Distance Brings You Closer Chapter 2
Title: Distance Brings You Closer (Chapter 2/?)
Author: yukinonamida
Genre: AU, Drama, Angst, Romance, Friendship
Pairing: Nishikato
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ryo and Shige were the best of friends until different stresses got to them and they began to grow apart. Ryo's constant verbal abuse to Shige only increases the distance between them, as Shige starts to fear what Ryo might do to him. Different feelings begin to surface but is their once strong bond already destroyed beyond repair?
A/N: Thank you all for the support on the first chapter, hopefully I won't let you down. This chap is dedicated to all those who recommended sad songs to me <3 I'm listening to them and they help with the angst.
Previous Chapters:
( Chapter 1 )
Chapter 2: Transfer
November 21, 2008
I've never felt this empty before in my life. The clock just struck 1 and I only finished my work about five minutes ago, and I've been working since 7:30 this morning. I can feel the tension and frustration throughout my whole body, and I can't help but wonder...will I be like this the rest of my life? I mean..if this is what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life, then what's the point? I haven't hung out with any of my friends in a while. And you don't understand..my friends used to be EVERYTHING to me. I've seen them around, but it's not like it used to be, back when we were all in college, and didn't have to worry about jobs or bastard bosses or shit like that. I never realized then how grateful I should've been to be young and without worries.
It feels like I'm losing Shige. Just thinking about it makes me even angrier, but most of all it makes my heart feel like it was stepped on. Especially because I KNOW it is mostly my fault that our friendship is breaking apart and that the pieces are falling to places out of my reach. I was a jerk today but it seems like no matter what, I can't control my frustrations when I'm around Shige. It's like they all surface when I look at him. I can't explain it.
If I don't have my friends...then who am I? You know what? I don't want to think about it anymore. I just want to go to sleep and hope that tomorrow things will be better. Even though I know they won't be, hoping is the only thing I can do at this point. Useless wishes and unheard grievances are slowly becoming the only things I have left.
~~~
For the next week, Ryo didn't see or speak to Shige once. He went through work as if on auto-pilot, writing, calculating, paying bills, etc. As for Shige, he figured that after a few days, Ryo might miss him and suggest going out one night. But that didn't happen.
"Nishikido-san!!"
Ryo was shaken out of his daze when he heard his boss's harsh voice calling for him.
He stumbled out of his office chair and cubicle and straightened himself up before walking into his boss's office, acknowledging him with a respectful bow.
"Sir, you called for me?" Ryo asked, following his boss's motion to sit down.
"Yes. You've been doing a hell of a good job lately. Because of this, I've decided to transfer you to the sales department."
Ryo looked at him with a questioning look. "But, sir, that's where I used to work before I got this promotion."
"Wow, you are as smart as I thought you were. That's right!" His boss said, clapping his hands mockingly.
Ryo wanted to lash out at him for having the nerve to mock him, but decided that a lawsuit was the last thing he needed, so he collected himself enough to speak calmly."You're demoting me?"
His boss frowned as if he was insulted. "No, of course not. I'm making you the head of the department. Meaning, you'll handle what goes on there, and you'll be responsible for everything. Sound good?"
Ryo's eyes widened. "Wow, thank you, sir. When do I start?"
"Today."
~~~
On his walk to the sales department, it somehow never ocurred to him that Shige was still working there. That is, until he saw Shige, sitting in his cubicle, flipping through a mess of paper and typing on the computer. Ryo was not happy to see him though...he felt nothing. He was utterly indifferent...as if they were strangers.
When all the employees gathered in the conference room, Shige attempted to approach Ryo and ask him why he was there, but was pushed aside by a bunch of aggravated employees who never liked to leave their cubicles. He stood back up, brushed off his suit and stood behind a vacant chair.
"Attention everyone! I'm sure you're all aware that Nashizawa-san, the previous head of this department quit this morning. Well, this is the new head. He's very experienced, and I expect you all to show him the respect he deserves." The big boss said firmly.
"Hai!" everyone responded obediently.
~~~
After the meeting was over, Shige wanted to meet up with Ryo.
"Na, Ryo-chan!" he called from behind.
Ryo looked back and stopped, saying goodbye to his boss who looked at Shige like a pest that needed to be rid of.
"What?" Ryo said bluntly as he faced Shige.
The boldness of his rude response seemed to wipe away any words he had once wanted to say to his best friend.
"By the way, since I'm your boss now, you should stop calling me like your friend."
Shige felt his heart sink. "But...but I am your friend." he said lowly.
"This is work. There are no friendships, just bosses and employees." Ryo retorted.
"What is wrong with you? Do you really want nothing to do with me? What the hell did I do?" Shige spurted out impulsively.
"This isn't the place for this. I just mean that it wouldn't be professional for an employee to call his boss by his first name."
"Friendships don't just end when we step into this building. Are you mad at me or something?"
"I'm not mad at you. I'm just doing my job. If anything is going to run right around here, I have to act like a boss, and put personal feelings aside. That's it."
"Fine." Shige stated quickly as he turned to walk towards the door.
"What did you want to tell me anyway?" Ryo asked before he reached the door.
Shige paused and looked at Ryo over his shoulder. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your promotion and offer to treat you to dinner to celebrate. I understand though, sorry to bother you Nishikido-san."
He shut the door behind him and Ryo was left alone in the room. Shige's response made his heart wrench with guilt and regret. What am I supposed to say, Shige...I can't treat you differently than the other employees. I'm just doing my job.
~~~
At the end of the day, Ryo was looking over the assignments the employees of the department had handed in.
Shige was packing up to go home when a message popped up on his still powered screen.
Kato-san, please come into my office. I need to speak with you.
It was from Ryo. Shige thought he might want to apologize and dropped the papers he was holding on his desk, and rushed to Ryo's office. He opened the door and peeked in.
"Come in." Ryo said firmly.
Shige walked in and saw that Ryo had his assignment on his desk.
"What the hell is this?" Ryo asked harshly.
"E-Excuse me?" Shige stammered.
"You heard me. What is this?" he repeated.
"My assignment." Shige replied as if it was obvious.
"Do it over." Ryo ordered.
"Huh? That took me all week to finish."
"I don't care. It's a piece of shit. Do it over by tomorrow."
"I can't finish that by tomorrow! You know how much work that is?"
"Oh, so you'd rather be fired. Fine." Ryo said as he ripped it in half.
Shige's eyes widened in fear as he saw his hard work ripped carelessly into shreds of paper. "Wh-.."
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
"What the hell did you do that for?" Shige yelled.
"What's the point in keeping it? Do it over by tomorrow or be fired. You pick."
"You would fire me just like that, without any feeling at all?" Shige said, hurt as he looked at the monster his best friend was becoming.
"I told you...personal feelings have no place in this job. If you're bringing the company down, it's my job to get rid of you."
"What is wrong with you? I don't see you threatening anyone else. Yet you pick on ME, your best friend of all people."
"Just because you suck, you think everyone else automatically sucks too? Mm..sorry, it doesn't work that way." Ryo smirked cruelly.
Each one of Ryo's harsh words cut like a knife, and Shige had to bite back the tears.
"What happened to you, Ryo-chan..." Shige choked out, staring painfully at him.
Ryo saw how Shige was reacting and his voice softened slightly. "Things change, Shige...that's all I can say. People change, feelings change and circumstances change. I'm the head of this department. I can't fool around like we used to. If you do something wrong, I have to tell you. What are you not understanding about that?" Ryo's heart squeezed as he saw a tear escape Shige's fearful eyes.
Shige wiped away the tear with the side of his index finger and remained silent.
"I need that assignment on my desk by the end of tomorrow." Ryo said as he went back to correcting someone else's assignment.
"If that's how you feel, I understand. I guess we should take a break from being friends for a while then. See you tomorrow, Nishikido-san." Shige mumbled as he wiped another tear and left the room.
Ryo stopped writing and looked up at the shut door. He felt his chest tighten into a knot and exhaled sharply. He sniffled and rubbed the tears out of his eyes before returning to his work.
~~~
That night, 2AM
Shige yawned and sipped the rest of his 3rd cup of coffee. He was still at his desk and had been working since he came back from Ryo's office. He had a stress headache unlike any he'd ever had before, and began to shake slightly from lack of sleep and the caffeine. He realized that he hadn't eaten that night either. He didn't have enough time. If he was going to finish it by tomorrow, he had to stay up all night.
~~~
3:30AM
Shige leaned back in his office chair, stretching. His body was stiff and his emotions were on the edge. He was barely halfway done, but needed to take his mind off of it for a second. For a moment, he looked for any source of comfort and stopped as he eyed the green journal in his bag. He took it out and opened to a fresh page.
November 27, 2008
It's 3:34AM right now and I'm still sitting at my desk. I'm trying so hard to do this over by tomorrow. I really can't get fired...I have my student loans to pay off from college. I'm tired, upset, frustrated, hungry and I don't feel well at all. It's like the headache is spreading pain all over my body. I just want to go home.
Today...Ryo-chan, or should I say Nishikido-san, was a real jerk to me. I just wanted to congratulate him(he got promoted to the head of my department) but he just pushed me away, emotionless, and told me that we were no longer friends when we were in work. What is that supposed to mean? Then, I was called into his office and he ripped up my work right in front of me, as if he was unaffected by the whole ordeal. Why is he acting like this? He keeps saying it's because of work, but I don't believe that. I think I'm tired of trying...if this friendship doesn't mean anything to him, than so be it. I told him today that we should take a break from being friends and guess what he said? NOTHING. He continued criticizing someone else's hard work and never said anything afterwards. If your friend said that to you, wouldn't you try to do something to fix whatever you had done? I don't understand him...I don't understand how someone could change so fast...how a friendship could be destroyed so quickly and without any feelings of regret or guilt..
I don't know where you are, Ryo-chan, but you are no longer with me, I guess. You were replaced by the cold Nishikido-san. However, somehow I believe my best friend still resides somewhere deep inside you. And until he comes back to me, I can't be your friend...not if you are going to treat me like that. It hurts too much...the pain of losing you is the hardest thing I've ever had to bear.
Before I say my final goodbyes to Ryo-chan...I need to confess something. Back in July, for my birthday, he threw me a surprise party. Tears began to drench the page as the memories came back to him. He shut his eyes for a moment and sniffled, wiping his tears away before writing again. I had told him in passing that I had always wished for a surprise party for my birthday, but I never thought anyone would throw one for me. After that, I never mentioned it again except for little things I wished I would happen there. I was a little obsessed with the idea, I guess you could say. On my birthday. I stepped into the restaurant we arranged to meet at and all of a sudden, streamers popped out and all my closest friends yelled "Surprise!" with Ryo-chan leading the way. I looked around, and everything I had mentioned was there, in plain sight. He had remembered everything, and not only that, he made it a reality. He walked up to me with this goofy party hat on sideways and threw his arms around me, saying "Happy Birthday, Shige. I hope this is what you wanted." I was in shock and I remember I started to cry, right there. I get very emotional sometimes. The whole night, Ryo-chan made sure everything was how I wanted it. I was touched beyond words, and it was then that my heart began to beat a different way. It was then that I began to look at him in a different light.
That was the night I fell in love with Ryo-chan. But I can never..ever tell him that. And it doesn't even matter now...because now, that boy, my best friend..is gone.
End of Chapter 2.
A/N: So DARK X_X. Jeez. You can thank SG Wannabe for that last part. :( Hope you all like it.
Comments are love! As always<3
Author: yukinonamida
Genre: AU, Drama, Angst, Romance, Friendship
Pairing: Nishikato
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ryo and Shige were the best of friends until different stresses got to them and they began to grow apart. Ryo's constant verbal abuse to Shige only increases the distance between them, as Shige starts to fear what Ryo might do to him. Different feelings begin to surface but is their once strong bond already destroyed beyond repair?
A/N: Thank you all for the support on the first chapter, hopefully I won't let you down. This chap is dedicated to all those who recommended sad songs to me <3 I'm listening to them and they help with the angst.
Previous Chapters:
( Chapter 1 )
Chapter 2: Transfer
November 21, 2008
I've never felt this empty before in my life. The clock just struck 1 and I only finished my work about five minutes ago, and I've been working since 7:30 this morning. I can feel the tension and frustration throughout my whole body, and I can't help but wonder...will I be like this the rest of my life? I mean..if this is what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life, then what's the point? I haven't hung out with any of my friends in a while. And you don't understand..my friends used to be EVERYTHING to me. I've seen them around, but it's not like it used to be, back when we were all in college, and didn't have to worry about jobs or bastard bosses or shit like that. I never realized then how grateful I should've been to be young and without worries.
It feels like I'm losing Shige. Just thinking about it makes me even angrier, but most of all it makes my heart feel like it was stepped on. Especially because I KNOW it is mostly my fault that our friendship is breaking apart and that the pieces are falling to places out of my reach. I was a jerk today but it seems like no matter what, I can't control my frustrations when I'm around Shige. It's like they all surface when I look at him. I can't explain it.
If I don't have my friends...then who am I? You know what? I don't want to think about it anymore. I just want to go to sleep and hope that tomorrow things will be better. Even though I know they won't be, hoping is the only thing I can do at this point. Useless wishes and unheard grievances are slowly becoming the only things I have left.
~~~
For the next week, Ryo didn't see or speak to Shige once. He went through work as if on auto-pilot, writing, calculating, paying bills, etc. As for Shige, he figured that after a few days, Ryo might miss him and suggest going out one night. But that didn't happen.
"Nishikido-san!!"
Ryo was shaken out of his daze when he heard his boss's harsh voice calling for him.
He stumbled out of his office chair and cubicle and straightened himself up before walking into his boss's office, acknowledging him with a respectful bow.
"Sir, you called for me?" Ryo asked, following his boss's motion to sit down.
"Yes. You've been doing a hell of a good job lately. Because of this, I've decided to transfer you to the sales department."
Ryo looked at him with a questioning look. "But, sir, that's where I used to work before I got this promotion."
"Wow, you are as smart as I thought you were. That's right!" His boss said, clapping his hands mockingly.
Ryo wanted to lash out at him for having the nerve to mock him, but decided that a lawsuit was the last thing he needed, so he collected himself enough to speak calmly."You're demoting me?"
His boss frowned as if he was insulted. "No, of course not. I'm making you the head of the department. Meaning, you'll handle what goes on there, and you'll be responsible for everything. Sound good?"
Ryo's eyes widened. "Wow, thank you, sir. When do I start?"
"Today."
~~~
On his walk to the sales department, it somehow never ocurred to him that Shige was still working there. That is, until he saw Shige, sitting in his cubicle, flipping through a mess of paper and typing on the computer. Ryo was not happy to see him though...he felt nothing. He was utterly indifferent...as if they were strangers.
When all the employees gathered in the conference room, Shige attempted to approach Ryo and ask him why he was there, but was pushed aside by a bunch of aggravated employees who never liked to leave their cubicles. He stood back up, brushed off his suit and stood behind a vacant chair.
"Attention everyone! I'm sure you're all aware that Nashizawa-san, the previous head of this department quit this morning. Well, this is the new head. He's very experienced, and I expect you all to show him the respect he deserves." The big boss said firmly.
"Hai!" everyone responded obediently.
~~~
After the meeting was over, Shige wanted to meet up with Ryo.
"Na, Ryo-chan!" he called from behind.
Ryo looked back and stopped, saying goodbye to his boss who looked at Shige like a pest that needed to be rid of.
"What?" Ryo said bluntly as he faced Shige.
The boldness of his rude response seemed to wipe away any words he had once wanted to say to his best friend.
"By the way, since I'm your boss now, you should stop calling me like your friend."
Shige felt his heart sink. "But...but I am your friend." he said lowly.
"This is work. There are no friendships, just bosses and employees." Ryo retorted.
"What is wrong with you? Do you really want nothing to do with me? What the hell did I do?" Shige spurted out impulsively.
"This isn't the place for this. I just mean that it wouldn't be professional for an employee to call his boss by his first name."
"Friendships don't just end when we step into this building. Are you mad at me or something?"
"I'm not mad at you. I'm just doing my job. If anything is going to run right around here, I have to act like a boss, and put personal feelings aside. That's it."
"Fine." Shige stated quickly as he turned to walk towards the door.
"What did you want to tell me anyway?" Ryo asked before he reached the door.
Shige paused and looked at Ryo over his shoulder. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your promotion and offer to treat you to dinner to celebrate. I understand though, sorry to bother you Nishikido-san."
He shut the door behind him and Ryo was left alone in the room. Shige's response made his heart wrench with guilt and regret. What am I supposed to say, Shige...I can't treat you differently than the other employees. I'm just doing my job.
~~~
At the end of the day, Ryo was looking over the assignments the employees of the department had handed in.
Shige was packing up to go home when a message popped up on his still powered screen.
Kato-san, please come into my office. I need to speak with you.
It was from Ryo. Shige thought he might want to apologize and dropped the papers he was holding on his desk, and rushed to Ryo's office. He opened the door and peeked in.
"Come in." Ryo said firmly.
Shige walked in and saw that Ryo had his assignment on his desk.
"What the hell is this?" Ryo asked harshly.
"E-Excuse me?" Shige stammered.
"You heard me. What is this?" he repeated.
"My assignment." Shige replied as if it was obvious.
"Do it over." Ryo ordered.
"Huh? That took me all week to finish."
"I don't care. It's a piece of shit. Do it over by tomorrow."
"I can't finish that by tomorrow! You know how much work that is?"
"Oh, so you'd rather be fired. Fine." Ryo said as he ripped it in half.
Shige's eyes widened in fear as he saw his hard work ripped carelessly into shreds of paper. "Wh-.."
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
"What the hell did you do that for?" Shige yelled.
"What's the point in keeping it? Do it over by tomorrow or be fired. You pick."
"You would fire me just like that, without any feeling at all?" Shige said, hurt as he looked at the monster his best friend was becoming.
"I told you...personal feelings have no place in this job. If you're bringing the company down, it's my job to get rid of you."
"What is wrong with you? I don't see you threatening anyone else. Yet you pick on ME, your best friend of all people."
"Just because you suck, you think everyone else automatically sucks too? Mm..sorry, it doesn't work that way." Ryo smirked cruelly.
Each one of Ryo's harsh words cut like a knife, and Shige had to bite back the tears.
"What happened to you, Ryo-chan..." Shige choked out, staring painfully at him.
Ryo saw how Shige was reacting and his voice softened slightly. "Things change, Shige...that's all I can say. People change, feelings change and circumstances change. I'm the head of this department. I can't fool around like we used to. If you do something wrong, I have to tell you. What are you not understanding about that?" Ryo's heart squeezed as he saw a tear escape Shige's fearful eyes.
Shige wiped away the tear with the side of his index finger and remained silent.
"I need that assignment on my desk by the end of tomorrow." Ryo said as he went back to correcting someone else's assignment.
"If that's how you feel, I understand. I guess we should take a break from being friends for a while then. See you tomorrow, Nishikido-san." Shige mumbled as he wiped another tear and left the room.
Ryo stopped writing and looked up at the shut door. He felt his chest tighten into a knot and exhaled sharply. He sniffled and rubbed the tears out of his eyes before returning to his work.
~~~
That night, 2AM
Shige yawned and sipped the rest of his 3rd cup of coffee. He was still at his desk and had been working since he came back from Ryo's office. He had a stress headache unlike any he'd ever had before, and began to shake slightly from lack of sleep and the caffeine. He realized that he hadn't eaten that night either. He didn't have enough time. If he was going to finish it by tomorrow, he had to stay up all night.
~~~
3:30AM
Shige leaned back in his office chair, stretching. His body was stiff and his emotions were on the edge. He was barely halfway done, but needed to take his mind off of it for a second. For a moment, he looked for any source of comfort and stopped as he eyed the green journal in his bag. He took it out and opened to a fresh page.
November 27, 2008
It's 3:34AM right now and I'm still sitting at my desk. I'm trying so hard to do this over by tomorrow. I really can't get fired...I have my student loans to pay off from college. I'm tired, upset, frustrated, hungry and I don't feel well at all. It's like the headache is spreading pain all over my body. I just want to go home.
Today...Ryo-chan, or should I say Nishikido-san, was a real jerk to me. I just wanted to congratulate him(he got promoted to the head of my department) but he just pushed me away, emotionless, and told me that we were no longer friends when we were in work. What is that supposed to mean? Then, I was called into his office and he ripped up my work right in front of me, as if he was unaffected by the whole ordeal. Why is he acting like this? He keeps saying it's because of work, but I don't believe that. I think I'm tired of trying...if this friendship doesn't mean anything to him, than so be it. I told him today that we should take a break from being friends and guess what he said? NOTHING. He continued criticizing someone else's hard work and never said anything afterwards. If your friend said that to you, wouldn't you try to do something to fix whatever you had done? I don't understand him...I don't understand how someone could change so fast...how a friendship could be destroyed so quickly and without any feelings of regret or guilt..
I don't know where you are, Ryo-chan, but you are no longer with me, I guess. You were replaced by the cold Nishikido-san. However, somehow I believe my best friend still resides somewhere deep inside you. And until he comes back to me, I can't be your friend...not if you are going to treat me like that. It hurts too much...the pain of losing you is the hardest thing I've ever had to bear.
Before I say my final goodbyes to Ryo-chan...I need to confess something. Back in July, for my birthday, he threw me a surprise party. Tears began to drench the page as the memories came back to him. He shut his eyes for a moment and sniffled, wiping his tears away before writing again. I had told him in passing that I had always wished for a surprise party for my birthday, but I never thought anyone would throw one for me. After that, I never mentioned it again except for little things I wished I would happen there. I was a little obsessed with the idea, I guess you could say. On my birthday. I stepped into the restaurant we arranged to meet at and all of a sudden, streamers popped out and all my closest friends yelled "Surprise!" with Ryo-chan leading the way. I looked around, and everything I had mentioned was there, in plain sight. He had remembered everything, and not only that, he made it a reality. He walked up to me with this goofy party hat on sideways and threw his arms around me, saying "Happy Birthday, Shige. I hope this is what you wanted." I was in shock and I remember I started to cry, right there. I get very emotional sometimes. The whole night, Ryo-chan made sure everything was how I wanted it. I was touched beyond words, and it was then that my heart began to beat a different way. It was then that I began to look at him in a different light.
That was the night I fell in love with Ryo-chan. But I can never..ever tell him that. And it doesn't even matter now...because now, that boy, my best friend..is gone.
End of Chapter 2.
A/N: So DARK X_X. Jeez. You can thank SG Wannabe for that last part. :( Hope you all like it.
Comments are love! As always<3