Fic: Untitled Hayato/Ryu [Part 1/3]
Title: Untitled: Part 1
Author: cease11
Pairing: Hayato/Ryu (Akame)
Beta: the lovely pinkeuphoria1
Rating: PG
Genre: AU, Romance, a little angst?
Prompt: #030: Cake (je_prompts)
Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me
Summary: Hayato returns from adventures abroad as an aspiring pastry chef. Ryu is beginning his career as a teacher. Yankumi acts like a proud parent.
Notes: Indented sections are scenes from the past.
PART I
Ryu’s apartment had become his sanctuary. It was a place where he could come home to, away from a day of being surrounded by indistinguishable black jacket wearing, carrot hair sprouting masses who produce more ear splitting noise than a crowd of banshees equipped with megaphones. Sometimes, Ryu would just enjoy listening to the silence while sitting in his favourite armchair and staring at the sky beyond his apartment window; preferably while holding a warm a cup of coffee.
His work kept him busy and before Ryu had even noticed, a comfortable routine had developed. Tsucchi and Take would try to (physically) drag him out for drinks at least three times a week. He would only allow himself get dragged along once a fortnight. His mother would try to set him up on dates with girls who are ‘coincidentally’ visiting every time he visits his parents. His father gives him meaningful looks, which Ryu interprets as something akin to worry. His colleagues ask him to go out with them for dinner after work every Friday. Ryu only accepted if he wasn’t able to think of a good excuse within the first five seconds of being asked. Yankumi pats him on the head randomly. Kuma offers him free ramen.
What Ryu didn’t expect to find, while returning home from his weekly grocery shopping trip, was some homeless guy asleep in front of his front door. On second inspection, he doubted the man was homeless after all. There was a large, worn looking suitcase lying behind the man and a backpack next to the potted plant Ryu’s mother had affixed to his balcony when he had first moved in.
The face was obscured by the hoodie the man was wearing. Ryu sighed as he set down his shopping bags and stepped closer.
‘Oi’ he tried.
The man didn’t even shift.
‘Oi’ Ryu tried again, this time with his foot.
There was a satisfying yelp as the man sat up in surprise. The hoodie fell back with the movement and Ryu’s breath caught as he took in the familiar face.
‘Odagiri! Do you kick all your guests?’ Hayato’s eyes were smiling at him.
‘It was a nudge, Yabuki. Did you get weak?’
Hayato smirked at him and slowly picked himself off the floor. Stepping into Ryu’s personal space, Hayato shoved his hands into his pockets as he drew himself to full height and towered slightly over Ryu.
‘Did you miss me Ryu?’
Ryu paused for a second before stepping back and around Hayato to reach for his door, and pulled out his keys.
‘What happened to your hair?’
Hayato’s hands reached for his ponytail immediately, ‘What’s wrong with my hair?’
Ryu tried to hide his smirk and walked through the door.
‘It makes you look like a homeless person’.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Hayato announced that he was going abroad to ‘find himself’, Ryu kept his expression neutral and calmly voiced his opinion that if that is what Hayato needed, then that is what Hayato should do. Amidst the loud protests from the rest of their friends, Hayato flashed Ryu a grateful and relieved smile.
He had been saving up since that part-time job in High School, Hayato explained, although at that time he didn’t know what the money would be used for. Ryu was now in his first year of University while Hayato had been taking a few part-time jobs here and there.
Later when they were alone, Hayato leaned towards Ryu, resting his head on Ryu’s shoulder, ‘I knew Ryu would understand’.
But I don’t! Ryu wanted to scream. Instead, he let out a ‘mph’ and turned slightly to watch Hayato’s face inches away from his own. While Hayato’s breath evened, Ryu stared at a single fallen lash that now rested lightly on Hayato’s right cheek. Careful not to wake the other boy, Ryu blew gently and watched the lash lift up with his breath. As it fell away, Ryu wished sincerely that Hayato would be able to find what he was looking for.
Sending Hayato off was a noisy affair. Take and Tsuchi were making most of the noise, but Ryu was grateful that it diverted attention away from him. He must have looked as stricken as he felt, because when Hayato hugged him, the hug was a little too tight, Hayato held on for a little too long and his voice, when he whispered ‘I’ll miss you most’ was a little too broken.
Ryo choked out an ‘I’ll miss you too’. Hayato looked pleased and promised to call often.
The day Yabuki Hayato left to find himself, Odagiri Ryu lost his way.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryu was in the kitchen when he heard the sounds of banging and the squeaking of wheels as Hayato made his entrance into the apartment, dragging his humongous suitcase behind him. Ryu hoped Hayato hadn’t scratched his floor too badly.
He was making coffee when Hayato finally found him.
‘How does long hair make a person look like they’re homeless?’ Hayato asked as he took a seat opposite Ryu and accepted the cup of coffee offered.
‘It doesn’t. Long…’ Ryu pretended to sniff the air ‘… dirty hair however…’
‘Bastard’ Hayato laughed as he took a drink. ‘Do you have any idea how long I’ve been on a plane for, or how many planes I’ve had to change to get here?’
‘How did you find me?’
‘I went to your house, but your mother said you had moved out and gave me the address. When did you move out?’
Ryu sighed. ‘Hayato’, he said slowly, as if talking to a child, ‘you’ve been calling this apartment number for a year now. What do you mean you didn’t know I moved out?’
‘I assumed you just changed your home number. How was I supposed to know if you didn’t tell me?’
‘I thought it was obvious.’
‘Oh’
There was a brief silence as they both took slips of the hot liquid.
‘You could have called this number, or my mobile’ Ryu started.
‘I don’t have a phone that works in Japan and I didn’t have any Yen.’ At Ryu’s stare, Hayato added ‘I just suddenly felt like coming back. I left in a hurry’.
‘You could have called beforehand - ‘
‘I left in a hurry alright?’ Hayato interrupted. He stood up and walked to the sink. Ryu turned to watch him wash the empty cup.
‘Do you mind if I crash here for a while? Just until I get some accommodation of my own. I don’t want to bother my dad.’
‘Yeah, sure. Have you seen them yet? Did you go home first?’ Ryu asked.
Hayato dried his hands and turned to face Ryu. ‘No, I looked for you first.’
‘Oh’
Ryu turned away, suddenly pleased. ‘Well if you want to call them, or anyone, just use the phone here.’
‘There’s only one bedroom, but I have a futon I keep in the cupboard…’ Ryu said as he pulled the futon out and placed it on the floor.
Then he spotted Hayato sprawled out on the bed, ‘Oi, that’s my bed. You’re sleeping on the floor’
‘I’m a guest!’
‘No, you’re a freeloader. It’s either this or the couch’
Hayato made a disgusted face, ‘I’ve seen the couch, it’s tiny. My legs will be falling off the edge’
Ryu began laying out the futon.
‘How did you end up in this tiny apartment with that tiny couch?’
‘Rent is expensive Hayato. This is a good neighbourhood. It’s close to my work and I can’t afford anything more elaborate with a teacher’s salary.’
Ryu ignored the loud thump as Hayato landed on the floor
‘No way’ He breathed, ‘A teacher? Why didn’t you tell me?’
Ryu sighed, ‘This is why’ he mumbled.
Hayato ignored him and was laughing hysterically. ‘Yankumi… wou... would be so.. pr.. proud!’ he managed to choke out.
‘I know. She tells me at least three times a day’
‘Huh?’
‘She’s my colleague’
Hayato choked on his laughter and proceeded to have a coughing fit. Ryu found this oddly satisfying.
Later, when he remembered that he had left his groceries outside his apartment, Ryu realised the poor soundproofing of his home. He was still able to hear Hayato’s laughter from outside the apartment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Odagiri Ryu was grateful to Yankumi.
He was grateful to her for believing in him when he had all but given up on himself. She taught him that strength was something more than what he used in his punches. And it was because of her that Ryu was able to graduate High School with the people he cared about most.
That was why, when he found himself without direction, constantly changing courses at University, she was the only person he could seek out. He had sought her out without a plan, only a feeling that if Yankumi was there, things would eventually work out. And they did, but not before being dragged into a couple of fights and saving a few of her precious students.
After the adrenaline, Ryu felt a sense of calm.
He would become a teacher. And for helping him come to that decision, Ryu was again grateful to Yankumi.
She turned up to his graduation glassy eyed, over the moon that her very own student was to become a teacher! Ryu rolled his eyes when she started talking passionately about wanting to be as great of a role model to all her students as she had obviously been to Ryu.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the rest of the week, Ryu hardly saw Hayato as he went to meet and catch up with his family and friends. The 3D gang had their own party at Ryu’s apartment, after which everyone passed out on the living room floor. The only exception was Hayato who woke up the next day to find himself on the kitchen floor with a half eaten pear in his right hand.
Another week passed before Ryu found himself sitting alone at the kitchen table, slurping down instant ramen.
‘You should eat a healthier dinner’
Ryu looked up to find Hayato leaning against the kitchen door, looking amused.
‘You weren’t home to make it for me’
Hayato laughed, lifted himself from the door frame and walked towards Ryu. He gave a bright smile before taking Ryu’s dinner, disposable chopsticks and all, and dumping it in the bin.
‘Well I’m here now’
Hayato shrugged out of his suit jacket before putting on an apron. It was then that Ryu realised with surprise what Hayato was wearing
‘Where were you?’
‘An interview’ came Hayato’s reply as he inspected the fridge, ‘Where are the cucumbers?’
‘Huh? Oh, I ate them as a snack while waiting for the noodles to cook’
Hayato made a disapproving sound at the mention of the instant noodles.
‘Where did you interview for?’ asked Ryu curiously.
‘Lumiere’
Ryu’s eyes widened, ‘The café? My mother buys all her cakes and desserts from there.’
Hayato laughed, ‘She would’.
‘But Hayato, you have to be careful. The regular customers there are all wealthy and self-important. At least learn to control your tempter’
‘I’m not going to have that much contact with the customers.’ Hayato turned to face Ryu and stated proudly, ‘I’m going to be working in the kitchen.’
‘W… What?’
‘They hired me right away! Apparently they were impressed by my previous apprenticeship’
‘Your previous apprenticeship?’ echoed Ryu as he tried to digest the overload of information.
‘Yeah’ Hayato mumbled softly as he turned away from Ryu.
They both fell silent as the sounds of Hayato’s rhythmic chopping filled the room.
---
‘… a pastry chef?!’ exclaimed Yankumi, ‘Why didn’t you mention this before?’
‘He’s not a chef yet. He didn’t finish his previous apprenticeship. And I didn’t mention this before because I didn’t know.’ replied Ryu before going back to eating his ramen.
‘You guys kept in contact during the three years he was away, right? How could it not have come up?’
‘Three and a half years’ Ryu corrected,
‘Three and a half years’ she repeated. ‘Why didn’t he finish the apprenticeship if he wants to become a chef?’
Ryu shrugged, ‘He wanted to come back’
‘Wait, he wants to become a pastry chef, but left France to come to Japan without completing an important apprenticeship that would help him become one? And let’s not forget that he left so suddenly that he didn’t have time to call anyone and landed in Japan without having prepared any Japanese currency.’ She paused for dramatic effect.
‘Did he tell you why?’
Ryu shrugged.
‘Did you ask?’ she pressed.
‘We don’t talk about stuff like that’ was Ryu’s answer.
Yankumi looked at him in disbelief and mumbled something about men and communication issues.
Then there was a pause in the conversation while they both polished off their bowls.
‘I thought he was going to work as a waiter when he first mentioned the café’ said Ryu as he set his bowl down in satisfaction.
Yankumi laughed as she patted her stomach, ‘No one in his or her right mind would employ Yabuki as a waiter’
‘That’s not true’ said Kuma walking up to their table and adding more noodles to Ryu’s bowl ‘Yabuki was a good waiter. People loved him’
‘There are fragile antiques out on display around that café as decoration’ added Yankumi.
All three winced. Hayato did not have a good record with fragile objects. Kuma in particular was vividly remembering the number of bowls Hayato had broken during the brief period he had worked there.
‘Do you go there often Yankumi?’ Kuma asked
She looked slightly embarrassed, ‘Um.. sometimes I pass by on my way home and look at the dessert display. They always look great’
‘Ah…’
‘I mean,’ she whined with renewed energy, ‘they always look great, but they’re so expensive. I would buy them all, everyday, but it’s impossible with the salary I have now, and I never get the bonus. Why is that? How come I never get the bonus? I bet it’s that Sawatari. Sawatari probably gets his bonus every year. Why doesn’t he let me have mine -’
She was sounding more and more agitated now. Ryu looked to Kuma for help, but Kuma was already halfway to the kitchen.
Coward, Ryu silently accused and then jumped in his seat when Yankumi suddenly stood up, slamming her hands down onto the table in a grand display of melodramatics mid-rant.
---
Ryu didn’t mention that Hayato would probably be able to afford his own place now that he had employment. Hayato continued to unpack his humongous suitcase and left souvenirs of his travels around the apartment. Once, Ryu opened the fridge to find a Winny the Pooh figurine in between two cans of beer. He stared for one whole minute before shrugging and reaching for the tofu.
More often than not, Ryu came home to find Hayato sprawled out across his bed. Hayato claimed it was more comfortable. Most of the time, Ryu kicked him onto the floor.
The exception was the night that Ryu stumbled into the apartment tired and irritated at two in the morning after staying back to finish marking test papers. In the cold and dark apartment, the first thing he saw when he switched the kitchen lights on was a slice of cake on a clean white plate in the middle of the kitchen table. And suddenly, Ryu wasn’t so irritated anymore. He picked up the fork which was placed neatly beside the plate and savoured the first taste while reading the accompanying note.
Opera cake.
A reward for working so hard, sensei.
After Ryu had washed up, he folded the note neatly and placed it in the empty tea tin with a hideous floral design (a gift from his mother) that he usually hid at the back of the cupboard.
Hayato was sprawled across his bed again, but Ryu couldn’t bring himself to care. He dug the covers from under Hayato, climbed onto the mattress himself and covered them both.
When Ryu woke up the next morning, an arm was draped across his body and warm rhythmic breath tickled the back of his neck. He felt like slapping himself on the forehead, but opted instead for kicking Hayato out of the bed.
---
Ryu flopped onto the bed beside Hayato, causing the other to sit up in surprise, guilt flashing briefly across his face. ‘Oh Ryu, you’re home! I was just napping and your bed is -‘
‘I yelled at them to stop running in the corridors’ Ryu mumbled out, a hand covering his face.
Hayato watched Ryu’s body shake lightly before falling back onto the bed with a laugh.
‘We used to make fun of teachers who said that’
‘I probably sounded like Sawatari’ Ryu said with a laugh followed by a choking sound. Hayato turned to face Ryu and watched as his body shook more forcefully, before unrestrained laughed escaped the younger man in waves. And suddenly Hayato remembered that when Ryu laughed, truly laughed, he did so with his whole body. His eyes were closed and both hands where now in his hair in what Hayato recognised as Ryu’s gesture of acute embarrassment.
When they were younger, before they met Yankumi, before they had that stupid fight, back when they snuck into each other’s rooms and sharing secrets was as easy as breathing air, Ryu often laughed like that.
Hayato shifted closer for a better view. Ryu’s hair was now dark against the pale sheets, he had unbuttoned the first couple of buttons of his shirt and his tie lay skewed to one side. When Ryu opened his eyes, they were bright and there was a hint of colour on his usually pale cheeks.
Hayato’s heart had never throbbed more forcefully.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryu had thought that Hayato would understand. Of course Ryu wasn’t going to say anything until Take wanted to himself, but even if the rest of the guys didn’t understand, at least Hayato would trust him. Because didn’t Hayato know that Ryu was always on Hayato’s side?
That was what Ryu had believed before Hayato’s fist connected with his face.
After that, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and aimed to hit Hayato back with all the strength he had. He had wanted to break something.
Because Hayato had just broken his heart.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ Part II ]
Author: cease11
Pairing: Hayato/Ryu (Akame)
Beta: the lovely pinkeuphoria1
Rating: PG
Genre: AU, Romance, a little angst?
Prompt: #030: Cake (je_prompts)
Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me
Summary: Hayato returns from adventures abroad as an aspiring pastry chef. Ryu is beginning his career as a teacher. Yankumi acts like a proud parent.
Notes: Indented sections are scenes from the past.
PART I
Ryu’s apartment had become his sanctuary. It was a place where he could come home to, away from a day of being surrounded by indistinguishable black jacket wearing, carrot hair sprouting masses who produce more ear splitting noise than a crowd of banshees equipped with megaphones. Sometimes, Ryu would just enjoy listening to the silence while sitting in his favourite armchair and staring at the sky beyond his apartment window; preferably while holding a warm a cup of coffee.
His work kept him busy and before Ryu had even noticed, a comfortable routine had developed. Tsucchi and Take would try to (physically) drag him out for drinks at least three times a week. He would only allow himself get dragged along once a fortnight. His mother would try to set him up on dates with girls who are ‘coincidentally’ visiting every time he visits his parents. His father gives him meaningful looks, which Ryu interprets as something akin to worry. His colleagues ask him to go out with them for dinner after work every Friday. Ryu only accepted if he wasn’t able to think of a good excuse within the first five seconds of being asked. Yankumi pats him on the head randomly. Kuma offers him free ramen.
What Ryu didn’t expect to find, while returning home from his weekly grocery shopping trip, was some homeless guy asleep in front of his front door. On second inspection, he doubted the man was homeless after all. There was a large, worn looking suitcase lying behind the man and a backpack next to the potted plant Ryu’s mother had affixed to his balcony when he had first moved in.
The face was obscured by the hoodie the man was wearing. Ryu sighed as he set down his shopping bags and stepped closer.
‘Oi’ he tried.
The man didn’t even shift.
‘Oi’ Ryu tried again, this time with his foot.
There was a satisfying yelp as the man sat up in surprise. The hoodie fell back with the movement and Ryu’s breath caught as he took in the familiar face.
‘Odagiri! Do you kick all your guests?’ Hayato’s eyes were smiling at him.
‘It was a nudge, Yabuki. Did you get weak?’
Hayato smirked at him and slowly picked himself off the floor. Stepping into Ryu’s personal space, Hayato shoved his hands into his pockets as he drew himself to full height and towered slightly over Ryu.
‘Did you miss me Ryu?’
Ryu paused for a second before stepping back and around Hayato to reach for his door, and pulled out his keys.
‘What happened to your hair?’
Hayato’s hands reached for his ponytail immediately, ‘What’s wrong with my hair?’
Ryu tried to hide his smirk and walked through the door.
‘It makes you look like a homeless person’.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Hayato announced that he was going abroad to ‘find himself’, Ryu kept his expression neutral and calmly voiced his opinion that if that is what Hayato needed, then that is what Hayato should do. Amidst the loud protests from the rest of their friends, Hayato flashed Ryu a grateful and relieved smile.
He had been saving up since that part-time job in High School, Hayato explained, although at that time he didn’t know what the money would be used for. Ryu was now in his first year of University while Hayato had been taking a few part-time jobs here and there.
Later when they were alone, Hayato leaned towards Ryu, resting his head on Ryu’s shoulder, ‘I knew Ryu would understand’.
But I don’t! Ryu wanted to scream. Instead, he let out a ‘mph’ and turned slightly to watch Hayato’s face inches away from his own. While Hayato’s breath evened, Ryu stared at a single fallen lash that now rested lightly on Hayato’s right cheek. Careful not to wake the other boy, Ryu blew gently and watched the lash lift up with his breath. As it fell away, Ryu wished sincerely that Hayato would be able to find what he was looking for.
Sending Hayato off was a noisy affair. Take and Tsuchi were making most of the noise, but Ryu was grateful that it diverted attention away from him. He must have looked as stricken as he felt, because when Hayato hugged him, the hug was a little too tight, Hayato held on for a little too long and his voice, when he whispered ‘I’ll miss you most’ was a little too broken.
Ryo choked out an ‘I’ll miss you too’. Hayato looked pleased and promised to call often.
The day Yabuki Hayato left to find himself, Odagiri Ryu lost his way.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryu was in the kitchen when he heard the sounds of banging and the squeaking of wheels as Hayato made his entrance into the apartment, dragging his humongous suitcase behind him. Ryu hoped Hayato hadn’t scratched his floor too badly.
He was making coffee when Hayato finally found him.
‘How does long hair make a person look like they’re homeless?’ Hayato asked as he took a seat opposite Ryu and accepted the cup of coffee offered.
‘It doesn’t. Long…’ Ryu pretended to sniff the air ‘… dirty hair however…’
‘Bastard’ Hayato laughed as he took a drink. ‘Do you have any idea how long I’ve been on a plane for, or how many planes I’ve had to change to get here?’
‘How did you find me?’
‘I went to your house, but your mother said you had moved out and gave me the address. When did you move out?’
Ryu sighed. ‘Hayato’, he said slowly, as if talking to a child, ‘you’ve been calling this apartment number for a year now. What do you mean you didn’t know I moved out?’
‘I assumed you just changed your home number. How was I supposed to know if you didn’t tell me?’
‘I thought it was obvious.’
‘Oh’
There was a brief silence as they both took slips of the hot liquid.
‘You could have called this number, or my mobile’ Ryu started.
‘I don’t have a phone that works in Japan and I didn’t have any Yen.’ At Ryu’s stare, Hayato added ‘I just suddenly felt like coming back. I left in a hurry’.
‘You could have called beforehand - ‘
‘I left in a hurry alright?’ Hayato interrupted. He stood up and walked to the sink. Ryu turned to watch him wash the empty cup.
‘Do you mind if I crash here for a while? Just until I get some accommodation of my own. I don’t want to bother my dad.’
‘Yeah, sure. Have you seen them yet? Did you go home first?’ Ryu asked.
Hayato dried his hands and turned to face Ryu. ‘No, I looked for you first.’
‘Oh’
Ryu turned away, suddenly pleased. ‘Well if you want to call them, or anyone, just use the phone here.’
‘There’s only one bedroom, but I have a futon I keep in the cupboard…’ Ryu said as he pulled the futon out and placed it on the floor.
Then he spotted Hayato sprawled out on the bed, ‘Oi, that’s my bed. You’re sleeping on the floor’
‘I’m a guest!’
‘No, you’re a freeloader. It’s either this or the couch’
Hayato made a disgusted face, ‘I’ve seen the couch, it’s tiny. My legs will be falling off the edge’
Ryu began laying out the futon.
‘How did you end up in this tiny apartment with that tiny couch?’
‘Rent is expensive Hayato. This is a good neighbourhood. It’s close to my work and I can’t afford anything more elaborate with a teacher’s salary.’
Ryu ignored the loud thump as Hayato landed on the floor
‘No way’ He breathed, ‘A teacher? Why didn’t you tell me?’
Ryu sighed, ‘This is why’ he mumbled.
Hayato ignored him and was laughing hysterically. ‘Yankumi… wou... would be so.. pr.. proud!’ he managed to choke out.
‘I know. She tells me at least three times a day’
‘Huh?’
‘She’s my colleague’
Hayato choked on his laughter and proceeded to have a coughing fit. Ryu found this oddly satisfying.
Later, when he remembered that he had left his groceries outside his apartment, Ryu realised the poor soundproofing of his home. He was still able to hear Hayato’s laughter from outside the apartment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Odagiri Ryu was grateful to Yankumi.
He was grateful to her for believing in him when he had all but given up on himself. She taught him that strength was something more than what he used in his punches. And it was because of her that Ryu was able to graduate High School with the people he cared about most.
That was why, when he found himself without direction, constantly changing courses at University, she was the only person he could seek out. He had sought her out without a plan, only a feeling that if Yankumi was there, things would eventually work out. And they did, but not before being dragged into a couple of fights and saving a few of her precious students.
After the adrenaline, Ryu felt a sense of calm.
He would become a teacher. And for helping him come to that decision, Ryu was again grateful to Yankumi.
She turned up to his graduation glassy eyed, over the moon that her very own student was to become a teacher! Ryu rolled his eyes when she started talking passionately about wanting to be as great of a role model to all her students as she had obviously been to Ryu.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the rest of the week, Ryu hardly saw Hayato as he went to meet and catch up with his family and friends. The 3D gang had their own party at Ryu’s apartment, after which everyone passed out on the living room floor. The only exception was Hayato who woke up the next day to find himself on the kitchen floor with a half eaten pear in his right hand.
Another week passed before Ryu found himself sitting alone at the kitchen table, slurping down instant ramen.
‘You should eat a healthier dinner’
Ryu looked up to find Hayato leaning against the kitchen door, looking amused.
‘You weren’t home to make it for me’
Hayato laughed, lifted himself from the door frame and walked towards Ryu. He gave a bright smile before taking Ryu’s dinner, disposable chopsticks and all, and dumping it in the bin.
‘Well I’m here now’
Hayato shrugged out of his suit jacket before putting on an apron. It was then that Ryu realised with surprise what Hayato was wearing
‘Where were you?’
‘An interview’ came Hayato’s reply as he inspected the fridge, ‘Where are the cucumbers?’
‘Huh? Oh, I ate them as a snack while waiting for the noodles to cook’
Hayato made a disapproving sound at the mention of the instant noodles.
‘Where did you interview for?’ asked Ryu curiously.
‘Lumiere’
Ryu’s eyes widened, ‘The café? My mother buys all her cakes and desserts from there.’
Hayato laughed, ‘She would’.
‘But Hayato, you have to be careful. The regular customers there are all wealthy and self-important. At least learn to control your tempter’
‘I’m not going to have that much contact with the customers.’ Hayato turned to face Ryu and stated proudly, ‘I’m going to be working in the kitchen.’
‘W… What?’
‘They hired me right away! Apparently they were impressed by my previous apprenticeship’
‘Your previous apprenticeship?’ echoed Ryu as he tried to digest the overload of information.
‘Yeah’ Hayato mumbled softly as he turned away from Ryu.
They both fell silent as the sounds of Hayato’s rhythmic chopping filled the room.
---
‘… a pastry chef?!’ exclaimed Yankumi, ‘Why didn’t you mention this before?’
‘He’s not a chef yet. He didn’t finish his previous apprenticeship. And I didn’t mention this before because I didn’t know.’ replied Ryu before going back to eating his ramen.
‘You guys kept in contact during the three years he was away, right? How could it not have come up?’
‘Three and a half years’ Ryu corrected,
‘Three and a half years’ she repeated. ‘Why didn’t he finish the apprenticeship if he wants to become a chef?’
Ryu shrugged, ‘He wanted to come back’
‘Wait, he wants to become a pastry chef, but left France to come to Japan without completing an important apprenticeship that would help him become one? And let’s not forget that he left so suddenly that he didn’t have time to call anyone and landed in Japan without having prepared any Japanese currency.’ She paused for dramatic effect.
‘Did he tell you why?’
Ryu shrugged.
‘Did you ask?’ she pressed.
‘We don’t talk about stuff like that’ was Ryu’s answer.
Yankumi looked at him in disbelief and mumbled something about men and communication issues.
Then there was a pause in the conversation while they both polished off their bowls.
‘I thought he was going to work as a waiter when he first mentioned the café’ said Ryu as he set his bowl down in satisfaction.
Yankumi laughed as she patted her stomach, ‘No one in his or her right mind would employ Yabuki as a waiter’
‘That’s not true’ said Kuma walking up to their table and adding more noodles to Ryu’s bowl ‘Yabuki was a good waiter. People loved him’
‘There are fragile antiques out on display around that café as decoration’ added Yankumi.
All three winced. Hayato did not have a good record with fragile objects. Kuma in particular was vividly remembering the number of bowls Hayato had broken during the brief period he had worked there.
‘Do you go there often Yankumi?’ Kuma asked
She looked slightly embarrassed, ‘Um.. sometimes I pass by on my way home and look at the dessert display. They always look great’
‘Ah…’
‘I mean,’ she whined with renewed energy, ‘they always look great, but they’re so expensive. I would buy them all, everyday, but it’s impossible with the salary I have now, and I never get the bonus. Why is that? How come I never get the bonus? I bet it’s that Sawatari. Sawatari probably gets his bonus every year. Why doesn’t he let me have mine -’
She was sounding more and more agitated now. Ryu looked to Kuma for help, but Kuma was already halfway to the kitchen.
Coward, Ryu silently accused and then jumped in his seat when Yankumi suddenly stood up, slamming her hands down onto the table in a grand display of melodramatics mid-rant.
---
Ryu didn’t mention that Hayato would probably be able to afford his own place now that he had employment. Hayato continued to unpack his humongous suitcase and left souvenirs of his travels around the apartment. Once, Ryu opened the fridge to find a Winny the Pooh figurine in between two cans of beer. He stared for one whole minute before shrugging and reaching for the tofu.
More often than not, Ryu came home to find Hayato sprawled out across his bed. Hayato claimed it was more comfortable. Most of the time, Ryu kicked him onto the floor.
The exception was the night that Ryu stumbled into the apartment tired and irritated at two in the morning after staying back to finish marking test papers. In the cold and dark apartment, the first thing he saw when he switched the kitchen lights on was a slice of cake on a clean white plate in the middle of the kitchen table. And suddenly, Ryu wasn’t so irritated anymore. He picked up the fork which was placed neatly beside the plate and savoured the first taste while reading the accompanying note.
Opera cake.
A reward for working so hard, sensei.
After Ryu had washed up, he folded the note neatly and placed it in the empty tea tin with a hideous floral design (a gift from his mother) that he usually hid at the back of the cupboard.
Hayato was sprawled across his bed again, but Ryu couldn’t bring himself to care. He dug the covers from under Hayato, climbed onto the mattress himself and covered them both.
When Ryu woke up the next morning, an arm was draped across his body and warm rhythmic breath tickled the back of his neck. He felt like slapping himself on the forehead, but opted instead for kicking Hayato out of the bed.
---
Ryu flopped onto the bed beside Hayato, causing the other to sit up in surprise, guilt flashing briefly across his face. ‘Oh Ryu, you’re home! I was just napping and your bed is -‘
‘I yelled at them to stop running in the corridors’ Ryu mumbled out, a hand covering his face.
Hayato watched Ryu’s body shake lightly before falling back onto the bed with a laugh.
‘We used to make fun of teachers who said that’
‘I probably sounded like Sawatari’ Ryu said with a laugh followed by a choking sound. Hayato turned to face Ryu and watched as his body shook more forcefully, before unrestrained laughed escaped the younger man in waves. And suddenly Hayato remembered that when Ryu laughed, truly laughed, he did so with his whole body. His eyes were closed and both hands where now in his hair in what Hayato recognised as Ryu’s gesture of acute embarrassment.
When they were younger, before they met Yankumi, before they had that stupid fight, back when they snuck into each other’s rooms and sharing secrets was as easy as breathing air, Ryu often laughed like that.
Hayato shifted closer for a better view. Ryu’s hair was now dark against the pale sheets, he had unbuttoned the first couple of buttons of his shirt and his tie lay skewed to one side. When Ryu opened his eyes, they were bright and there was a hint of colour on his usually pale cheeks.
Hayato’s heart had never throbbed more forcefully.
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Ryu had thought that Hayato would understand. Of course Ryu wasn’t going to say anything until Take wanted to himself, but even if the rest of the guys didn’t understand, at least Hayato would trust him. Because didn’t Hayato know that Ryu was always on Hayato’s side?
That was what Ryu had believed before Hayato’s fist connected with his face.
After that, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and aimed to hit Hayato back with all the strength he had. He had wanted to break something.
Because Hayato had just broken his heart.
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[ Part II ]