Surprise!
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'Soubi,'
Ritsuka texted out the name as he soaked in the tub. His pores swollen with water, his mind swollen with thoughts.
'Don't pick me up tomorrow.'
He was referring to Soubi's daily venture to the front gates of his school. The rejection would leave the man sulking a better part of the day, no doubt. But not the whole day. Ritsuka was going to make sure of that.
His cell phone beeped mechanically, bee bee. He clicked to the directory, first entry. Soubi. Select.
0928Soubi
0928.
"My birthday", Soubi had supplied when Ritsuka questioned about the numbers. Ritsuka had smiled inwardly then. Thinking.
Send.
x
Beebeebee.
Soubi grappled the phone in his pocket.
One new message. Ritsuka.
He flipped open the phone, reading the words on the screen. His wishes that that message would read: 'Come see me.' died when he saw the text was the complete opposite.
He sighed. Threw his sketch book off his lap and wiped away shriveled bits of rubber, eraser shavings. "Ritsuka.." Soubi spoke the name he loved. The name, Ritsuka, sent his stomach crashing into his heart, adrenaline beating through him. Memories racing through his mind. Memories of one he was never going to forget.
Bee. Click. His slender fingers danced over the worn down keys. Each one clicking in irritation.
'Is that an order?'
Send.
"No.." Soubi reached his finger out before the message went through.
The phone warned:
End. Delivery failed.
"Should I call? I would rather speak with him. Hear his voice." Soubi pondered his options. He thought better of it.
Send.
He sent the text, 'Is that an order?'
Soubi slipped the phone back into his pocket. Twenty seconds passed. He slipped it back out. Held the phone in his hand. "Foolish." He murmured.
30 seconds passed.
The phone lit up. Beebeebeebeebee.
Too many rings. "A call?"
Call from: Ritsuka.
Call accepted.
"Yes stupid! Don't come!" Ritsuka's high voice traveled through his phone receiver. Soubi smiled.
"Hello Ritsuka." He greeted, even though the conversation had already seemingly begun.
Ritsuka paused. He breathed out, the stream of air echoing through the silent line with static clinging to it. "H-hello, Soubi." Ritsuka paused again. Soubi heard the slosh of water. The sound of when, a certain, age twelve child readjusts his sender frame in a bathtub filled with water and suds.
"Ritsuka is bathing." Soubi pointed out. Then sucked in his breath, he had meant to tease but, 'Did that bother him?'
"Mmn." Ritsuka responded quietly. Soubi breathed out, he could see the blush forming on Ritsuka's cheeks through the phone.
"You don't want me to pick you up tomorrow?" Soubi confirmed, regretting to bring back the main topic but itching to change the boy's mind.
"Don't come." Ritsuka ordered, not sounding impatient and flustered as usual.
"Understood." Soubi said, not hesitating at all. He wished Ritsuka would take it back. Beg him to come, to spend more time together.
The line died.
Soubi sighed, "I guess he had nothing else to say.." Soubi flipped the phone shut and stared at it for a moment. He opened it back up.
'Ritsuka, I love you. Goodnight.'
Contacts: Ritsuka. Send.
x
Ritsuka itched in his seat all day at school. He wanted to leave. He wanted to leave.
"What's wrong Ritsuka?" Yuiko asked during lunch. "You seem impatient for something."
'Her intuitive side comes through at the worst moments', Ritsuka thought. "Nothing.." He mumbled, then shoved his mouth with food to avoid further questioning.
He kept flipping open his phone. Staring at the date on the display screen.
9/28.
He waited.
Riiing.
The final bell sounded throughout school and Ritsuka's heart leaped. 'He will be so excited! So surprised. ..I want to see his smile..!'
All rise. Bow. Dismissed.
He raced out of school shouting a "See you!" to Yuiko.
x
Soubi had a rare afternoon class. It started a few minutes after Ritsuka let out of school and, much to Kio's dismay, he generally skipped the twice a month class when it was scheduled at that time.
'I have one last class today, you don't want me to come see you?'
Soubi solemnly texted Ritsuka, hoping he wasn't overstepping his boundaries. Soubi slipped the phone back into his pocket and headed down the hallway.
BrrBrrBrr.
Opening his phone, Soubi frowned.
'Good. Just go home after.'
He sighed.
As he walked into class he expected to be attacked immediately. Attacked by ways of a hug. But Soubi strolled to the back of class completely unnoticed, save the adoring looks from a few girls that always seemed to be just outside his line of vision.
Soubi let out a light sigh as he set up his canvas, a bit bothered that his friend hadn't come to class nor warned him of his absence. Kio had attended all the earlier classes. But of course he wouldn't bother to tell Soubi that he wasn't coming to a class Soubi never came to.
His teacher walked over to Soubi as he was patrolling the un-started class. "I see you decided to attend today, Agatsuma."
Soubi replied yes without any guilt in his voice. The teacher was an elderly gentleman, very kind to other teachers and students alike. He graded rather fairly, and was a good artist himself. Soubi didn't mind the man, though he doled him little attention.
"Happy Birthday, Agatsuma."
"Yes, thank you." He replied automatically. The teacher walked away. Soubi's thoughts registered late. 'Wait.. what? What had he said?' He sighed and went back to his work. Soubi didn't particularly care for birthdays. He didn't see much reason for celebrating his birth.
So he cast it out of his mind and concentrated on the project.
x
Ritsuka, Youji and Natsuo were happily attacking Soubi's apartment with streamers and balloons as Kio sat by, 'supervising.' Ritsuka figured the only thing he was supervising was the beer in his hand.
x
Class Dismissed.
Soubi packed up his things and headed home, unsure of what else he could possibly do with Ritsuka's orders on hand. Maybe he should just go see him anyway. He had tried to contact Kio but Kio wouldn't pick up his phone.
In the end he decided to walk home and figure matters out later. Maybe take a nap or bathe.
He trudged up the rusty steps and pulled the door open. From inside his house erupted with,
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"Surprise!" Kio, Youji, Natsuo, and Ritsuka yelled.
Ritsuka ran forward and,
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Soubi was encased in a small hug. His face softened and he looked down,
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Soubi's face smiling down at him was something Ritsuka couldn't help but love.
"Happy Birthday, Soubi."
x
The words were sweet and Soubi knew he liked his birthday a lot more now.
'Happy Birthday, Soubi.'