Nino just to make conversation.
The restaurant was located at the center of Roppongi and it was expensive (just like Nino guessed). Jun mentioned their order to the waitress who tried hard not to stare at Jun’s handsome face. Nino remembered when he went to Aiba’s bar in Ginza with Ohno; it seemed that everyone loved to go to expensive places (he was glad that he didn’t need to pay by himself).
“Sho-kun loves yakiniku,” Jun opened the conversation. “But we rarely go together because my schedule hardly matches his.”
“I think he basically loves every food,” Nino murmured.
A wide smile decorated Jun’s lips as he heard what Nino said, a smile which carried a thousand meanings. Nino could tell how much he loved Sho.
“So,” Jun began. “I’m so happy that you’ve agreed to work with us.”
Nino flashed a weak smile at Jun and murmured an answer, “Maybe going to Singapore is not a bad idea.”
Jun explained in detail what kind of article he wanted for the fashion launch. He gave Nino the schedule and briefed him about the event. He also mentioned the VIP guests and the next event which would be held in Tokyo, saying that he hoped that Nino could work with them continuously.
“I can’t promise you that,” Nino said as he heard the last sentence. “I don’t write for a couple of years and my article probably will not match your expectations.”
“I believe in your ability,” Jun said, extending his hand to give Nino a friendly pat on his shoulder.
Nino returned Jun’s optimistic smile and wished that he could be a little bit like Jun; this man seemed to put everything he had into his career, unlike Nino, who tried to run from every aspect of his life, including the unexplainable feelings he had for Ohno.
Jun offered to take him home by car, but Nino refused. He thanked the man for the dinner and went back home by subway. He thought of his forgotten career and now, he would write again, as a freelancer for Sho’s fiancé. It wasn’t that bad, Nino told himself. Perhaps he could find something new by accepting this job
A week passed and he almost forgot that Ohno had already come back from Vietnam. The cameraman stood by the edge of Osanbashi, holding a big umbrella in his hand, waiting for Nino. It was raining that night, something which Nino didn’t expect since he rarely checked the weather forecast, and even if he did, he always forgot to bring an umbrella.
“I’ll walk you home,” Ohno said, approaching Nino to shield him from the pouring rain.
“You don’t know where I live,” Nino answered, trying to suppress the excited tone since he was unexpectedly happy to see Ohno again.
“Yes, but you’ll show me the way,” Ohno gave him a broad smile which sent a pleasant chill to Nino’s stomach.
Whether it was another command which sounded like a tempting request from Ohno or the other way around, Nino couldn’t tell.
They walked under the umbrella towards Nino’s apartment; the rain was strong and by the time they reached the building, they were completely wet. Nino quickly unlocked his door and gestured to the cameraman to enter. They took off their wet shoes and headed the bathroom to change their clothes.
“You can use my clothes. I think our size is not so different,” Nino said, handing Ohno a towel.
The space between the bathroom and the washing machine was cramped and it was unavoidable that they bumped into each other when they took off their clothes. Nino tried hard not to blush when he saw Ohno’s topless body. His abs were amazing, perhaps the result of uncountable sit-ups. Nino looked away when Ohno started unfastening his jeans; he didn’t want to see this man naked, or he would be haunted for the rest of the night.
Nino finished changing his clothes and led Ohno towards the kitchen. He rarely got visitors, so there was only a small amount of coffee in his cabinet. He brewed it for Ohno and carried the tray to the other man, who was sitting down in a dining chair with his chin in his hands and his eyes locked on Nino.
“I have no snacks or anything,” Nino said. “I rarely have any visitors, so…”
“Don’t apologize,” Ohno replied. “I’m not here to eat your snacks.”
Nino chuckled and sat down across from Ohno. He must admit that he was completely nervous at the moment. It was the first time they were totally alone, and furthermore, Ohno was looking at him intensely, which made him uncomfortable.
“You have a pretty mole on your chin,” Ohno said.
“Thanks,” Nino replied, trying to look everywhere but at the man in front of him.
“We’ll be leaving for Singapore together next week,” Ohno said, finally averting his gaze to the coffee cup. “Matsujun has arranged our itinerary.”
“That’s great,” Nino replied, refraining from asking whether they would share a room or not. He didn’t know whether knowing it earlier would do him any good. Besides, it would be suspicious if he asked.
Both of them stayed silent afterwards, listening to the rain outside the window. Nino stole a glance at Ohno. Did the man remember their shared kiss? Did he mean it? Or perhaps he just wanted to have fun. The latter seemed to be more possible, but it was surprising that Nino didn’t really mind it. If Ohno only wanted to have fun, he could do the same thing. There were no obligations for him to confirm their blurry relationship.
Ohno’s lips were tempting, and Nino didn’t think further as he leaned closer to kiss him. Ohno seemed surprised, but soon he controlled himself and pulled Nino closer to him. It was wonderful to kiss this man with the pouring rain as the backing track. It didn’t matter whether they had no official bond between them; Nino wanted it and so did Ohno.
However, when Nino thought that they were ready to go to the next level, Ohno’s phone rang and Nino knew it was an urgent call. The cameraman excused himself to pick up the phone, leaving a trace of warmth on Nino’s skin.
“Sorry, Nino. I have to go,” Ohno said when he finished talking on the phone. From what Nino had heard, it was about work.
“It’s okay,” Nino replied with a smile on his lips.
The rain outside seemed to pour harder than before after Ohno was gone. Nino made himself another cup of coffee and looked through the glass window at the dark sky. He heaved a deep breath and tried to push the thoughts of Ohno out of his head. He felt funny when he realized that he was still hard; he went to the bathroom and finished his little business.
“What am I doing?” he whispered to his reflection in the mirror.
***
Singapore was shiny, warm and incredibly expensive, but Nino didn’t need to worry about the price since he was here at someone else’s expense. All he needed to worry about was how to write good articles to promote Jun’s fashion and how to suppress his disappointment following Ohno’s absence.
The cameraman didn’t show up at the airport and it seemed that he was too busy to inform Nino that he couldn’t make it. He didn’t know that cancellation was accepted in this business, or maybe because it was Ohno that everyone couldn’t bind him with a mere contract.
Jun sent someone to pick him up at Changi Airport, and it only took 20 minutes to reach the hotel. The view from Nino’s hotel was spectacular, but he wasn’t in the mood to admire it. He was angry that Ohno had broken another promise (he couldn’t tell whether it was a promise or not, but Ohno was the one who brought up the topic that they were going to Singapore together). Maybe, for Ohno, Nino was just an unimportant person who wasn’t worth his full attention. Of course he was, Nino thought bitterly. What kind of world-class cameraman would consider him as important?
Jun sent him a message about the welcome dinner as well as briefing about the event the next day, which would be held at the restaurant from 7-9 in the evening. Nino had no proper suit to attend the dinner, so he wore a checkered shirt and a cardigan over it - somehow, it reminded him of Jun’s outfit.
“Nino!” Jun welcomed him as Nino reached the restaurant. “Good to see you. Please take a seat. There are only eight of us, so there’s no need for formalities.”
Jun led him to the reserved table and introduced him to everyone. There were five men and two women on the team, and all of them had a nice sense of fashion - Nino felt dull and underdressed compared to them.
“I’m Ninomiya Kazunari. It’s a pleasure to work with you,” Nino bowed slightly and took a seat beside a man whose name was Toma.
“I’ve read your articles,” Toma said with a smile on his lips. “You can write about almost everything.”
“Thank you,” Nino answered. He guessed that Jun had ordered them to read his articles beforehand.
“Ohno-san will join us tomorrow,” Jun said to everyone around the table. “There were some unexpected troubles related to his upcoming photograph exhibition. I’ve sent him email, so I think that will be enough.”
Nino looked down at the menu, not really reading it. Ohno would be holding an exhibition and he didn’t know about it. Ohno chose not to tell him because it wasn’t that important for him to know, because Nino wasn’t on the same level as him. He felt stupid for trusting Ohno, for considering the idea that the man also had the same feelings as Nino did.
He listened to Jun’s briefing while noting the important points and left the restaurant as soon as the dinner finished. He checked his phone and found two missed calls from Ohno, but he ignored them. He didn’t want to be involved in Ohno’s stupid game anymore, and he didn’t want to become Ohno’s backup personnel who was there when Ohno needed someone to fuck with.
Nino took a quick shower, changed into pajamas and went to bed. He wanted these four days to end soon so that he could go back to his daily routine - without the need to think about Ohno anymore.
***
The event started at 10 in the morning. Nino brought his planner and took note of the main points of the event. He typed up the article quickly and was surprised that after such a long time, he could write a long article without any problems. He sent the draft to Jun and waited for his reply while walking around the hotel. The main fashion launch was held at the lobby, but it seemed that Jun had booked the entire floor to display the newest clothes and accessory designs.
Nino’s feet led him towards a park located at the back of the hotel. When he still worked as journalist, he had visited several places in Asia and Europe, but he had no time for sightseeing since he needed to do editing for the pieces by his underlings. That specific period of time seemed far away and wasn’t the life he used to have.
Nino walked along the path with tropical flowers on each side, and when he reached the far end, he saw a few people were working on a photo shoot. He recognized Ohno’s voice among the crew, busily giving instruction to the model. Nino watched from behind a fern; he had never seen Ohno take pictures of a model, and as he did, Nino came to the realization that Ohno could really give commands. His voice was different; there was some kind of unseen power in it. Nino stayed there for a couple of minutes before continuing his steps towards the beach through the connecting path.
It was already five in the afternoon; the next event would be held tomorrow morning at Merlion Park, which meant Nino had a bunch of free time to spend. He lay down in the warm sand and looked at the blue sky, wiping all of the worries from his mind. He closed his eyes and imagined himself living a complete different life; he became a successful essay writer who needed to travel around the world, just like Jun and Ohno.
“Sorry, I’m late,” Nino heard a voice.
He opened his eyes and saw Ohno sit down beside him with a smile on his lips.
“I’m going back to the hotel room.” Nino slowly pushed himself off the ground.
“I’m afraid you can’t do that,” Ohno said with a lazy tone.
“You can’t order me around,” Nino replied, ready to leave, but he stopped half-way when he heard what Ohno said afterward.
“I’m here to talk about work.”
“My work is finished. I sent the article to Jun this morning.”
Ohno smiled, wasn’t affected by Nino’s cold attitude. “Unfortunately, you have to write something for the photos I’ve taken.”
“Jun didn’t tell me to do that.”
“I requested it and he agreed. He told me to talk with you directly.”
Nino rolled his eyes. He sat down angrily beside Ohno with arms folded over his chest. The cameraman looked at him with a soft expression which made Nino feel rather awkward.
“You said that you want to talk about work,” Nino murmured.
“Yes, but before that, I think I need to apologize for not showing up on the departure day,” Ohno said.
“I’m used to your lies already and I have no right to be angry, so you don’t need to apologize,” Nino replied, trying to suppress the bitterness in his voice. He knew that he had no right at all to be angry at Ohno. They weren’t friends or lovers. Their relationship was just something unknown, something that Nino wished never existed.
“I mean it, I’m sorry, Nino,” Ohno said. This time he shifted closer and took Nino’s hand.
Nino looked at their connected hands and realized how strong Ohno’s grip was, as if he was afraid to let go.
“Would you come to the exhibition?” Ohno asked.
“Why would I do that?” Nino replied, rising his brows.
“It’s my humble request.”
“I decline,” Nino said, averting his gaze away from Ohno.
Ohno’s grip on his hand loosened. He stopped looking at Nino and shifted his gaze towards the sea. Nino couldn’t guess what Ohno was thinking about; he was like an abstract painting that Nino would never understand.
“What kind of work do you want me to do?” Nino asked after five minutes passed in silence.
“Write a short article about these pictures,” Ohno replied, showing Nino the photos that he had taken with his cameras.
“Okay, just send them to my email,” Nino said, finally standing up and getting ready to leave the beach. This time, Ohno didn’t try to hold him.
Nino looked back as he reached the hotel back entrance; Ohno was still looking at the sea. Perhaps Ohno was as lonely as Nino was, but he surely had more friends and his life was much more exciting compared to Nino’s. What did Ohno want from him? Nino couldn’t guess. Perhaps Ohno only wanted someone to talk to, someone who didn’t take advantage of him, someone who could accept him the way he was. Nino gave up and headed towards his room. Why had all of this turned him to a melancholy guy? He was better than this in handling his emotions.
***
“Thank you for your hard work yesterday. Let’s do our best today,” Jun said during breakfast. He wore a stylish hat and a nice scarf around his neck. He gave Nino a comforting smile when their eyes met.
Nino liked Jun; he was sincere and always tried to find the best thing from everyone, and most importantly, he wasn’t as complicated as Ohno. The cameraman sat two tables away from Nino and he knew that Ohno had been watching him since he entered the restaurant, but Nino pretended that he didn’t see him.
It was surprising that the one which bothered Nino the most was his failed imagination about him sharing a room with Ohno. It would be nice to watch Ohno changing clothes, and he was dying to see Ohno’s abs again, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. Nino stole a glance every now and then at Ohno who talked seriously with one of Jun’s crew members.
They finished breakfast and headed to Merlion Park together by minivan. Ohno sat beside Nino on purpose and touched his hand more than once, which Nino knew was a deliberate act. He didn’t mind it. On the contrary, he was kind of expecting it. They had kissed twice, but it was different compared to what he felt right now. The first time Ohno kissed him, the man was drunk, and the second time, they just went with the flow since it was raining outside. None of those two times involved a deep feeling - at least from Nino’s perspective.
The event venue was already set, and there were many people around it since the event was open to the public. Ohno and his assistants got ready to take photos. Meanwhile, Nino found his reserved seat where he could make notes of everything. The event ended at lunchtime; Jun had booked a table in a restaurant nearby where they could eat and discuss work. Nino inserted his laptop into his rucksack and followed the others towards the restaurant.
“Do you mind if I sit here?” Ohno asked, taking a seat right beside Nino.
“You already did,” Nino mumbled an answer.
“May I ask you for a drink tonight?” Ohno asked again with a cheerful tone.
Nino turned to the cameraman and smiled at him since he couldn’t find any reasons to say no. “Alright.”
“Great,” Ohno said. His childish expression amused Nino and somehow, it loosened the grip in his chest.
They went to a bar located on the highest floor of the hotel where they were staying. Ohno led the way towards the seats right beside the glass window so they could enjoy the night scene from there.
“What do you want to drink?” Ohno asked, handing him the menu.
Nino scanned the beverage list and chose a Dry Martini. Meanwhile Ohno ordered a Manhattan.
“I’ll probably end up drunk like always,” Nino said while looking at the city below.
“Fine by me,” Ohno replied.
“So you can kiss me again,” Nino said without thinking any further, but it was too late when he realized it.
Ohno gave him a soft look. He extended his hand and placed his fingers - which were surprisingly cold - under his chin. “I didn’t kiss you because I was drunk,” the cameraman said.
part 4