Fanfic: 5 Times Aiba Sings 'One Love' to Sho
Title : 5 Times Aiba Sings 'One Love' to Sho
Author : all4cyanide
Genre : Slight Angst, Fluff
Pairing : Sakuraiba
Rating : PG
Disclaimer : I could never penetrate the bond Sakuraiba has and I curse myself daily for it.
Summary: Songs we sing so innocently at first can sometimes hold a deeper, more special meaning as we go through life with the one we love.
Author's note: Written for the Sakuraiba-thon and uses prompt number 17. Also, a warning: listening to 'One Love' anytime during this fic may cause tears (at least it did for me).
*
Sho and Aiba walked into the studio that morning hand in hand. They greeted the staff happily as they took a seat on the couch and their manager handed them the lyrics to their new song.
“’One Love,’” Sho stated in perfect English. “We’re really fortunate to have Jun-kun, aren’t we?”
Aiba simply nodded as he read over the lyrics. This was not the first time he had seen them, but he still wondered at the meaning of some of the lyrics. They were truly heartfelt words and Aiba wondered if he could convey those feelings in the way he sang.
The producer turned in his chair at the soundboard and looked at Aiba. “Aiba-san. You’re up first, okay?”
Aiba stood up quickly, clutching his lyric sheet in his hands tightly. Sho noticed Aiba’s sudden nervousness and quirked an eyebrow at him.
“Are you okay?” Sho questioned.
“Huh? Oh, yes. Of course.” Aiba smiled and gave a nervous laugh before proceeding into the sound booth and placing his headphones on his head.
After a few instructions from the producer, the music began in Aiba’s headphones and he immediately messed up.
“Aiba-san, those are Matsumoto-san’s lines,” the producer chided gently as he knew Aiba had a tendency to get confused easily. “We’ve highlighted your lines in green.”
Aiba wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded for them to start again. He got through his first line and the first chorus just fine. Or so he thought…
The producer stopped the music a second time and called into the booth. “Aiba-san, the way you’re singing the chorus is far too flat. Sing it with more meaning, more feeling.”
“Like how?” Aiba questioned, truly perplexed by how to express the lyrics.
“Imagine your first burst of joy at seeing that special someone, the one you love. It’s a happy song, Aiba-san. You can do it. You’re the most cheerful guy I’ve ever met so I know you can. Just think of that first love, alright?”
“First love?” Aiba murmured to himself and caught movement in the booth out of the corner of his eye.
Sho had come into the booth and sat down next to the door, smiling encouragingly at the younger man.
That’s it! Aiba thought and grinned widely. He nodded to the producer and the music started once more.
Aiba’s eyes never left Sho’s as he sang:
Hyakunen saki mo ai o chikau yo
Even a hundred years from now, I'll swear my love
Kimi wa boku no subete sa
You're my everything
Shinjiteiru tada shinjiteiru
Believing in you, just believing in you
Onaji toki o kizamu hito e
The one I'll share the same times with
The recording for Aiba’s part of the song went smoothly after that and the producer proclaimed he had never heard Aiba sound any better than he did that day. While Aiba was being praised, he looked over at Sho who simply mouthed, I love you, before going into the booth to record his part.
**
“Oh-chan is amazing! MatsuJun is amazing! Nino is amazing! Sho-chan is amazing! I am amazing!” Aiba jumped up onto a bench on the sidewalk and screamed at the top of his lungs: “ARASHI IS AMAZING!”
Sho quickly tugged on his arm and pulled him down off the bench. “Aiba! Quiet down. It may be 2 a.m., but it’s still disturbing to others to be so rambunctious,” Sho chided.
They had just left another one of their 10th anniversary parties that had been going on steadily every day for the last week and a half. Everyone seemed to want to celebrate their accomplishments and although the members were humble about all the praise they had been receiving, they were truly grateful to all their supporters.
Hence why Aiba was drunk. Once again. For the fifth night in a row. This also the reason why Sho was not drunk. So he could take care of a drunken Aiba and see to it that he made it back to his apartment safely. Though, this was easier said than done as Aiba had a tendency to flail about when he was drunk and tonight was no exception.
As Sho checked to make sure it was safe for the pair to cross the street, he saw Aiba hugging the lamppost on the corner to keep himself upright. He sighed and pulled Aiba away from the post, crouched down, and offered his back to the inebriated man.
“Yay! I get a ride!” Aiba exclaimed joyously as he jumped roughly onto Sho’s back, nearly making the other man fall over.
“Geez, Aiba. Be a bit more gentle,” he complained as he made his way down Aiba’s street.
“Gentle?” Aiba wondered aloud and then grinned. “Like this?”
The younger man flicked his tongue out to lap lightly at Sho’s left earlobe causing the older man to nearly drop his passenger.
“Oi!” Sho blushed. “Don’t do that again. I might drop you on your ass next time and then you’ll be crying.”
However, Sho’s complaint, meant to merely deter the man from too many public displays of affection, caused the waterworks to turn on and Sho was now carrying a sobbing Aiba.
He sighed to himself as he felt tears begin to wet his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Masaki. Go ahead. You can lick my ear all you want. Bite it even. Just please stop crying,” Sho pleaded as he readjusted his grip on Aiba’s legs.
Aiba squeezed Sho tighter and rubbed his face on his shirt to dry his tears. Silence fell between the two as Sho trudged up the street.
“Ne, Sho-kun,” Aiba whispered softly into his neck.
“Hm?”
“As long as I have you, I don't need anything else. I know we'll be happy,” Aiba sing-songed sleepily into Sho’s ear before promptly falling asleep and becoming dead weight in the older man’s arms.
But Sho didn’t mind at all. He smiled to himself, recognizing the lyrics, and muttered, “Of course we will, Masaki.”
***
Four of them ran offstage after the first quarter of the concert had ended and were immediately surrounded by staff with towels and water to revive them and wipe the sweat off. Sho took his water and sucked the bottle to get the liquid out, crushing the bottle as per usual.
Their concerts had started early this year in January and today was their third day in Osaka. They were in their 12th year, but the boys’ were busier than ever and had once again sold out all of their dome and arena shows. The whole group was excited and the tension kept their energy up throughout this busy time.
He fell into his standby chair as he readied himself for the next part of the concert. It was time for Aiba’s solo and they had a moment to rest. Yet, this was not meant to be today as he soon found himself surrounded on all sides by Nino, Jun, and Ohno and shoved back on stage with his shirt off in front of thousands of their fans.
Sho looked around in terror and made to run backstage when he saw the other three standing in his way, mischievous grins on their lips. The audience, of course, screamed their heads off in excitement at the sight of the half naked idol.
“Sho-chan!” Aiba called into his mic from center stage.
Sho turned to see Aiba standing there wearing a white suit and holding flowers. Sho’s eyes widened in shock. What the hell is he up to?
Aiba grinned widely and waved his arm. “Come here, Sho-chan! Sit here,” he gestured to the stool next to him.
He cautiously made his way over to the chair and sat down, a nervous grin on his face.
“Okay everyone! Let’s wish Sakurai Sho a happy birthday! One, two, three!”
The audience erupted into one large shout of “Happy birthday, Sho!” and penlights waved at him from every corner of the dome. Tears welled up in the rapper’s eyes as he looked around him and bowed his head in appreciation for their fans.
“Sho-chan is touched everyone! Now let me make this even better! Sho-kun.” Sho looked up at Aiba’s face and found the man smiling fondly down at him. “You know I love you right?”
Sho laughed. “Idiot!” He shouted at him. He didn’t mind Aiba’s confession at all because this was a concert and fanservice always abounded at concerts. Only Sho knew the true meaning behind those words and he was elated.
The audience reacted with the appropriate squeals and Aiba continued. “This song is for you, Sho-kun. The one who I love the most in this world,” he finished with a flourish and a large wave of his arm as the music started.
Sho burst out laughing as he heard the beginning trill of ‘One Love’ come over the speakers and watched Aiba, his heart nearly bursting, as the man pranced around his stool singing their song in the most overdramatic and overly emotional way possible.
This was a birthday he would never forget.
****
“Be careful, Sho-chan! Junnosuke and I are afraid you’re gonna fall,” Aiba worried as he watched Sho balance on top of a chair to get to the light bulb on the kitchen ceiling.
Junnosuke was their Scottish terrier whom Aiba wanted to name after MatsuJun, but Sho quickly stopped the man from doing so when he thought of how unpleased Jun would be.
Junnosuke barked up at Sho as if he agreed with Aiba and Sho grimaced. “I may be 45 years old, but I’m not decrepit. I can still balance on a chair and change a light, you know?”
“Those gray hairs growing in at your temples would say otherwise, Sho-chan!” Aiba giggled to himself as he kneeled down to pet Junnosuke.
“Sure, sure. Make fun of my gray hairs when you have some peeking through at your roots as well,” Sho retorted, smiling to himself. Aiba swatted at his legs in retribution. “Hey! That’s dangerous!”
The couple had moved into their current place around Arashi’s 15th anniversary after much coaxing from Aiba to get Sho to leave his parents’ house. The pair lived in a condo overlooking the bay in a private neighborhood. Work for the group had slowed compared to ten years earlier, but they were still active with one show the group hosted; Nino and Jun still acted in dramas with Nino finally winning an Academy Award a few years back. His reaction to receiving it was merely a shrug and handed the award to his manager to be placed in the Johnny’s agency alongside every other award they had won over their long careers.
Ohno had pretty much retired from anything not involving Arashi and preferred to spend most of his time fishing and painting. He even had a gallery open in Tokyo and Osaka which fans flocked to and made a tourist destination. Aiba moved on from handling zoo animals and now hosted his own show that really could only be explained as one hour a week of A no Arashi. Sho still had his spot at News Zero, but now worked at least 3 nights a week and also did the Saturday morning news brief.
Life had finally allowed Arashi to breathe and for that Sho was grateful.
Screwing in the light bulb and replacing the globe, Sho made to hop down from the chair to prove to Aiba that he was still as agile as he was 20 years ago. However, as was Sakurai Sho’s fashion, he failed. The man tripped on his pants’ leg and went tumbling towards the floor. Luckily, Aiba caught him before he hit the hard ceramic tile and laughed his head off as he held Sho in his arms.
“I told you, old man!” Aiba said, emphasizing the word ‘old.’
Sho frowned. “Am I really getting old, Masaki?”
At the use of his first name, Aiba stopped giggling and looked at Sho. He had a serious expression on his face and his eyes seemed to be faraway, looking into the past at his youth. Both men had of course begun to show signs of aging. Aiba’s knees would sometimes hurt for no reason and he had developed the wrinkles around his eyes everyone knew he would. Sho’s cheeks weren’t as puffy as they used to be and the slowly changing hue of his hair was beginning to get more difficult to hide. But Aiba didn’t care and he thought Sho should know that.
“Sho. Look at me.”
Sho turned his head and met those all too familiar deep brown eyes. “What is it,” he questioned in a near whisper.
“We grew up together, ne? We’ve watched each other grow and change. Through it all, the only thing that hasn’t changed is our love for one another. You and I have loved each other for nearly 30 years now, Sho-chan, and that love, this feeling within my heart that I get whenever I look at you, it will never get old.”
Sho stared at him wide-eyed; not expecting such a bold and serious confession to come out of the younger man, but it had, and it made his heart beat faster. He leaned forward and gave Aiba a kiss. The kiss wasn’t meant for pleasure or to arouse any emotions. It contained Sho’s gratefulness; a ‘thank you’ to Aiba for always knowing what to say when Sho needed it most.
He pulled away and the pair smiled at each other.
“How about some dinner?” Aiba presented as he stood, offering Sho a hand.
Sho took it and got up. “Alright. How about some curry?”
“Curry it is then!” Aiba pecked Sho on the lips and went over to the refrigerator to remove the ingredients.
Sho had some newspapers to finish reading through and as he left the kitchen he heard Aiba’s soft voice humming ‘One Love.’ He smiled as he settled into the couch with a newspaper in hand until he heard Junnosuke’s excited little yelps and Aiba’s voice encouraging, “Come on, Junnosuke! Sing along! Let’s sing all about how much we love Sho-chan!”
Sho got very little reading done with a broken mix of lyrics and a dog’s incessant barking.
*****
“Are you cold, Sho-chan?” Aiba inquired as he slowly moved to shut the window.
Sho coughed. “I’m fine, Aiba. Leave the curtains open a bit. I want to see the stars.”
It was May and while the days were warm, the nights still held onto spring’s briskness. Aiba did as Sho asked and kept the curtains open and took his place in the chair next to Sho’s bed. The pair looked up into the sky in silence, each lost in the vastness of it all. Old age had finally caught up with them. Their hands had wrinkled, their hair had dimmed, and their voices had weakened. Sho had taken ill a week ago and had since been in bed per their doctor’s instructions. The oldest hadn’t complained. He had been feeling so tired of late that the long rests he was able to take were calming for him. Aiba, much to Sho’s dismay, rarely left his side, even to rest. He had claimed it was because it was hard to sleep without Sho in bed with him, but Sho knew better. Aiba was afraid. Afraid that Sho would leave him without him being there. Without being able to say goodbye. Sho smiled sadly up at the stars, twinkling down at him.
He turned his head to look at Aiba. “Ne…”
“Hmm?” Aiba met his gaze and grinned warmly.
“Could you sing to me, Masaki? Just like old times?” Sho asked, taking Aiba’s hand in his.
Aiba looked down at their joined hands on the bed. The same grasp they’ve had on each other for the last 60 years and it still made his insides grow warm.
Aiba picked up Sho’s hand and kissed it. “Alright. I’ll sing to you.”
He took a deep breath and sang slowly:
Tsutaetakute tsutawaranakute
There were times when we wanted to say something, but couldn't
Toki ni wa sunao ni narezu ni
And times when we couldn't be honest
Naita kisetsu o koeta bokura wa
We've overcome those tearful seasons
Ima totemo kagayaiteru yo
And now we're shining so bright
Sho chuckled to himself, interrupting Aiba and said, “Still stealing other people’s lines, huh?”
“Shut up!” Aiba exclaimed, but smiled anyway. “Here I am trying to be nice to you and all you do is tease me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please continue.”
So Aiba continued to sing. He sang the song they had sung together all those years ago. The song that had such a deep meaning, not only for Arashi, but also for the couple themselves.
Aiba got through the second chorus and Jun’s solo when he noticed that Sho’s eyes were closed. He paused a moment to look at his lover’s peaceful expression, his hand tightening on Sho’s slack grip before finishing the song:
Sekaijuu ni tada hitori dake
You're the one and only person I chose
Boku wa kimi o eranda
In this whole world
Kimi to ireba donna mirai mo
As long as I have you, any future I have
Zutto kagayaiteiru kara
Will always be shining
Tears finally broke through as he sang the last line. He got up from his chair and bent over Sho’s still form, touching his face and tracing his lips with his fingers. Aiba kissed the lips he had kissed a million times before one last time and sat back down in his chair.
Taking Sho’s hand in his, Aiba stared up at the night sky. “La, la, la, la, la….la…. la,” he chanted to himself as he too closed his eyes, for they suddenly felt very heavy as if all his strength had finally left him. Maybe because it had…
Fin
'One Love' lyrics and translation taken from taijiproject. Becky does such amazing work!
I cried while writing this. Again. Damn me and my angstful soul. Comments and constructive criticisms are very much appreciated! Tell me what you think! How you felt. XDD I'm feeling sappy today. ;_;
Author : all4cyanide
Genre : Slight Angst, Fluff
Pairing : Sakuraiba
Rating : PG
Disclaimer : I could never penetrate the bond Sakuraiba has and I curse myself daily for it.
Summary: Songs we sing so innocently at first can sometimes hold a deeper, more special meaning as we go through life with the one we love.
Author's note: Written for the Sakuraiba-thon and uses prompt number 17. Also, a warning: listening to 'One Love' anytime during this fic may cause tears (at least it did for me).
*
Sho and Aiba walked into the studio that morning hand in hand. They greeted the staff happily as they took a seat on the couch and their manager handed them the lyrics to their new song.
“’One Love,’” Sho stated in perfect English. “We’re really fortunate to have Jun-kun, aren’t we?”
Aiba simply nodded as he read over the lyrics. This was not the first time he had seen them, but he still wondered at the meaning of some of the lyrics. They were truly heartfelt words and Aiba wondered if he could convey those feelings in the way he sang.
The producer turned in his chair at the soundboard and looked at Aiba. “Aiba-san. You’re up first, okay?”
Aiba stood up quickly, clutching his lyric sheet in his hands tightly. Sho noticed Aiba’s sudden nervousness and quirked an eyebrow at him.
“Are you okay?” Sho questioned.
“Huh? Oh, yes. Of course.” Aiba smiled and gave a nervous laugh before proceeding into the sound booth and placing his headphones on his head.
After a few instructions from the producer, the music began in Aiba’s headphones and he immediately messed up.
“Aiba-san, those are Matsumoto-san’s lines,” the producer chided gently as he knew Aiba had a tendency to get confused easily. “We’ve highlighted your lines in green.”
Aiba wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded for them to start again. He got through his first line and the first chorus just fine. Or so he thought…
The producer stopped the music a second time and called into the booth. “Aiba-san, the way you’re singing the chorus is far too flat. Sing it with more meaning, more feeling.”
“Like how?” Aiba questioned, truly perplexed by how to express the lyrics.
“Imagine your first burst of joy at seeing that special someone, the one you love. It’s a happy song, Aiba-san. You can do it. You’re the most cheerful guy I’ve ever met so I know you can. Just think of that first love, alright?”
“First love?” Aiba murmured to himself and caught movement in the booth out of the corner of his eye.
Sho had come into the booth and sat down next to the door, smiling encouragingly at the younger man.
That’s it! Aiba thought and grinned widely. He nodded to the producer and the music started once more.
Aiba’s eyes never left Sho’s as he sang:
Hyakunen saki mo ai o chikau yo
Even a hundred years from now, I'll swear my love
Kimi wa boku no subete sa
You're my everything
Shinjiteiru tada shinjiteiru
Believing in you, just believing in you
Onaji toki o kizamu hito e
The one I'll share the same times with
The recording for Aiba’s part of the song went smoothly after that and the producer proclaimed he had never heard Aiba sound any better than he did that day. While Aiba was being praised, he looked over at Sho who simply mouthed, I love you, before going into the booth to record his part.
**
“Oh-chan is amazing! MatsuJun is amazing! Nino is amazing! Sho-chan is amazing! I am amazing!” Aiba jumped up onto a bench on the sidewalk and screamed at the top of his lungs: “ARASHI IS AMAZING!”
Sho quickly tugged on his arm and pulled him down off the bench. “Aiba! Quiet down. It may be 2 a.m., but it’s still disturbing to others to be so rambunctious,” Sho chided.
They had just left another one of their 10th anniversary parties that had been going on steadily every day for the last week and a half. Everyone seemed to want to celebrate their accomplishments and although the members were humble about all the praise they had been receiving, they were truly grateful to all their supporters.
Hence why Aiba was drunk. Once again. For the fifth night in a row. This also the reason why Sho was not drunk. So he could take care of a drunken Aiba and see to it that he made it back to his apartment safely. Though, this was easier said than done as Aiba had a tendency to flail about when he was drunk and tonight was no exception.
As Sho checked to make sure it was safe for the pair to cross the street, he saw Aiba hugging the lamppost on the corner to keep himself upright. He sighed and pulled Aiba away from the post, crouched down, and offered his back to the inebriated man.
“Yay! I get a ride!” Aiba exclaimed joyously as he jumped roughly onto Sho’s back, nearly making the other man fall over.
“Geez, Aiba. Be a bit more gentle,” he complained as he made his way down Aiba’s street.
“Gentle?” Aiba wondered aloud and then grinned. “Like this?”
The younger man flicked his tongue out to lap lightly at Sho’s left earlobe causing the older man to nearly drop his passenger.
“Oi!” Sho blushed. “Don’t do that again. I might drop you on your ass next time and then you’ll be crying.”
However, Sho’s complaint, meant to merely deter the man from too many public displays of affection, caused the waterworks to turn on and Sho was now carrying a sobbing Aiba.
He sighed to himself as he felt tears begin to wet his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Masaki. Go ahead. You can lick my ear all you want. Bite it even. Just please stop crying,” Sho pleaded as he readjusted his grip on Aiba’s legs.
Aiba squeezed Sho tighter and rubbed his face on his shirt to dry his tears. Silence fell between the two as Sho trudged up the street.
“Ne, Sho-kun,” Aiba whispered softly into his neck.
“Hm?”
“As long as I have you, I don't need anything else. I know we'll be happy,” Aiba sing-songed sleepily into Sho’s ear before promptly falling asleep and becoming dead weight in the older man’s arms.
But Sho didn’t mind at all. He smiled to himself, recognizing the lyrics, and muttered, “Of course we will, Masaki.”
***
Four of them ran offstage after the first quarter of the concert had ended and were immediately surrounded by staff with towels and water to revive them and wipe the sweat off. Sho took his water and sucked the bottle to get the liquid out, crushing the bottle as per usual.
Their concerts had started early this year in January and today was their third day in Osaka. They were in their 12th year, but the boys’ were busier than ever and had once again sold out all of their dome and arena shows. The whole group was excited and the tension kept their energy up throughout this busy time.
He fell into his standby chair as he readied himself for the next part of the concert. It was time for Aiba’s solo and they had a moment to rest. Yet, this was not meant to be today as he soon found himself surrounded on all sides by Nino, Jun, and Ohno and shoved back on stage with his shirt off in front of thousands of their fans.
Sho looked around in terror and made to run backstage when he saw the other three standing in his way, mischievous grins on their lips. The audience, of course, screamed their heads off in excitement at the sight of the half naked idol.
“Sho-chan!” Aiba called into his mic from center stage.
Sho turned to see Aiba standing there wearing a white suit and holding flowers. Sho’s eyes widened in shock. What the hell is he up to?
Aiba grinned widely and waved his arm. “Come here, Sho-chan! Sit here,” he gestured to the stool next to him.
He cautiously made his way over to the chair and sat down, a nervous grin on his face.
“Okay everyone! Let’s wish Sakurai Sho a happy birthday! One, two, three!”
The audience erupted into one large shout of “Happy birthday, Sho!” and penlights waved at him from every corner of the dome. Tears welled up in the rapper’s eyes as he looked around him and bowed his head in appreciation for their fans.
“Sho-chan is touched everyone! Now let me make this even better! Sho-kun.” Sho looked up at Aiba’s face and found the man smiling fondly down at him. “You know I love you right?”
Sho laughed. “Idiot!” He shouted at him. He didn’t mind Aiba’s confession at all because this was a concert and fanservice always abounded at concerts. Only Sho knew the true meaning behind those words and he was elated.
The audience reacted with the appropriate squeals and Aiba continued. “This song is for you, Sho-kun. The one who I love the most in this world,” he finished with a flourish and a large wave of his arm as the music started.
Sho burst out laughing as he heard the beginning trill of ‘One Love’ come over the speakers and watched Aiba, his heart nearly bursting, as the man pranced around his stool singing their song in the most overdramatic and overly emotional way possible.
This was a birthday he would never forget.
****
“Be careful, Sho-chan! Junnosuke and I are afraid you’re gonna fall,” Aiba worried as he watched Sho balance on top of a chair to get to the light bulb on the kitchen ceiling.
Junnosuke was their Scottish terrier whom Aiba wanted to name after MatsuJun, but Sho quickly stopped the man from doing so when he thought of how unpleased Jun would be.
Junnosuke barked up at Sho as if he agreed with Aiba and Sho grimaced. “I may be 45 years old, but I’m not decrepit. I can still balance on a chair and change a light, you know?”
“Those gray hairs growing in at your temples would say otherwise, Sho-chan!” Aiba giggled to himself as he kneeled down to pet Junnosuke.
“Sure, sure. Make fun of my gray hairs when you have some peeking through at your roots as well,” Sho retorted, smiling to himself. Aiba swatted at his legs in retribution. “Hey! That’s dangerous!”
The couple had moved into their current place around Arashi’s 15th anniversary after much coaxing from Aiba to get Sho to leave his parents’ house. The pair lived in a condo overlooking the bay in a private neighborhood. Work for the group had slowed compared to ten years earlier, but they were still active with one show the group hosted; Nino and Jun still acted in dramas with Nino finally winning an Academy Award a few years back. His reaction to receiving it was merely a shrug and handed the award to his manager to be placed in the Johnny’s agency alongside every other award they had won over their long careers.
Ohno had pretty much retired from anything not involving Arashi and preferred to spend most of his time fishing and painting. He even had a gallery open in Tokyo and Osaka which fans flocked to and made a tourist destination. Aiba moved on from handling zoo animals and now hosted his own show that really could only be explained as one hour a week of A no Arashi. Sho still had his spot at News Zero, but now worked at least 3 nights a week and also did the Saturday morning news brief.
Life had finally allowed Arashi to breathe and for that Sho was grateful.
Screwing in the light bulb and replacing the globe, Sho made to hop down from the chair to prove to Aiba that he was still as agile as he was 20 years ago. However, as was Sakurai Sho’s fashion, he failed. The man tripped on his pants’ leg and went tumbling towards the floor. Luckily, Aiba caught him before he hit the hard ceramic tile and laughed his head off as he held Sho in his arms.
“I told you, old man!” Aiba said, emphasizing the word ‘old.’
Sho frowned. “Am I really getting old, Masaki?”
At the use of his first name, Aiba stopped giggling and looked at Sho. He had a serious expression on his face and his eyes seemed to be faraway, looking into the past at his youth. Both men had of course begun to show signs of aging. Aiba’s knees would sometimes hurt for no reason and he had developed the wrinkles around his eyes everyone knew he would. Sho’s cheeks weren’t as puffy as they used to be and the slowly changing hue of his hair was beginning to get more difficult to hide. But Aiba didn’t care and he thought Sho should know that.
“Sho. Look at me.”
Sho turned his head and met those all too familiar deep brown eyes. “What is it,” he questioned in a near whisper.
“We grew up together, ne? We’ve watched each other grow and change. Through it all, the only thing that hasn’t changed is our love for one another. You and I have loved each other for nearly 30 years now, Sho-chan, and that love, this feeling within my heart that I get whenever I look at you, it will never get old.”
Sho stared at him wide-eyed; not expecting such a bold and serious confession to come out of the younger man, but it had, and it made his heart beat faster. He leaned forward and gave Aiba a kiss. The kiss wasn’t meant for pleasure or to arouse any emotions. It contained Sho’s gratefulness; a ‘thank you’ to Aiba for always knowing what to say when Sho needed it most.
He pulled away and the pair smiled at each other.
“How about some dinner?” Aiba presented as he stood, offering Sho a hand.
Sho took it and got up. “Alright. How about some curry?”
“Curry it is then!” Aiba pecked Sho on the lips and went over to the refrigerator to remove the ingredients.
Sho had some newspapers to finish reading through and as he left the kitchen he heard Aiba’s soft voice humming ‘One Love.’ He smiled as he settled into the couch with a newspaper in hand until he heard Junnosuke’s excited little yelps and Aiba’s voice encouraging, “Come on, Junnosuke! Sing along! Let’s sing all about how much we love Sho-chan!”
Sho got very little reading done with a broken mix of lyrics and a dog’s incessant barking.
*****
“Are you cold, Sho-chan?” Aiba inquired as he slowly moved to shut the window.
Sho coughed. “I’m fine, Aiba. Leave the curtains open a bit. I want to see the stars.”
It was May and while the days were warm, the nights still held onto spring’s briskness. Aiba did as Sho asked and kept the curtains open and took his place in the chair next to Sho’s bed. The pair looked up into the sky in silence, each lost in the vastness of it all. Old age had finally caught up with them. Their hands had wrinkled, their hair had dimmed, and their voices had weakened. Sho had taken ill a week ago and had since been in bed per their doctor’s instructions. The oldest hadn’t complained. He had been feeling so tired of late that the long rests he was able to take were calming for him. Aiba, much to Sho’s dismay, rarely left his side, even to rest. He had claimed it was because it was hard to sleep without Sho in bed with him, but Sho knew better. Aiba was afraid. Afraid that Sho would leave him without him being there. Without being able to say goodbye. Sho smiled sadly up at the stars, twinkling down at him.
He turned his head to look at Aiba. “Ne…”
“Hmm?” Aiba met his gaze and grinned warmly.
“Could you sing to me, Masaki? Just like old times?” Sho asked, taking Aiba’s hand in his.
Aiba looked down at their joined hands on the bed. The same grasp they’ve had on each other for the last 60 years and it still made his insides grow warm.
Aiba picked up Sho’s hand and kissed it. “Alright. I’ll sing to you.”
He took a deep breath and sang slowly:
Tsutaetakute tsutawaranakute
There were times when we wanted to say something, but couldn't
Toki ni wa sunao ni narezu ni
And times when we couldn't be honest
Naita kisetsu o koeta bokura wa
We've overcome those tearful seasons
Ima totemo kagayaiteru yo
And now we're shining so bright
Sho chuckled to himself, interrupting Aiba and said, “Still stealing other people’s lines, huh?”
“Shut up!” Aiba exclaimed, but smiled anyway. “Here I am trying to be nice to you and all you do is tease me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please continue.”
So Aiba continued to sing. He sang the song they had sung together all those years ago. The song that had such a deep meaning, not only for Arashi, but also for the couple themselves.
Aiba got through the second chorus and Jun’s solo when he noticed that Sho’s eyes were closed. He paused a moment to look at his lover’s peaceful expression, his hand tightening on Sho’s slack grip before finishing the song:
Sekaijuu ni tada hitori dake
You're the one and only person I chose
Boku wa kimi o eranda
In this whole world
Kimi to ireba donna mirai mo
As long as I have you, any future I have
Zutto kagayaiteiru kara
Will always be shining
Tears finally broke through as he sang the last line. He got up from his chair and bent over Sho’s still form, touching his face and tracing his lips with his fingers. Aiba kissed the lips he had kissed a million times before one last time and sat back down in his chair.
Taking Sho’s hand in his, Aiba stared up at the night sky. “La, la, la, la, la….la…. la,” he chanted to himself as he too closed his eyes, for they suddenly felt very heavy as if all his strength had finally left him. Maybe because it had…
Fin
'One Love' lyrics and translation taken from taijiproject. Becky does such amazing work!
I cried while writing this. Again. Damn me and my angstful soul. Comments and constructive criticisms are very much appreciated! Tell me what you think! How you felt. XDD I'm feeling sappy today. ;_;