Somewhere Only We Know [a Ninomiya Kazunari love story] - Chapter 14
Somewhere Only We Know, Chapter 14
Pairing: Ninomiya Kazunari/OC
Rating: PG
Genre: Realistic romance, friendship, family
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything of Arashi or Johnny’s Entertainment! Sorry if I misuse some Japanese phrases.
Summary:
When you’ve been alone for so long, sometimes you forget that you’re lost. But if you one day brush across another hand grappling in the dark - if you dare to take it and hold on tight - you just might find the way out together. Love, in the end, is what saves us all; if you’re brave enough you’ll find it, and if you’re crazy enough it just might stay.
All previous chapters in the master post!
---------------
Starting at 4pm, Shimada Yuri spent 45 minutes pacing around her apartment muttering Doshio? What impression did she want to make, what she should say when he arrived? How did one prepare for a fake date with someone she possibly might not see in a fake way? Fourteen minutes after that, she scrambled around with a curling iron in one hand and tossed outfits out from her closet with the other. She spent the entire minute of 4:59pm staring at the clock with dread. When the analog clock finally blinked 5:00, she sighed hopelessly and flopped onto her bed with half a head of curly hair and unset foundation. She should have known it was a joke.
But then at 5:03, her eyes flew open at the soft knock from the entrance.
It definitely wasn’t the delivery boy. Standing at her door was Ninomiya Kazunari dressed in a summery checked shirt, looking awkwardly handsome and aloof. He raised the bill of his cap and gave her appearance a once-over in confusion.
“Why are you…? Did you forget about today?!” Nino cried.
Yuri looked down at her bare feet. With her frazzled hair and mismatched baggy clothes, she must have been quite a ridiculous sight.
“I… I didn’t think you were actually going to come.” she muttered timidly. But now that he actually was there right in front of her, the surge of gladness was overwhelming.
“You didn’t- what kind of person do you think I am?” he sputtered. He slid through the doorway past her uninvited and dropped on the couch. “Tip number one: always look good on the first date. Go on and get ready; I’ll wait here.”
While Yuri retreated back into her bedroom with a strangled whine, Nino curiously tiptoed around her living room. She hadn’t had too much time to accumulate many belongings, but the billowy curtains and soft cushions were very calming. First he gravitated towards the small stack of games beside her computer; he had played most of them before.
“Where are we going? What do I wear?” Yuri’s muffled voice sounded from her room.
“Anything that makes you comfortable!”
“If you really meant that, you would have let me wear what I was in before!” she laughed; Nino chuckled to himself too.
Like little pieces of laundry, all sorts of photos had been strung along the walls - candids of her idol days, of her various travels, but no recent ones. They were memories hung out to dry until Yuri was fully ready to tuck them away for good. Several pictures in a row gave glimpses of her childhood in pigtails, shy smiles and chubby cheeks alongside a bright, beautiful boy smaller than she.
The bedroom door opened and the sight of the girl in a colorful dress froze Nino in place.
Yuri noticed his stare. “Dame? I was trying to hurry.”
“Iye, that’ll do.” he said gruffly.
She walked up to see what he had been studying, and beamed at the little boy in the pictures.
“That was my Joon Ho.” she murmured wistfully, before changing the subject. “So senpai, what’s the plan?”
----Similar to all the VIP Limousine dates Nino had organized in the past, this one had a theme too: date on a strict budget.
Their first stop was this quaint theater run by a cute grandma and grandpa couple aired old films for only 300 yen per person. It somewhat smelled of neglect and stale popcorn, but that was expected for such low admission. Yuri skeptically followed Nino into the spacious, dark room filled with rows of empty velvet seats. Since they had the entire theater to themselves, they settled into the very middle seats and freely propped their legs up on the chairs in front of them. Even though it was a mystery what they would be seeing, they had to admit, this was a pretty good deal.
The large screen crackled to life with black and white images of Italy; it was the 1950’s classic Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.
“Ah, I love this movie!” Yuri cried.
“You’ve seen it before? Want to go somewhere else?”
“Ii yo; Audrey Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses.”
Nino sank back into the worn velour cushions ready to be bored stiff, but he found himself amused by the animated reactions of the woman beside him. Yuri was absolutely charmed by the old Hollywood aesthetic, the subtle humor, and the poignant romantic storyline between the obstinate princess and the secretive news reporter. She liked to point out details that she admired, like the lovely costumes or action shots impressive for that time period.
The film was nearing its very end where the two lovers gazed upon each other for the last time, and Yuri nudged Nino in the arm.
“See look closely,” Yuri hissed in anticipation, “Audrey’s expression goes through five different emotions in that one second! Isn’t it brilliant?”
“Omae, quit it; you’ve been poking me the whole movie…!”
With one swift move, Nino grabbed her hand and didn’t let go for the remaining two minutes. He tried to keep his face very, very straight. In contrast, a most flustered Yuri couldn’t focus on Gregory Peck because of the warm palm against hers. As soon as the credits came up on the screen she swiped her hand back and bustled out of the theater.
-----
credit: jinazo on Tumblr
credit: souvenirsfrombettertimes on Flickr
Part two of their economical date was dinner at the local night market. Summer was in full swing, and it was too crowded for anyone to begin to recognize the pair of celebrities in hats. It seemed like Ninomiya was very familiar with this place, the way he maneuvered around the booths which sold everything imaginable that could be eaten on a stick.
“This is the best takoyaki.” Nino insisted as he exchanged bills with the vendor.
“Better than the three others we passed?”
“Tip number six: don’t doubt your senpai. Ahh~” He held out an octopus ball and Yuri shyly let him feed her. “Umai?”
Mouth full, Yuri nodded enthusiastically.
“You chose the right place, son; your lady friend approves!” the noisy merchant gave a thumbs up.
“Oji-san, I’ve been buying your takoyaki since high school, of course I know what’s good!” Nino declared.
“Eh…? EH, majide?!” The burly man peered more carefully and his mouth fell open as he realized who he was speaking with. He even pulled off his bandana and gave an enthusiastic bow. “I’m so honored!”
The idol gave him a parting salute before guiding Yuri away by the shoulders.
“You’ve been coming here for that long?”
“Nani? I can’t hear you!” Nino smirked, deliberately leaning down closer.
Yuri repeated her question into his ear over the din.
“Nn; this factory town is where I grew up.”
Looking into her mildly surprised countenance, he decided that he was safe with her.
He pulled her from the main hubbub of the bazaar and led her up a slope to a quiet, windy-road neighborhood with flickering street lamps and several stray cats. Along the way, Nino explained how - being the only grandson - his grandfather had expected him to inherit the family factory. He had grown up surrounded by adults, and never had many friends his own age.
Eventually they ended up where Nino had intended, on a small soft patch on the side of the hill. Yuri followed him past the leafy trees and gasped at the scene below them: a panorama of the city skyline, with twinkling lights of the maze of cars and buildings. They sat down in the tall grass and took in the breathtaking view.
“Since the city lights are too bright, I used to come here and pretend I was stargazing. It felt luxurious.” Nino sighed. “Especially when I was hungry from eating only rice for dinner… I would come here and swear that once I was old enough, I would never live like that again. That’s why I love money, I suppose.”
Now at the final leg of the night, Yuri had finally strung all the pieces together. Saving money hadn’t been his main focus - he had tried showing her important parts of his life people rarely had the privilege of seeing. But why share with her?
It was very different from their filmed ‘play dates’ for Shiawase - this was much rawer, more nerve-wracking and intimate and… real. This was who they actually were. The night air and the sparkling lights softened their voices.
Yuri fixed her soft gaze on her companion, whose deep eyes stared out into the distance. Beneath all the jokes and snarkiness he had such a dear heart, she thought in wonder, and this was only a glimpse of it.
“You’ve come so far, Ninomiya-kun. Life is good now.” Yuri murmured proudly. “To tell you the truth… I’ve always envied you a little.”
“Eh, nande?”
“You started with one goal, you met it, and successfully continued with it. Your fans love you, your music is uplifting, your group makes meaningful impact on the country… Each of your members loves and supports one another.”
“Suge.”
All she really wanted to do was to make him laugh. “It’s true. Every day on the bus on the way to set, I hear girls gushing over your latest single or CM or drama. Kakkoi, Nino! I want him to make fun of me! Look at his smile! He still looks so young!”
Yuri’s dramatic imitations and batting lashes made Nino giggle. In habit, he curled up and hid his squirming face with the bend of his elbow. Of course he was generally aware of his public reputation, but he often only felt the loneliness from the scrutiny of his notoriously contradictory character that many quickly formed their opinions on. Then there was this girl with strange interests and wavy hair rustling along with the tall grass, who contently stayed by his side and tried to figure out the truth.
----In no rush, they eventually made their way back to the front steps of their apartment building where they lingered. A night breeze rushed through the corridor, and Yuri shivered.
“I see you already knew about tip number eight: don’t bring a jacket, so that your date will have to lend you his.”
The man shrugged off his checkered shirt and draped it over Yuri’s bare shoulders in an act that pulled them face to face. Yuri’s stomach fluttered; she looked down uncertainly, then her eyes fluttered upwards to meet his unfathomable orbs in the dim glow.
Ninomiya’s gaze traveled down to her full, gentle lips, slightly parted, and his heart raced. Ever so slowly he drew closer, sensing her bated breath - but then he hovered, waiting. He desperately needed her to meet him halfway.
In that brief pause, Yuri’s defense mechanism lurched back into overdrive; she drew away with an edgy feint.
“Th-thank you for all these tips, Ninomiya-kun. I… I learned a lot to keep in mind for the future, wh-when I go on a real date.”
After all, hadn’t that been the pretense of that whole night, a practice run? She reminded herself that it wasn’t serious - that HE wasn’t being serious - and ignored the sudden darkening of his features. Like a frightened bird, she flew up the stairs, quickly closed her front door, and slid to the floor like jelly. She pulled his shirt around her like a blanket and huffed miserably. She was a fool. It wasn’t necessarily him that she didn’t trust - it was her own heart that would ultimately fail.
Back where she had left him, Ninomiya Kazunari stood in shock. He didn’t know what to do, or think, or feel. What had gone wrong? He hid his eyes in his hands and let out a long, painful groan. This was exactly why he had never let anyone in - had he not learned his lesson a long time ago? Maybe this whole plan was a huge mistake.
---------
Wahhh sorry the end of this chapter is sad!
Pairing: Ninomiya Kazunari/OC
Rating: PG
Genre: Realistic romance, friendship, family
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything of Arashi or Johnny’s Entertainment! Sorry if I misuse some Japanese phrases.
Summary:
When you’ve been alone for so long, sometimes you forget that you’re lost. But if you one day brush across another hand grappling in the dark - if you dare to take it and hold on tight - you just might find the way out together. Love, in the end, is what saves us all; if you’re brave enough you’ll find it, and if you’re crazy enough it just might stay.
All previous chapters in the master post!
---------------
Starting at 4pm, Shimada Yuri spent 45 minutes pacing around her apartment muttering Doshio? What impression did she want to make, what she should say when he arrived? How did one prepare for a fake date with someone she possibly might not see in a fake way? Fourteen minutes after that, she scrambled around with a curling iron in one hand and tossed outfits out from her closet with the other. She spent the entire minute of 4:59pm staring at the clock with dread. When the analog clock finally blinked 5:00, she sighed hopelessly and flopped onto her bed with half a head of curly hair and unset foundation. She should have known it was a joke.
But then at 5:03, her eyes flew open at the soft knock from the entrance.
It definitely wasn’t the delivery boy. Standing at her door was Ninomiya Kazunari dressed in a summery checked shirt, looking awkwardly handsome and aloof. He raised the bill of his cap and gave her appearance a once-over in confusion.
“Why are you…? Did you forget about today?!” Nino cried.
Yuri looked down at her bare feet. With her frazzled hair and mismatched baggy clothes, she must have been quite a ridiculous sight.
“I… I didn’t think you were actually going to come.” she muttered timidly. But now that he actually was there right in front of her, the surge of gladness was overwhelming.
“You didn’t- what kind of person do you think I am?” he sputtered. He slid through the doorway past her uninvited and dropped on the couch. “Tip number one: always look good on the first date. Go on and get ready; I’ll wait here.”
While Yuri retreated back into her bedroom with a strangled whine, Nino curiously tiptoed around her living room. She hadn’t had too much time to accumulate many belongings, but the billowy curtains and soft cushions were very calming. First he gravitated towards the small stack of games beside her computer; he had played most of them before.
“Where are we going? What do I wear?” Yuri’s muffled voice sounded from her room.
“Anything that makes you comfortable!”
“If you really meant that, you would have let me wear what I was in before!” she laughed; Nino chuckled to himself too.
Like little pieces of laundry, all sorts of photos had been strung along the walls - candids of her idol days, of her various travels, but no recent ones. They were memories hung out to dry until Yuri was fully ready to tuck them away for good. Several pictures in a row gave glimpses of her childhood in pigtails, shy smiles and chubby cheeks alongside a bright, beautiful boy smaller than she.
The bedroom door opened and the sight of the girl in a colorful dress froze Nino in place.
Yuri noticed his stare. “Dame? I was trying to hurry.”
“Iye, that’ll do.” he said gruffly.
She walked up to see what he had been studying, and beamed at the little boy in the pictures.
“That was my Joon Ho.” she murmured wistfully, before changing the subject. “So senpai, what’s the plan?”
----Similar to all the VIP Limousine dates Nino had organized in the past, this one had a theme too: date on a strict budget.
Their first stop was this quaint theater run by a cute grandma and grandpa couple aired old films for only 300 yen per person. It somewhat smelled of neglect and stale popcorn, but that was expected for such low admission. Yuri skeptically followed Nino into the spacious, dark room filled with rows of empty velvet seats. Since they had the entire theater to themselves, they settled into the very middle seats and freely propped their legs up on the chairs in front of them. Even though it was a mystery what they would be seeing, they had to admit, this was a pretty good deal.
The large screen crackled to life with black and white images of Italy; it was the 1950’s classic Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.
“Ah, I love this movie!” Yuri cried.
“You’ve seen it before? Want to go somewhere else?”
“Ii yo; Audrey Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses.”
Nino sank back into the worn velour cushions ready to be bored stiff, but he found himself amused by the animated reactions of the woman beside him. Yuri was absolutely charmed by the old Hollywood aesthetic, the subtle humor, and the poignant romantic storyline between the obstinate princess and the secretive news reporter. She liked to point out details that she admired, like the lovely costumes or action shots impressive for that time period.
The film was nearing its very end where the two lovers gazed upon each other for the last time, and Yuri nudged Nino in the arm.
“See look closely,” Yuri hissed in anticipation, “Audrey’s expression goes through five different emotions in that one second! Isn’t it brilliant?”
“Omae, quit it; you’ve been poking me the whole movie…!”
With one swift move, Nino grabbed her hand and didn’t let go for the remaining two minutes. He tried to keep his face very, very straight. In contrast, a most flustered Yuri couldn’t focus on Gregory Peck because of the warm palm against hers. As soon as the credits came up on the screen she swiped her hand back and bustled out of the theater.
-----
credit: jinazo on Tumblr
credit: souvenirsfrombettertimes on Flickr
Part two of their economical date was dinner at the local night market. Summer was in full swing, and it was too crowded for anyone to begin to recognize the pair of celebrities in hats. It seemed like Ninomiya was very familiar with this place, the way he maneuvered around the booths which sold everything imaginable that could be eaten on a stick.
“This is the best takoyaki.” Nino insisted as he exchanged bills with the vendor.
“Better than the three others we passed?”
“Tip number six: don’t doubt your senpai. Ahh~” He held out an octopus ball and Yuri shyly let him feed her. “Umai?”
Mouth full, Yuri nodded enthusiastically.
“You chose the right place, son; your lady friend approves!” the noisy merchant gave a thumbs up.
“Oji-san, I’ve been buying your takoyaki since high school, of course I know what’s good!” Nino declared.
“Eh…? EH, majide?!” The burly man peered more carefully and his mouth fell open as he realized who he was speaking with. He even pulled off his bandana and gave an enthusiastic bow. “I’m so honored!”
The idol gave him a parting salute before guiding Yuri away by the shoulders.
“You’ve been coming here for that long?”
“Nani? I can’t hear you!” Nino smirked, deliberately leaning down closer.
Yuri repeated her question into his ear over the din.
“Nn; this factory town is where I grew up.”
Looking into her mildly surprised countenance, he decided that he was safe with her.
He pulled her from the main hubbub of the bazaar and led her up a slope to a quiet, windy-road neighborhood with flickering street lamps and several stray cats. Along the way, Nino explained how - being the only grandson - his grandfather had expected him to inherit the family factory. He had grown up surrounded by adults, and never had many friends his own age.
Eventually they ended up where Nino had intended, on a small soft patch on the side of the hill. Yuri followed him past the leafy trees and gasped at the scene below them: a panorama of the city skyline, with twinkling lights of the maze of cars and buildings. They sat down in the tall grass and took in the breathtaking view.
“Since the city lights are too bright, I used to come here and pretend I was stargazing. It felt luxurious.” Nino sighed. “Especially when I was hungry from eating only rice for dinner… I would come here and swear that once I was old enough, I would never live like that again. That’s why I love money, I suppose.”
Now at the final leg of the night, Yuri had finally strung all the pieces together. Saving money hadn’t been his main focus - he had tried showing her important parts of his life people rarely had the privilege of seeing. But why share with her?
It was very different from their filmed ‘play dates’ for Shiawase - this was much rawer, more nerve-wracking and intimate and… real. This was who they actually were. The night air and the sparkling lights softened their voices.
Yuri fixed her soft gaze on her companion, whose deep eyes stared out into the distance. Beneath all the jokes and snarkiness he had such a dear heart, she thought in wonder, and this was only a glimpse of it.
“You’ve come so far, Ninomiya-kun. Life is good now.” Yuri murmured proudly. “To tell you the truth… I’ve always envied you a little.”
“Eh, nande?”
“You started with one goal, you met it, and successfully continued with it. Your fans love you, your music is uplifting, your group makes meaningful impact on the country… Each of your members loves and supports one another.”
“Suge.”
All she really wanted to do was to make him laugh. “It’s true. Every day on the bus on the way to set, I hear girls gushing over your latest single or CM or drama. Kakkoi, Nino! I want him to make fun of me! Look at his smile! He still looks so young!”
Yuri’s dramatic imitations and batting lashes made Nino giggle. In habit, he curled up and hid his squirming face with the bend of his elbow. Of course he was generally aware of his public reputation, but he often only felt the loneliness from the scrutiny of his notoriously contradictory character that many quickly formed their opinions on. Then there was this girl with strange interests and wavy hair rustling along with the tall grass, who contently stayed by his side and tried to figure out the truth.
----In no rush, they eventually made their way back to the front steps of their apartment building where they lingered. A night breeze rushed through the corridor, and Yuri shivered.
“I see you already knew about tip number eight: don’t bring a jacket, so that your date will have to lend you his.”
The man shrugged off his checkered shirt and draped it over Yuri’s bare shoulders in an act that pulled them face to face. Yuri’s stomach fluttered; she looked down uncertainly, then her eyes fluttered upwards to meet his unfathomable orbs in the dim glow.
Ninomiya’s gaze traveled down to her full, gentle lips, slightly parted, and his heart raced. Ever so slowly he drew closer, sensing her bated breath - but then he hovered, waiting. He desperately needed her to meet him halfway.
In that brief pause, Yuri’s defense mechanism lurched back into overdrive; she drew away with an edgy feint.
“Th-thank you for all these tips, Ninomiya-kun. I… I learned a lot to keep in mind for the future, wh-when I go on a real date.”
After all, hadn’t that been the pretense of that whole night, a practice run? She reminded herself that it wasn’t serious - that HE wasn’t being serious - and ignored the sudden darkening of his features. Like a frightened bird, she flew up the stairs, quickly closed her front door, and slid to the floor like jelly. She pulled his shirt around her like a blanket and huffed miserably. She was a fool. It wasn’t necessarily him that she didn’t trust - it was her own heart that would ultimately fail.
Back where she had left him, Ninomiya Kazunari stood in shock. He didn’t know what to do, or think, or feel. What had gone wrong? He hid his eyes in his hands and let out a long, painful groan. This was exactly why he had never let anyone in - had he not learned his lesson a long time ago? Maybe this whole plan was a huge mistake.
---------
Wahhh sorry the end of this chapter is sad!