Fake - Part 1
“Congratulations.”
Ninomiya ‘Nino’ Kazunari whispered in his best friend’s ear. His best friend was Ohno Satoshi, a handsome guy who always looked sleepy. He wasn’t sure if Ohno heard what he said or not. The music was too loud and their friends were singing excitedly in the small karaoke room.
“Huh?” Ohno looked at him with his usual blank expression. He tilted his head cutely and Nino smacked his head playfully.
“I said, congratulations,” Nino repeated what he said before. A little louder this time.
“Why?” Ohno asked with the same blank expression.
“I saw you this afternoon...” Nino answered. His friend was too slow sometimes. “... with a cute lady.”
“Oh.” That was Ohno’s short response.
“How could you keep it a secret from me?” Nino pouted. He had been friends with Ohno for a while since he started working. They didn’t work for the same company. Ohno’s office was next to his office. They often come to work around the same time and after seeing each other for a few time, Nino decided to initiate the conversation between them. He felt comfortable talking to Ohno. They were quite similar. Since then they have been friends.
They usually went for lunch together. However, for the past three months, Nino was too busy with his project and he had no time for lunch. Today, he wasn’t busy as always and wanted to surprise Ohno during lunch. But, he was shocked to find Ohno walking out for lunch with a cute lady that he had never seen before.
“Who is she?” He asked again. Ohno seemed uncomfortable to answer.
“She is not my girlfriend if that’s what you think,” Ohno answered after a while. Nino rolled his eyes at Ohno. He didn’t believe what his best friend said. Ohno never went out with a girl before. So, if he went out for lunch with this girl, it had to mean something. However, he couldn't deny that he was relieved to hear that.
“She is a new staff member in the office. She is interested in me and has confessed to me. I rejected her but she didn’t want to give up. I didn’t go out for lunch with her. She followed me.” Ohno explained. “She often thinks of herself as my girlfriend. She is like a psychopath and it creeps me out.”
Nino laughed at his friend’s complaint. His friend was too kind. Maybe he didn’t reject her properly and that’s why she continued to go after Ohno. It’s hard to believe that the girl was a psychopath. She looked harmless when Nino saw her earlier.
“Oops, sorry.” He stopped laughing when he noticed Ohno’s pout. “Did you reject her properly?”
“Yes, but she doesn’t understand. I keep telling her to stay away from me but she keeps following me.” Ohno looked at him with a troubled expression, something that he rarely saw on his friend’s face. Seemed like this new lady made him uncomfortable and Nino felt guilty for laughing at him earlier. “What should I do, Nino?”
“Well…” Nino tried to think of a way to help his friend. But, before he could think of anything, Aiba suddenly pulled both Ohno and him. Aiba wanted them to join him singing with Sho and Jun.
“Let’s sing with us!” Aiba said enthusiastically. “It will sound better when the five of us sing together.”
Nino cast one last look at Ohno. Ohno’s troubled face earlier was quickly replaced with his usual blank expression. Nino looked at him with sympathy. His friend was too nice and that’s why people sometimes took advantage of him. He didn’t know how Ohno rejected the lady but it was clear that she didn’t take him seriously. That’s why Nino had to think of something to save his friend.
“Ninomiya san, can you please check my report?” Nana, one of the staff under his supervision, put a document on his table. It was a report that he had asked her to do this morning. He liked her work ethics. It was easier to do his work because he had a reliable staff like her under him.
“Sure. I will check it later.” Nino said, looking back at his computer screen.
“It’s almost lunchtime,” Nana told him. “Why don’t we go for lunch together?”
Nino glanced at the watch. Yes, as Nana said, it was almost time for lunch. But, he still wanted to finish his work before he ate.
“Just go first.” He told Nana. Eyes still on the computer screen. “I have work to do.”
“Okay.” Nana left shortly after. The other workers also left, leaving him alone in the office. He sighed in relief. To be honest, he preferred working when there was no one around. It was easier to do his work.
“Ninomiya san, have you eaten?” Not long after that, Nana appeared once again at his table.
“No, what time is it?” He glanced at his watch and noticed it was already the end of lunchtime. No wonder he was hungry. He didn’t notice the time because he was too focused on his work.
“You’re a workaholic, Ninomiya san. You should take a rest sometimes.” Nana told him before she went back to her worktable. Nino stood up from his table and decided to make a cup of ramen for himself to eat. As he waited for the ramen to be ready, he looked at his phone.
“Shit!” He cursed. He finally remembered what he wanted to do today when he looked at his phone’s wallpaper. It was a picture of Ohno when he was a kid. Ohno was bald in the picture and he thought Ohno was really cute. That’s why he made the picture as his wallpaper.
He intended to have lunch with Ohno today. He wanted to make sure the girl would stop disturbing his best friend. Unfortunately, he forgot about the plan because of his work. Even though he knew Ohno already had his lunch, he called the other guy. Ohno picked up the call almost immediately.
“Kazu,” Ohno said. Nino smiled to himself. He loved the way Ohno called his first name, something that Ohno seldom did. Usually, Ohno would call him Nino.
“What are you doing, Samii?” He asked. Samii was the nickname he created for Ohno. He liked to create a nickname for his friends.
“Working, of course,” Ohno answered. “Kazu, are you eating ramen again for lunch?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not healthy, you know. You should get a proper meal.” Ohno lectured him.
“How about you? Do you eat properly?” Nino asked, ignoring Ohno’s lecture.
“Yes, someone makes sure of that,” Ohno answered. Nino could sense how uncomfortable he was so that someone must be the new girl. “Nino, I have to go now. Talk to you later.”
Both of them said goodbye to each other before the call ended. He looked at his phone and set an alarm for the time to go home. No matter what he had to go home on time so that he could talk to the girl who had claimed his best friend as her boyfriend.
“Okay, guys, I’m going home first,” Nino told his colleagues. Everyone looked at him with surprise. He seldom went home on time. But, he had planned his work carefully after lunch, ensure to finish all his works with immediate urgency on time. He will continue the rest on Monday.
“Going to a party, Ninomiya san?” Nana asked. He shook his head.
“No. I just have something important to do today.” Nino answered. “Bye, guys.”
When he opened the door, he could see the person he was waiting for. The person wasn’t alone, as he expected. The girl was with him. Nino stood in front of his office, trying to listen to their conversation first. It wasn’t hard, though. The girl was talking loudly.
“Why don’t I follow you home?” the girl asked Ohno. “It’s Friday. I don’t want to spend the night alone.”
From his position, Nino couldn’t see the girl’s face. But, he was pretty sure the girl was doing her best to seduce his best friend with her lewd expression. Thankfully, Ohno shook his head.
“I live with my parents,” Ohno answered. He wanted to move away but the girl stopped him. She gripped Ohno’s hand.
“Then, introduce me to them. I’m your girlfriend, after all.” The girl said.
“You’re not my girlfriend, Imada san.” Ohno slowly tried to free himself from the girl. Yes, Ohno didn’t lie to him. This girl was certainly a psychopath.
“How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Miyuki.”
“Ohchan, sorry you have to wait for me.” Nino came and interrupted the conversation between those two. He pretended to be in a rush when he approached the two of them. He was glad to see how relieved Ohno was to see him.
“It’s okay. I just finished my work too.” Ohno said. Of course, they didn’t plan to meet or anything but Ohno simply acted along with him.
“So, have you decided where we should eat tonight?” He asked, completely ignoring the girl named Imada. She seemed dumbfounded to see him there. Nino took the chance to pull Ohno away from her. But, before they could move, she spoke once again.
“Satoshi Kun, who is this?” Imada asked. Nino wasn’t sure what he felt right now when he heard she shamelessly called Ohno by his first name. But, he was certain, he wasn’t happy to hear that. They just knew each other. Who gave her the permission to call Ohno like that?
“He is my…”
“Satoshi is my boyfriend.” He declared without thinking, earning a gasp from Imada. Beside him, Ohno stiffened.
“No, Satoshi is…”
“I don’t know what makes you think Samii is your boyfriend. I’ve been dating him for a few years now.” Once again, he continued without thinking. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask others. When he first complained to me about you, I thought he was just overreacting. But, now, I know he's telling me the truth. So, please stop flirting with him. He’s mine!”
As it was the end of office hours, there were a few people who watched them. He spotted a few familiar faces. Faces that often teased him and Ohno. Nagase, Ohno’s boss and Ikuta, his colleague grinned looking at them.
“Finally admitting that you guys are dating, ne?” Nagase started and Ikuta nodded his head. Nino had a habit of touching Ohno. It was just natural for him to do so. At the same time, Ohno never pushed him away. Their excessive skinship was the reason for Nagase and Ikuta to tease them. According to them, the way both Nino and Ohno touch each other was too inappropriate between friends.
“Shut up!” He told Nagase and Ikuta. He knew his face was red even without seeing it. Ah, what did he do? He just wanted to tell Imada to stop bothering Ohno. Why did he tell a lie? Stupid mouth. He didn’t expect it to turn out like this.
There’s no doubt that he was embarrassed by what happened. But, it was the least of his concern right now. What he was worried about the most at the moment was Ohno. What would Ohno think of his bluff? What would he do if Ohno was angry at him for lying?
“You heard him.” Ohno suddenly said, surprising him. His voice was calm. “I told you I have someone.”
“I thought you were lying,” Imada mumbled. She was at a loss for words. A small part of him felt sympathy for her but as he remembered how she had caused Ohno to feel uncomfortable, the feeling quickly disappeared.
“Let’s go, Kazu,” Ohno said. He nodded his head and pulled Ohno away from the crowd.
Neither of them talked as he brought Ohno to the car park. Usually, he will take a train to work. But, seeing that he had to go home late sometimes, he decided to drive to work. The silence was killing him. He was afraid of Ohno’s reaction once they were alone. But, he didn’t dare to say anything, afraid that Imada was following them.
“I’m sorry, Ohchan.” He said once they were alone in his car. “I didn’t mean to lie.”
“It’s okay,” Ohno said with a smile. “Thank you for saving me from her.”
“But Nagase kun and Ikuta kun will…”
“They always do that even without your lie. So, it isn’t a big deal for me.” Ohno explained. However, his face suddenly hardened as he continued. “Unless it’s not okay for you.”
Nino quickly shook his head. There’s no doubt that Ohno and he were too close with each other, causing Nagase and Ikuta to call them a couple. Truthfully, he didn’t mind the teasing from both of them. For him, their opinion didn’t matter as long as Ohno was comfortable with him.
“So, there should be no problem, right?” Ohno said. Nino nodded his head.
“Do you have any plans tonight?” Ohno asked. This time, Nino shook his head.
“Then, let’s go to my house.”
“Eh? Do you want to introduce me to your parents as your boyfriend now?” He teased Ohno.
“If you’re okay with it, I don’t....” Ohno played along with his tease. However, his face was once again hardened. Something seemed to catch his attention but before Nino could ask what it was, Ohno suddenly leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn’t just a peck, Ohno was french kissing him. He could feel Ohno’s tongue along his lips, asking for permission to enter. And in the confusion, Nino simply opened his lips to let Ohno in.
After a few minutes, Ohno finally released him to let both of them catch their breath. Both of them stayed silent, there’s only the sound of their breath in the car. Of course, he wanted to ask why Ohno kissed him. But, he didn’t know how to ask.
“I’m sorry.” Ohno was the first one to speak. “I saw Imada san just now.”
Nino gasped in surprise. He looked around but he didn’t see anyone else in the car park.
“She’s not here. I think she left when we’re kissing.” Ohno continued. “Maybe she was spying on us to make sure we’re not lying. I cannot think of anything else and that’s why I kiss you. I’m sorry, Kazu.”
“It’s okay.” No, he wasn’t okay. But, he smiled at Ohno so that his friend wouldn’t know what the kiss made him feel. “You’re a great kisser. I hope I will not get pregnant because of your kiss.”
A joke was always the best way to hide his true feelings. It worked when Ohno chuckled in return before he once again played along with his silly antics.
“Don’t worry. If you get pregnant, I will take responsibility.”
Nino bet his face was once again red. So, he quickly changed the subject. “So, your parents’ house?”
“Yes, they miss you. You haven’t come for a while.”
“Of course they miss me. I’m their best son in law.” Nino said before he started driving. Nino tried to act normally during the ride. However, he couldn't stop thinking about the kiss.
“Kazunari Kun!” Nino smiled when he was warmly greeted by Ohno’s mother as he entered the living room. Mrs Ohno pulled him into a tight hug. Usually, he didn’t like it when someone hugged him. It made him suffocate. But, just like Ohno, he loved when Mrs Ohno embraced him. “Oh, boy, I miss you so much.”
“I’m sorry, Mama. I’m busy with work.” He said after Mrs Ohno released him from the hug. Mrs Ohno had insisted that he called her Mama since the first time they met.
“Busy with work?” Mrs Ohno inquired. There was a glint of mischief in her tone. “Not a lover?”
“No one wants me, Mama.”
“Don’t be silly. Of course, a lot of people want you. You’re a very fine man. But, it will be better if you put on more weight, Kazunari Kun. You’re too skinny.”
“He didn’t eat properly, Mama.” Ohno, who was being silent since their arrival, interrupted. Nino stuck out a tongue at him. “He ate a cup ramen every day.”
Mrs Ohno shot him a playful glare upon hearing what Ohno had said.
“Satoshi, this is your fault! As a friend, you should make sure Kazunari Kun eats properly.” Mrs Ohno reprimanded her son. Nino smirked while Ohno pouted when his mother sided with Nino.
“Not fair! You love Nino more than me.” Ohno said, pretending to be sulking.
“Why is it so noisy?” A familiar voice greeted them from the stairs. All of them turned to look at Mr Ohno who was on his way down. Upon noticing Nino, he smiled warmly, identical to the one Mrs Ohno gave him earlier.
“Kazunari Kun!” He quickened his steps towards Nino and then hugged him. Seeing that, Ohno once again pouted.
“See! That’s why I don’t like to bring him home. Which one is your real son? Me or Nino?” Ohno pretended to be sulking.
“Don’t blame your parents, Ohchan. It’s my fault. I’m so adorable that’s why everyone loves me.” Nino answered causing the others to laugh. Nino smiled in return. He loved Ohno’s family. His parents died when he was very young, leaving him to grow up in an orphanage with Aiba. He never knew how wonderful it was to have a family, not until he met Ohno. Ohno and his family had treated him like he was a part of their family and he was forever thankful for that.
Next
A/N: Another story from me. I've written this a month ago. But, I only decided to post it now as I finalized the idea. Hope it isn't weird. Comments are very much appreciated.