Someone to Love
The Night of October the 18th
Kai Hiwatari had always expected that his life would turn out like this. For him, there had never been any doubt mind that he'd be one of those guys who's an owner of one of those big shot companies. He never doubted he would be that guy who's always busy with meetings, business trips, work in general. Really, there was nothing else Kai could see himself doing. It was the only job which seemed befitting to somebody like him. Kai would have to admit, that this life he led was one that would probably make other jealous. He had enough money to buy practically anything he wanted, and to top it all off, the women (and on rare occasions, even men) were all over him.
But he never really felt happy, never. He doesn't actually remember a time he was genuinely really happy outside of the times when he was still beyblading. He thought at first, it was just because he missed the company of his team mates, but then, he realized, it was not that. How could it ever be that? But Kai does know that it's some form of loneliness. He just can't quite place what he wants, who he wants, or why he wants someone at all to begin with.
He pours himself a glass of wine as he settles down on a chair in his hotel room, the book he pulls out, is of course business related. He doesn't really have much of a life outside of his job. He picks up the wine glass, and begins to spin it slightly, in such a way that none of the liquid spills. He looks into the glass and sees a little of his reflection. Despite himself, he sighs, and then quickly drinks all of the wine in the glass. Settling it back down on the table, he tries to begin reading his book. Though really, even for Kai, it was just such a boring book.
He was in Hong Kong, the trip was mostly business in nature, but he did have a few days off. He was quite familiar with the place now; he'd been here quite a few times after all. He sits up from his chair and looks out the large glass windows of the hotel room. The city below is still alive, bustling, busy. Kai thinks he is definitely wasting his time in this room, drinking alone. He really should just go to the nearby bar. Maybe he'd be able to somehow strike up a conversation, or maybe he even get a girl (Kai had nothing against having sexual partners, but he did never take any relationship seriously).
Kai put on his coat, black and leather, and pulled the keycard out of its place setting all lights off in his hotel room. He placed the keycard securely into his wallet, and makes sure his cell phone is in his pocket. Then he takes the elevator to the ground floor, and walks out into the cold streets of Hong Kong. The streets of this city, Kai thinks, are definitely not colder than Russia, but it was cold enough, and by enough he means, it was actually a pleasant type of cold. He takes a turn to the place where he usually crosses the street to get to that particular bar, and he hears the quick repeated beep he is so familiar with. Mumbling a curse he quickens his pace, dashing across the pedestrian lane, because he knows that when the beeping is like that, the light for the cars would soon turn green, and the one for the pedestrians, red. Then he would have to wait another five minutes or so, and really, Kai didn't want that. He really didn't like walking fast, and he really hated running. Kai always thinks he looks like a
moron when he does, thankfully, there are a lot of them walking quickly on the lane, and he feels a bit better. Soon he is on the other side, and then he begins walking again, just a turn around the bend, and he's there.
It's not one of those disco, dancing type of bars, sort of more, how does one say, sophisticated? It was those kinds which had a piano playing all the time, where there'd be a woman singing, sitting on a high stool, wearing a cocktail dress. This was the kind of places where business men would spend lonely nights in, this was the kind of place people with money spent lonely nights in… Kai knows although he's still young (just barely into his early twenties even), he certainly is already seems like one of those old lonely rich men, wanting to take a wife, buying love with money. But he only seems like it, that's not what he wants at all, in fact, despite his family's insistence; he doesn't really want to take a wife at the moment. Not that Kai had anything against women in general, but there's not a woman he knows well who's always tolerable.
Into the bar he goes, he glances over to the tables, but thinks to sit in the bar instead, tables invited company, usually, the kind that you'd rather not have. The bar tender looks at him with familiarity, and immediately knows what to do when Kai tells him, "The usual…". Sighing, Kai props his head with his arm, his cheek pressing lightly against his palm. When the bar tender gives him his drink, he holds it with his free hand, spinning it slowly, staring at his tiny reflection, taking a sip from it once in a while. In truth, Kai still didn't know what he wanted, and he knows that he probably came here to think about that. Yet now that he thinks about it, nothing comes to him. It's an annoying little dilemma this weird loneliness of Kai's…
"Well isn't this a wonderful surprise… Is that you Kai?" at first, Kai is startled, the voice is familiar but he can't exactly put his finger on who it is. He keeps his expression indifferent as he turns his head slowly. There behind him, with an amused grin on his face was his old teammate, Rei Kon.
"Rei" Kai says flatly, he had to admit he was surprised to see him, but it did make a lot of sense when think about why Rei of all people would be in Hong Kong.
"Long time no see…" says Rei walking over to take a seat next to Kai
"What'll ya' have?" the bar tender asks Rei
"Whatever he's having…" he says with a little point to Kai
"Right away…" and the bar tender does his work
"Imagine seeing you here!" Rei says with a laugh, patting Kai's back lightly "…I thought you'd be in Russia, or Japan, or somethin'…"
Kai sips from his drink "Business trip…" he's now holding his drink with both hands, sitting a tad bit straighter than before, you could suppose this was his, 'conversation mode'
"I see… Always thought you'd be doing somethin' like that… Business…" Rei says, and then the bar tender places his drink in front of him "Thanks"
"What're you doing here then…" Kai asks, his voice almost like a whisper
"Ah well… Just going about, restaurant to restaurant, learning different types of coking styles, familiarizing with all sorts of cuisines…" Rei is almost musing
Kai had always though Rei would eventually become a cook. It had always been the thing he was good at aside from beyblading. Though Kai would have to admit he did half expect Rei would become the head of his village.
"Your village?" Kai asks
"Mmmnh… Its fine, I send money once in a while…" suddenly he laughs "Lee's a little upset with me, I'm always away…"
"Why are you always away…" there were many things Kai understood about Rei, this part he didn't, he loved his village so much, but he never really could stay put. He could only stay for so long…
Rei sighs then he sips from his drink, for a moment he still doesn't answer. Kai opens his mouth, he tries to repeat the question, but decides against it, as the other man just seems to be thinking of an appropriate answer. His expression was thoughtful, and the tip of his index finger was circling the rim of his glass, and his head was lying on his arm as he looked up to his circling finger.
"Ah… Why am I always away…" Rei mutters "…maybe it's because, I don't want to be given the responsibility as the village head… maybe it just doesn't feel right not traveling…" he sighs then sits in a way similar to Kai "… or maybe I just don't know what to do with my life… I don't know what I want to do really… But it must be something… maybe I'm just looking for what everyone else is…"
Kai doesn't bother asking what it is that everyone's looking for in Rei's point of view, at least not now. He seemed to be lost in his old world at the moment, and Kai would rather just wait for the guy to get back to reality.
"All in all…" says Rei "…I've actually been doing great… You?"
Kai sips from his drink and nods slightly "Fine…"
Rei laughs "Don't give me that… I watch the news you know… Your really one of the big shots now…"
"Then why are you asking…"
"Ahaha… That is just like you…"
And they are both quiet for a while, Rei takes a big sip from his drink and then looks at Kai.
"So…" Rei says after a while
Kai sips from his drink, waiting for Rei to continue, when he doesn't Kai says, "So?"
"Uh… Been seeing anyone lately?" Rei asks, almost convincingly nonchalant, he knows Kai might not like talking about his relationships. Rei couldn't think of anything else to talk about though, it was like he was being conspired to enter such an uncomfortable issue.
"No one in particular…"
"Hmmnh… I'd thought you'd be engaged by now…"
"If I remember correctly, it was you who was always a bit better with women…"
Rei laughs "Oh, I dunno about that… Lately girls tend to assume that I'm….. Never mind…" Rei messes up his hair a bit, and takes another big sip from his drink
Kai arched an eyebrow and looked cynically at Rei. "They tend to assume you're what…"
Rei wishes that this would not have been the time Kai chose to be curious… "Well they tend to think I'm… well…" Rei hesitates, but he sees Kai looking at him intently "..uh… they tend to think I'm.. you know… gay…"
"…Why…"
"Ugh! Just look at me!" Rei twists his chair in such a way that his whole body is facing Kai. Kai looks at him from head to toe. Certainly Rei had his feminine features; he had always had his feminine features. He was always the most mild-mannered on in their team, he had long slightly spiky, yet still soft looking hair (which right now was let out, bounded by nothing, tied by nothing). Rei was also always the one with the gentlest face, and he did have more of a feminine curve than the rest of them but… Rei was also buffed, though his built was only slight now, he still had a better build than most guys, and Kai just knew he was really way stronger than most guys. Rei also had the tendency to look scary sometimes. He was actually very manly… But if this is how Rei went around these days, Kai thought, then he's not surprised that's what girls think.
"Maybe it's the jacket…"
Rei blinks a few times, then suddenly laughs hysterically "Oh god… I didn't know you could actually make a joke Kai…"
Kai narrowed his eyes, annoyance radiating from his expression.
"I'm sorry… I was just surprised…" Rei takes a moment to examine himself "…Could be the jacket…"
"I had a girlfriend who had one of those…" Rei blinks again, and before he even begins to laugh Kai quickly adds "… and that was not a joke"
Rei laughs a little despite that "Problem is, I've been dumped because of this jacket…" he laughs again "Maybe they don't like going out with guys who are prettier than them?"
Kai almost rolled his eyes, but he just looked away.
Suddenly he hears Rei take a big gulp of his drink, and he sets down the glass noisily, another bang is heard, and Kai thinks it's just Rei putting down his payment. Kai hears shuffling, and when he turns his head he can see Rei has stood up.
"Wanna go for a walk?" he says grinning
Kai shrugs and gulps down what remains of his drink. He places his payment down next to his empty glass and stands from his seat. Rei begins to walk ahead of him and not too long after, they are both outside.
"Where's your hotel?" asks Rei
"Ah… it's just nearby…"
"That's too bad, I was looking forward to a long walk" Rei says with a laugh "I suppose you need your rest though…"
"Yeah…" was all Kai could say, well, he was sleepy…
"Ah!" Rei reaches out one of his hands "gimme your phone for a sec…"
Kai reaches into his pocket and hands the said phone to Rei. There was never anything he didn't want anyone to see in that phone. Rei pressed a few buttons and after a while…
"There!" Rei reaches out both of his hands, Kai's cell phone they held. Rei looked like a high school girl frankly… Maybe this was why women think he's…
"Ah… Thanks?"
"I just put my number in there… you can call me whenever you feel like talking…"
"….whenever I fell like talking?"
Rei laughed "I know you're not the kind of person who ever feels like talking… But… Everyone has their lonely nights…" He snickered "That's why you ended up there in this today right?" Rei looks at Kai with a slight smile on his face "I'm the same…"
Kai just looks at him then looks away, so really, everyone does have their lonely nights. He's not the only one who's lonely. The two of them walk all the way back to Kai's hotel in silence, though Rei did manage to laugh at Kai while he was walking fast in the pedestrian lane. He commented how it was unlike him, Kai just glared at him. Rei just laughed at that too.
"How long are you going to be here?" Rei asks as they neared Kai's hotel
"Two weeks… more or less…" Kai replies
"I see…" Kai had expected more than that for an answer, so he was surprised that nothing followed
"Well…" Kai stops walking abruptly "… here we are…"
"Ok then…" Rei begins to walk backwards, as he is about to turn, he raises an arm in a wave and says "Nice talking to you again, see you around!" and then he begins to walk of, leaving Kai in the hotels entrance, Rei is barely made two stpes when Kai suddenly says
"Wait" he says firmly
"Hmmh?" Rei turns his head to look
"What did you mean earlier…"
"Huh?"
"What is everyone looking for…"
"Why aren't I surprised?..." Rei laughs briefly
Kai narrows his eyes
"Ok, ok…" Rei chuckles "…well, what else could people be looking for, there's really only one reason why there are so many people who are lonely… It's the hardest thing to look for, and yet every one is looking for it… Isn't that strange?" Kai nods and looks at Rei expectantly. Rei closes his eyes, and his mouth curls into a smile "Everyone is just looking for someone to love…"
……………………………
(a/n: I don't really know if there's a bar in Hong Kong that's like that… Well anyway there are two inspirations for this fic: 1) My trip to Hong Kong last month, and 2) The song 'Someone to Love' by Fountains of Wayne……… Anyway, I'll update this once I finish 'Cinderella' so consider this a sort of preview for yet another KaiRei fic xD (of course in reality it's the first chapter, ahahaha! Ok that wasn't funny…))
BTW: If there's any typos or grammatical errors, ignore them for now, I'll correct them later…