Author notes: Very recent to Hana Kimi manga and Jdorama. Fell in love with Umeda-sensei at first sight. Rather unwise of me since he is not even close to a protagonist and as such, his time on the spotlight is truly truly damn short. I wish there was more info on him, more focus on his story and a little bit more character development regarding related-characters like Akiha and Ryoichi. Well, I suppose that's what fics are for.
Story: 1 of 3 chapters long. Focus on Umeda Hokuto.
Summary: Umeda Hokuto is tired of having most aspects of his life controled by others. Even if others only mean well. It is rather unfortunate that when something serious does occur to the doctor, he decides to keep it to himself.
"The devil only knew why Hokuto's sister and that moron photographer cared about such absurd things, like a stupid illness, anyway..."
Disclaimer: Respectful of rights. This is fictional work with no lucrative purposes.
Work Reasons as Excuse
Chapter One
Umeda Hokuto took the time to throw away the reddish-stained Kleenex before returning the phone receiver back to his ear.
"I said you must and will go, Hokuto, I didn't actually ask you whether you wanted to go or not"
Umeda Io's voice through the phone was perfectly audible for anyone who stood inside the Infirmary room.
He knew (instincts are basic responses after all) to fear that tone of voice. The doctor also knew when he was being manipulated against his will. Again.
"I think you have obviated the fact that this is about me not being able to go for work reasons, you damn woman"
Umeda Hokuto handing out chilly negatives was as usual as the sun rising, the sun setting, the water flowing and Ohsaka students being caught up in some other impossible absurdity every once in a while.
However, the man putting his foot down and denying anything to his sister-general personal dictator…that was rare.
It made Mizuki, Nakatsu and Akiha frown and exchange wary glances, while they remained silent and unnoticed at the Infirmary's door where they had stumbled into each other on their way to pay a visit/ ask for muscle relaxer/ torture the school doctor (reasons can vary after all)
And while Mizuki and Nakatsu's frown exuded a mix of confusion and surprise, Akiha Hara's expression also hid preoccupation. (It was a fond secret of his, the ability of knowing much more than he let on. Akiha had perfected the mask of cluelessness to a frightening degree)
"My apartment in Yamagata needs someone to take care of it now, Hokuto. The plants need watering, the rooms cleaning, and I am not paying anyone to do that when you-"
"Students coming down with fevers and whatever else the virus of this season is need attention now, woman. And I already took care of a villa for you before, so this time you can forget about it. I don't want to. I have work to do. I am underpaid as it is. It bothers me. What else should I say?"
The dark haired man was sure he would pay hell for this. But he had to draw the line at some point.
'Not in this. You are not going to be involved in this, dammit.'
Io's voice was capable of wracking havoc even on the distance.
"How.Dare.You.Not.Obe-"
Click
Mizuki's eyes widened. Nakatsu's jaw dropped. Akiha forgot to feign an expression and instead frowned more.
Umeda Hokuto had just hung up on his older sister. And it was now popular knowledge that Nanba's mother/ Umeda-sensei's sister was a creature to fear.
At the time he put down the phone, Umeda realized there were unwelcomed visitors watching him. And so, stretching and standing from his chair and simultaneously pushing away the trash container with his legs and the phone with his hands, he turned to face the incomers.
He was frowning darkly, pinching the bridge of his nose, face pale and aura definitely dangerous.
"Ugh ugh" –were Nakatsu's first words, followed by an awed –" you…to your sister…you have a death wish…"
Umeda sighed.'The wording is so damn funny it's not even funny…anymore.'
"And what are you lot doing here?" –the doctor asked aloud, his arms crossing over his chest sternly, and his eyebrow already twitching at the wink he received from the pesky photographer - "My day's been difficult enough"
"Sensei, we can help, if Io-san needs someone to-" –Mizuki started to say.
"No. That damn woman has the equivalent of a soccer team taking care of every little damn house and hut and thing she has, anyway" –his voice broke no argument as he served himself a cup of coffee, still eyeing the medical forms on his desk and the prescriptions yet to be filled.
"Ah? But then…why…" –Mizuki looked up, wondering out loud- "why would Io-san would call you about this…"
Both the doctor and the photographer answered at once.
"It's all destiny's plan to send senpai and me to a romantic vacation!!"
"It's all that woman's plan to keep pestering me for her own amusement"
And while such opposed statements brought a smile to Mizuki's face and a sweatdrop to Nakatsu's head, it also served for Umeda to turn his doom glare to the grinning blonde who only reacted by throwing himself at the gloomy doctor.
"Senpai seems to be needing a massage right now!" –Akiha chirped, wrapping his long arms around the other man, expertly avoiding the other's attempts to elbow his way out- "and maybe something more?" –the blonde whispered to the closest ear, flirt mood in full action as he innocently tugged at the black shirt under the white labcoat.
Still by the door, Nakatsu grabbed Mizuki's wrist and haphazardly started pulling her out of the room while he half screamed at the adults' antics.
"Ahh! Mind our eyes, you…you…shameless! At least wait for us to leave, Aki-nii, seriously!"
Mizuki followed him, her features changing to a teasing smile.
"Nakatsu, you're blushing" –and before disappearing out of the door and down the hall- "And take care, sensei, Hara-san!"
Maybe things could really turn serious between Hara-san and Umeda-sensei, and she wouldn't want to embarrass them and her for watching them make out. Or maybe something more.
o-o-o-o-o
Things did turn serious after they left.
But just in a different perspective.
Akiha withdrew slowly, leaving only his left hand posed over one thin shoulder.
"Io-san only means well, senpai"
Umeda moved away, hand falling from his shoulder.
"Idiot. That's the sort of thing you would say of anyone" –Umeda sorted through his papers, terms and dates and data making sense only in his mental organization file.
The idea of seating himself was a tenting one. Dizziness had never agreed with him at all.
"Senpai"
And the word had force behind it, and that was somewhat startling, almost as much as the long artist fingers closing around his wrist, yanking him back in order to grab his attention.
"Let's go back home now, okay? I'll run you a warm bath"
Akiha tried hard not to show too much worry and compassion through his soft smile.
He knew how much senpai detested any form of sympathy and care when they were directed at him.
The doctor's response was immediate and the punch swift.
"By all means, go back to your place, you moron, and leave me in peace" –the dark haired man ground out as he rested one hand on his hip in a petulant countenance- "I need to finish this so I can finally have a calm weekend without destructive cats, crazy students or annoying photographers for once"
'Act as usual. Call him the same names. Be natural, and dammit Akiha, be gone.'
"But senpai…" –Akiha whined, nursing his cheek, considering serving himself some of that bitter coffee senpai kept around, anything to buy time.
'Get senpai to leave the damn office already. Get him to stop working. Get him into bed. No no no no, I mean, get him to sleep for a couple of measly hours at least!'
"The door's just behind you, stupid, not beside the coffee maker. Get out of here before-"
A strangled cough forced Umeda to choke on his word, making the smallest of the noises. Something utterly minimal, really.
But the colored eyes of the photographer flashed sharp for the second it lasted.
"Before you cough some more and give yourself away?" –Akiha said in a calm almost languid tone of voice.
Umeda's eyes narrowed behind the glasses. He was not going to let this continue.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Get out of here"
"I am not in the mood to see you work yourself to exhaustion, senpai" –Akiha replied, ready to tease and grope the older man to whatever limit necessary to get the stubborn doctor to agree with him.
Akiha Hara had not expected for Umeda-senpai to be the one to advance on him, though. That only happened in his (admittedly) frequent fantasies.
But that was how the scene was playing before his startled eyes. The older man had him pinned against the door, slim wrists captured over his blond head by one of the elegant and strong hands of the doctor, faces inches apart.
The other hand was trailing down the flat surface until it reached some spot beside the photographer's hip. Latching onto the doorknob.
"And I" –the dark haired man's seethed, lips all but ghosting over the blonde's mouth- "am not in the mood to put up with your nonsense and half-brained ideas" –Akiha took in how much more obvious was senpai's paleness from such close proximity, and how—
The photographer suddenly stumbled backwards, falling out the door and onto his backside in the hall.
He looked up in time to see the other man with his hand still on the doorknob, looking down at him.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to lock doors and windows this time" –Umeda said with a smug smirk as he all but slammed the door closed.
o-o-o-o
Inside the office, Umeda Hokuto sighed.
Looking on the good side of things, the idiot hadn't seen the trash container after all.
The devil only knew why his sister and the moron cared about such absurd things, like a stupid illness, anyway.
TBC.