[Multi-chapter] Rumors (4/7)
Chapter 4
Nino stared up at the shining sky. It had been a week since the incident, and he was lying here, alone and confused. He noticed that ever since that day, whenever he tried to approach Ohno, the older boy would avoid him. Even if they met accidentally at the schoolyard, Ohno would always come up with an excuse to leave immediately. They would only greet each other with a nod, nothing more - and before Nino could say anything, Ohno would walk away, leaving Nino standing rooted to the ground looking at his back, feeling his heart ached inside his chest.
Nino didn’t know what he had done wrong. Everything seemed okay between them before the incident. But he had felt uneasy looking into Ohno’s eyes at that time - it was as though he had decided something that Nino couldn’t understand. The older boy had an unexpectedly strong and determined look, which was unlike his usual gentle one. Nino had convinced himself countless times that it was because Ohno was upset, and that he would return to his usual mood again. However, Ohno kept his distance from then on, building a barrier between them that Nino could not break apart. He felt powerless.
Even though he clearly understood that Ohno was in a bad mood, he was still frustrated at the way Ohno looked at him as though he was a stranger. Okay, perhaps a wee bit friendlier than that, but still, only as a kouhai or an acquaintance. Perhaps the times we spent together was of no value to him... He thought bitterly.
The door opened slightly, making Nino jump. The very thought of Ohno’s arrival made his stomach flipped, as he felt half-expectant, half-uneasy. What would he say if it was Ohno? He couldn’t even keep his heart beat in a normal rhythm, and he didn’t think that he could come up with something good to say right now.
Despite of his nerve, it was only Aiba and Nino tried not to show too much his disappointment on his face.
Aiba usually hung out with his other friends during lunch because he knew that sometimes Nino wanted to be alone, so he barely went up here. Nino knew this and was grateful. However this time round, Nino was happy and even a little relieved to see Aiba. If Aiba hadn’t come, Nino didn’t know how depressed he could get when he kept sitting here alone and let the unpleasant feeling take control of his mind. Only Aiba - and Ohno - knew where to find Nino at times like this.
Aiba walked towards Nino and sat down beside him. He leaned against the wall and looked at Nino quietly.
“What?” Nino felt uneasy under Aiba’s quiet look. Aiba didn’t seem so serious usually.
“You know what” Aiba started hesitantly “There’s another rumor now”
“I’m sick of it, Aiba” Nino sighed, hanging his head tiredly; he didn’t want to hear more. “It sucks. This school sucks.”
“The problem is” Aiba bit his lip “They are talking about you”
“What?” Nino’s head snapped up, and raised his voice “What about me? I didn’t do anything!”
“Yes, you did” Aiba looked at Nino incredulously, as if wanting to say it’s obvious, why don’t you see it?. Nino hated it when Aiba became serious - it meant only bad news. “They saw you in Ohno-senpai’s classroom last week. And they saw how you reacted to Ohno’s incident…”
“So what?” Nino was annoyed, his eyes darkening with anger “What did they talk about? We are friends and it’s obvious that I would get pissed after seeing what they’ve done!”
“They say” Aiba replied hesitantly “…that you love Ohno-san. Or at least you have an eye on him”
“What??” Nino rolled his eyes in disbelief. He had never thought that they would say something like that… that he loved Ohno? How could this ever happen? It sounded … terribly absurd “Why the hell would they say that??”
“I don’t know, but you panicked and got really angry remember? And since… since Ohno-senpai had admitted that he…likes guys, you know…”
“That’s nothing to do with that!” Nino clenched his fists “He… He doesn’t think of me like that! Why the hell do they think that… I love him?? That’s ridiculous!!”
Nino’s heart throbbed erratically as if it was going to burst inside his chest, and his face turned deep red with the thought that he might love Ohno. He started to wonder what these reactions meant - the rapid beating of his heart, and the twisting of his stomach, and might be, an unexplainable excitement…?
Aiba noticed it too. He stared at Nino and asked softly.
“Don’t you think it could be?”
“No way” Nino snapped “We are just friends!”
“Does he think so too?” Aiba still insisted.
“Yes” Nino nodded stubbornly, signaling the end of this conversation.
Suddenly, a thought popped up in his mind.
Was it the reason? The reason for Ohno to avoid him these days? He was scared that Nino was affected by this rumor?
As if he cared.
Nino turned away abruptly and ran to the door. Aiba followed him. He knew where Nino was running to, but was unsure if it was a good idea to follow him.
Nino, on the other hand, didn’t care about Aiba following him or not. The sudden anger made his mind whirled and he was determined to kick Ohno for being such an idiot. How could he decide things by himself? Because of the rumor? Was he that worried about it? Was he that scared about it? If so, why didn’t he just tell me and …
And…?
Nino didn’t know what to think. Those stupid rumor always made him feel disgusted and horrible, but this one… he didn’t feel disgusted at all. Even though he hated being gossiped about, he didn’t mind if it was Ohno. It was okay, and he didn’t understand why he was feeling that way. It didn’t bother him as much as he thought he would be. All he was thinking about was if Ohno had decided to avoid him just because of that stupid rumor? Had he even thought about Nino’s feelings?
Nino himself didn’t know the answer to that question either.
Nino slammed opened the door, startling the students in the class. They stared at him and many started whispering in hushed voices to each other - but he didn’t care. He looked around the classroom, only to find Ohno looking back at him, bewildered. Nino stormed into the classroom, ignoring the stares and went to Ohno. His eyes were flaming with anger.
“Come with me”
“What?” Ohno frowned at him. He was obviously confused and clueless about Nino’s strange behaviour. “What are you…?”
“I need to talk to you” Nino cut him in mid-sentence “Come out with me”
“But… I have something that needs to be done before…” Ohno started, his eyes turned back to his table and his hands reaching for some paper, trying to look like he was doing something important.
“Stop that!” Nino snapped and grabbed Ohno’s wrist, not letting the older boy protest, and he pulled Ohno out of the classroom. The students had stopped whispering and looked at both of them curiously. There was an awkward silence but Nino ignored it. He tugged Ohno’s hand and Ohno followed him quietly.
Nino pulled Ohno up the stairs. He opened the door leading to the terrace more forcefully than he intended to, and the door crashed against the wall, producing a loud bang. When they reached the middle of the terrace, Nino stopped. Ohno apparently didn’t know why Nino was so angry, so he kept silent and waited for Nino to explain.
When he had calmed down a little, Nino began speaking in a soft voice.
“So that’s why you’ve been avoiding me these days?”
“What?” Ohno looked up and stared at Nino from behind. He bit his lip nervously “Wh-what do you mean?”
“The rumor.” Nino turned back to look at Ohno in the eye. There was no more anger in Nino’s eyes, but they were replaced by sadness and tiredness. Ohno felt his heart tightened. “Are you worried about that?”
“I…” Ohno sputtered “… I don’t know, Nino. I think … it’s better for you”
“What the hell is better for me?” Nino snapped. He wanted to punch Ohno, but at the same time, also to hug him tightly and tell him that he couldn never feel better when Ohno was not around. But instead, he stood rooted to the ground; his eyes never left Ohno’s, demanding the other to say something.
“To not get involved with me” Ohno finally said in a low voice, and he immediately regretted his words when he saw the hurt in Nino’s eyes. “I mean… You don’t want to be rumored like that, do you? It’s cruel, and annoying. You’re not like me. I can stand all of it because I know who I am, and I want to fight. But you… You’re not … gay. You can’t …”
“Why do you think I can’t?” Nino cut him off “What if I can?”
“Can… what?” Ohno was confused.
“Stand it” Nino raised his eyebrows, his lips curving into a slight smile “I don’t mind being rumored with you. It’s something that we all know it’s wrong. Why are you so worried? It can’t hurt me”. Not when you’re beside me, Nino added but he didn’t say it out loud. He stared at Ohno, who was staring back at him with mixed emotions in his eyes. He couldn’t tell if Ohno was relieved or hurt or worried or anything. He just looked at him with his usual expressionless face, and it made Nino smile.
“Come on, Ohchan, stop being so anxious” Nino walked closer to Ohno “It’s boring when you spend all your time on those assignments and trying to avoid me whenever you can. It’s awkward, and I hate it.”
“… I don’t like it either” Ohno admitted. “I just thought it’s the best thing I could do for you”
“The best thing you could do for me,” Nino grinned, “is coming here with me everyday at lunchtime. Here’s much happier than staying at your noisy classroom and doing homework alone, with those cold-hearted classmates talking bad about you behind your back!”
Ohno chuckled. That was absolutely true. “Okay,” he mumbled. “Sorry, Nino.”
Nino didn’t reply, but held onto Ohno’s hand and squeezed it tightly. Then, as the mood between them lightened, Nino lay on his back and looked up at the sky. For the first time that week, he felt that the weight on his chest was finally lifted. It felt so nice to have Ohno back with him again, spending time together and enjoy each other’s company. It was only at this time that Nino realized how much he loved this.
“Ne, are you hungry, Ohchan? Because I’m starving.”
Ohno lay down as well and turned to Nino.
“I have a bentou. But it’s in the classroom.” He shrugged, “You dragged me out so sudden…”
“…It’s because of you!” Nino glanced at the older boy, “you should at least make it up to me. Go downstairs and bring it up here.” He gave Ohno a nudge with his elbows.
“I’m not your servant,” Ohno pouted, but he stood up and gently kicked Nino’s leg with a big smile on his face “You’re mean.”
Nino grinned. The pout on Ohno’s face was priceless. Nino decided that he should be a little meaner the next time round.
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