No Surprises (2/15)
Author: ryosukekoibito
Pairing: Okajima, with some side Ariyama, Chiitaro, Takachii, Hikabu, and Inoo/Saya
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Genre: Romance
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from J&A.
Summary: Yuto's life has been planned out from the moment he was born, decisions most of the world got to make all predetermined by his parents. Now as an adult he has to decide if he's going to continue along the path they've lain out for him, or if he's going to abandon it all, risking leaving his family behind in the process.
Previous Chapters: 1
When Yuto woke up the next morning he found himself the first one awake, and he peeked into his roommates rooms, finding Chinen curled up in his oversized bed looking for all the world as innocent as he was the day he was born, while Daiki and Yamada were cuddling in Yamada's bed, Daiki in sleepwear Yuto recognized as Yamada's. He took a brisk shower and afterward wandered into the kitchen, resolving to make his friends breakfast. After a few moments of debating between a traditional meal or a more western one he decided on waffles, plugging in their skillet.
It wasn't long before the scent of his cooking gave way to the sounds of his housemates waking, and Yuto heard the shower turn on, Yamada soon after joining him in the kitchen, the smaller man slumping in his seat at the table, his hair still damp, murmuring out a greeting as Yuto supplied him with coffee and a freshly made waffle. The next one awake was Daiki, their guest giving his boyfriend a lingering hug from behind before plopping into his own seat, considerably more awake than Yamada was. It was toward the end of their meal that Chinen showed his face, their youngest companion still in his pajamas, his hair sticking up in places, and they all cooed at how cute he was, making him smile as he bid them a good morning. As Chinen ate the other three sat with him at the table, nursing cups of coffee and talking. After he'd gotten a few bites into his system, Yuto asked
"So how was your date with Takaki?" Chinen swallowed, fingering the engagement ring he was still wearing, the silver band with its encrusted diamonds glinting in the light.
"Wonderful! We went to the Château de Étoiles, where he'd reserved a room for us. The food was amazing, and he is always such a joy to be around. I can't wait to go out with him again." As he spoke Chinen's eyes glossed over a bit, his fork stilling in his hand. Yamada blinked in confusion.
"I thought you told me the other day that you have another date this afternoon? You're going shopping or something, aren't you?" Chinen looked at him in confusion for a moment, before realization swept over his face.
"Oh! Yes. I'm going shopping later with Ryu. We're going to get his ear pierced, and then we're getting clothes and some new manga, and he apparently knows this amazing place to eat gyoza..." Chinen trailed off, shoving another bite of waffle into his mouth, and the conversation continued until he was finished with his breakfast.
It wasn't long after the meal was finished that Daiki had to go, the older man wishing them all fond farewells and passing around hugs before he left, murmured I love you.'s shared between him and his boyfriend, and they were just about to go their separate ways and start the day when they got a phone call, the penthouse phone trilling shrilly. Yamada answered it.
"Hello?" A small pause. "Oh Yabu-kun! Yes, it's always wonderful to hear from you." Yuto blinked, curious as to what the phone call was about. Yabu Kota was a literal entrepreneurial powerhouse. Only a few years older than Yuto himself, the man had taken over his family's company a little over three years ago, and-with the help of his husband-it had only gone up. Yabu owned the hotel that Yuto and his friends were currently living in, and he and Hikaru had very graciously let them use the space for free. Yuto and his friends were extremely grateful for their hospitality, and to top it off they all really did like Yabu and Hikaru, though they didn't get to see them often, the power couple extremely busy. Despite being so busy, sometimes said friends would call and check up on the three of them; make sure everything at the hotel was running smoothly, and-if they were lucky-announce that they were in town and ask if they could all get together. This call seemed to hold in it the promise of a meeting, Yuto's thoughts confirmed when Yamada hung up the phone and said
"Apparently Hikaru and Yabu-kun have a work thing and will be in town. They're coming over for dinner tonight." Yuto smiled, nodding enthusiastically. Chinen however, pouted.
"I've already promised Saya that I'd visit her and Inoo-chan for dinner tonight! I can't believe I'm going to miss it!" Saya was Chinen's older sister, a beautiful petite girl, she was sharp as a tack, and Chinen was extremely fond of her. She had recently married Inoo Kei, the son of an internationally famous artist, a man nearly as pretty as herself. Inoo and Saya were the second couple of their generation to go through with the arranged marriage set up by their parents, and Yuto couldn't help but wonder how the two of them-having barely known each other beforehand-felt about it. Yuto had only met Inoo a few times, at charity dinners and the like, and they hadn't ever really talked, but Inoo seemed friendly, and Chinen liked him.
Yuto decided that he had to get Yabu and Hikaru gifts before they arrived for dinner that night, changing into proper clothing and selecting a camera from his collection to accompany him on his journey, just in case he saw something worth photographing. He left with Chinen, the tiny young man getting into a limo that was waiting for him in front of the hotel, offering to drop Yuto off before picking up Ryu. Yuto gratefully accepted, and it wasn't long before he found himself wandering the streets, looking into shop windows and wondering just what to get his friends. It had been an extremely long time since he'd seen either of them, so something a bit more lavish than the usual opera concert tickets and silk ties would be in order. He was at a loss, having looked for over an hour before his eyes caught on a store front, and he smiled in delight. It was a music store, electric guitars glistening in the front window. Both Yabu and Hikaru could play guitar, his friends having picked up the hobby together as kids. Perfect.
He wandered in, smiling at the man behind the counter. For a while he browsed the shop, occasionally snapping pictures of the instruments, their brass bodies glinting in the light. Eventually he found the corner of the store dedicated to guitars, and he focused on finding the perfect instruments for his friends. He was completely focused on a wall of the stringed instruments, his camera raised to capture a photograph when he took a step to his right and ran into something solid, stumbling hard to catch himself. He lowered his camera, blinking in surprise and looking over to see that he had run into a young man, the guy having fallen to the floor.
"I'm so sorry!" The man said at once, pulling himself to his feet and snatching a packet he'd dropped in their collision from the floor. Yuto just blinked for a moment, taken completely by surprise. The guy was obviously a bit upset, his eyes wide with surprise and a genuine apology, his cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment. He was handsome, his lips full and his jawline strong; yet his voice was soft, his Japanese rather clumsy and tinted with an accent, as if he wasn't a native speaker. As Yuto tried to gather his wits the man continued to apologize, saying "Are you okay? Your camera...is it damaged?"
"No! No, the camera is fine! Don't apologize; I was the one that ran into you. I should have paid more attention to where I was going." The man was looking at him, concerned and obviously still not at ease, and Yuto smiled, holding out the camera for the guy to see. "Look, it's really fine. Don't worry." The man glanced down at the device, and then back at Yuto, nodding slowly, his face getting more red.
"Sorry." Was all the man said before continuing past Yuto, off to pay for whatever he had in that packet of his. Yuto couldn't help but watch him go, letting his eyes rake appreciatively over the handsome stranger's muscular figure a bit. The man really was very attractive, if a bit awkward. Once he'd gone out of sight Yuto sighed a bit to himself, returning to his search for the perfect guitars for his friends.
He managed to find a matching set, two beautiful electric guitars, black with mirrored golden inlays in their bodies. They were works of art, and Yuto immediately took to them, knowing that they would be perfect for Hikaru and Yabu. The shopkeeper seemed to be almost in awe when Yuto told him that he wanted both of the guitars, asking the young man just how he intended on paying for it. Yuto just smiled, handing over his credit card and waiting patiently while the cashier rang him up. The guitars came with cases, and the shopkeeper threw in two sets of strings as a bonus; Yuto had bought the most expensive items in his shop.
Yuto called for a taxi, not keen on carrying such large items back home, and soon the guitars were set up in the living room, waiting for their new owners to arrive. Yamada had already informed the hotel staff that Yabu and Hikaru would be popping by for a visit, and everything was being cleaned, the kitchen preparing a meal for the four of them. Yamada and Yuto spent a good deal of their afternoon tidying up their home, wanting to present a good image for their landlords. Yamada was rather amazed by the guitars, muttering slightly about frivolous rich people; but his words had no scorn in them, and when Yuto asked he agreed that Hikaru and Yabu would love them.
Finally, around six o'clock there was a chime announcing that the elevator had arrived at their level, the gilded doors pulling open to reveal their guests.
"Yuto!" The taller of the two greeted, his smile engulfing his eyes as he stepped inside and wrapped his arms around Yuto's shoulders, pulling him in for a hug. Yuto hugged him back, squeezing tightly, a grin blooming on his lips.
"Don't strangle him Kota." Hikaru said, the muscular, younger man slipping off his shoes politely. Yabu let his grip go slack, turning his attention to Yamada, and Yuto leaned into Hikaru, giving the older man a quick hug before welcoming the two of them further into their home, pleased to see just how happy and healthy they looked. The four of them all sat in the front room, and after the guitars had been given-much to Hikaru and Yabu's amazement and delight-and thanks had been said, Yamada and Yuto asked eagerly about how their international travel had been, fishing for exciting stories; and they were not disappointed, Hikaru telling them an astounding tale about a French man with a pet tiger, Yabu teasing him throughout, his inserts never failing to make Yuto laugh.
Yabu and Hikaru were the epitome of perfection in Yuto's eyes. The two young men had been friends since childhood, and although their marriage had been arranged, they were so in love that it would have happened regardless. Hikaru had easily taken Yabu's family name, and the two of them worked seamlessly as a team, traveling the world together and expanding their business. Yabu and Hikaru had managed to do everything right and still achieve happiness. Yuto was proud to call them his friends, and he emulated them-although he wasn't too keen on being stuck on a balcony with a tiger the way Hikaru apparently had been.
Yabu was in the middle of a story about meeting some Icelandic boy band while in Germany when the elevator chimed and this time a hotel worker stepped in, bowing politely and offering them a tray of appetizers, which was placed on the coffee table. Hikaru immediately lunged for it, sighing as the food passed his lips.
"We had a meeting run over earlier and he didn't eat lunch." Yabu explained, affection in his eyes as Hikaru stuffed more food in his face. Luckily for Hikaru, the main course arrived quickly, the four of them moving to the dining table as the conversation turned from Yabu and Hikaru and focused on Yuto and Yamada, and what they'd been up to since the group had all seen each other. At first Yamada told their friends about multiple fashion show disasters, and he informed them when they asked that yes he was still seeing Daiki, and yes it was going very well. He blushed when asked about his boyfriend, but a smile bloomed on his face, and Yuto cooed, grinning at his friend.
"What about you Yuto; have you even met that fiancé of yours yet?" Yabu's question was met with a slightly disturbed face scrunch on Yuto's end.
"No!" Hikaru chuckled, swallowing his bite and saying
"You've got to do it sooner or later. It might not be that bad, you know." Yabu nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, they could be lovely! I mean, the arranged marriage may work out just fine. Look at us!"
"You two are the exception. You already knew each other, and you'd had plenty of time to fall in love before you had to get married. Besides-" He smirked, quirking one eyebrow up playfully. "-I'm to be marrying the heir to Nishi hotels. Aren't they your main competitor or something? Do you want me fraternizing with the enemy?" Yamada and Yabu chuckled, but Hikaru frowned, thinking.
"Nishi...do they have a kid?" He turned to Yabu. "Have we ever met the Nishi corporation's next-in-line Kota?" Yabu blinked for a moment, he too racking his brain for a memory of Yuto's fiancé, while Yuto and Yamada shared curious looks. Yuto had never come across anyone that had met the person he was supposed to marry. It would be interesting to learn a bit about them. But to his disappointment Yabu frowned, shaking his head.
"Never. I didn't know they had any children. It's probably just the one, but they've never talked about any kids at any of the meetings or dinners, and they certainly don't bring anyone with them." Hikaru wiggled his eyebrows at Yuto from across the table, a jokingly over exaggerated smirk on his face.
"Suspicious. Very mysterious." He said, and Yuto couldn't help but laugh, snatching up his camera and taking a picture of his friend's silly expression. After that the conversation moved on into what classes Yuto was taking at school, and how Chinen was; Yabu and Hikaru both seemed to he very concerned about their little friend, the couple aware of his polyamory, and they-like Yamada and Yuto-knew it couldn't last forever. As they talked the meal was traded for dessert, and then afterwards Yuto offered them drinks, but they declined, apparently having an early business meeting they needed to be fully sober for in the morning.
It was barely past nine o'clock when Yabu and Hikaru announced that they really should be going, the two of them thanking Yamada and Yuto for their hospitality, and promising that they would be in touch as soon as possible. Hugs were shared, smiles were exchanged, and soon Yabu and Hikaru were encased in the elevator and out of sight. Yuto sighed, flopping on the couch. It was nice to see his friends, but hosting always left him tired, and he yawned, Yamada laughing at him and joining him in the living room.
"Want to watch a movie?" The shorter man asked, Yuto nodding enthusiastically and saying
"I'll call for popcorn." Within ten minutes they had chosen their motion picture for the evening-some detective high school drama-and the popcorn had arrived. Yuto leaned into Yamada's side, a smile on his face. Today had been a pretty good day.
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