Disclaimer: Pot doesn't belong to me. Too sad, isn't it?
Rating: T
Summary: Kajimoto wants a dog, Oshitari doesn't Will their relation survive this dilemma?
A/N: English is not my first language; feel free to point out the mistakes I made.
Please read & review.
A dog's dilemma
As every Saturday at 12, Oshitari left his office in his father's hospital to pick up his lover before going to eat in a restaurant.
Kajimoto was waiting for him in front of the building in which he worked as a psychiatrist. When he saw him, he waved at him. Oshitari quickened his pace.
He kissed him lightly on the lips, and hands in hands, they began to walk around the city. They were chatting about everything except their job. Suddenly Oshitari realized that he was talking alone. He turned himself and saw his boyfriend, his face glued to the window of a shop.
Oshitari went to see what caught his boyfriend's attention. He hoped it was a watch or a shirt or even an earring. Unfortunately for him it was something totally different.
Kajimoto was looking at a little puppy in the window of a pet shop. He sighed.
"Takahisa you already know my answer. I don't want to buy a dog."
"Yuushi, why are you so mean? Look it is following my finger! It's so cute."
"You know why I don't want a dog. Moreover, who will take care of it? We are both working during the week. This dog would be unhappy."
"But Yuushi dear, I can take it to my work place it could be part of the "cure with a pet" project."
"Sweetheart it's a rotweiller. You can't use a dog of this breed for such a project. We won't have a dog. It's my last word. Let's go!"
"But…"
"No buts. If you want a pet, I'll buy you a guinea pig or a goldfish. End of the discussion."
They started to walk again. Kajimoto was pouting and Oshitari was lost in his thoughts. This refusal would cost him a lot. No sex for at least a whole week, no kiss for three days. He had planned a romantic evening. Now he could change his project and watch Titanic instead.
Three weeks later Oshitari was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Kajimoto knew how to tease him. Walking nearly naked in the house and pushing his boyfriend's hand away whenever he tried to touch him. He also made him sleep on the couch.
Well, yeah, one should never upset Kajimoto. It was the first time he had been mad at Oshitari for such a long time.
One evening Oshitari came home with a little box. Kajimoto was still working so he cooked, laid the table and lit candles.
When Kajimoto went home the ground floor was dark. The only light came from the dining room. He hung his jacket on the coat rack and slowly made his way towards the source of the light.
Oshitari was waiting for him, sure that his lover would like his little present. Kajimoto entered the dining room and saw the lovely table, the china plates, the silver cutlery and the crystal candelabra. He smiled at his lover, kissed him on the lips and whispered some words in his ears.
"You're forgiven Yuushi but I'm not sure that I want to eat what you cooked."
Oshitari's joyful expression fell. Seeing that, Kajimoto began to grope him.
"My dear I'd like to eat you. Three weeks are too long."
"I want you too but I cooked your favorite meal: smoked salmon risotto and tiramisu."
Not wanting to upset his lover he agreed to eat.
"Well let's eat. I don't want to waste such a good meal and we have all the night to eat each other."
They sat and while they were eating Oshitari pushed a little box beside his lover's plate. Kajimoto looked at it and opened it. His huge smile was slowly replaced by a scowl.
"What's that?"
"You wanted a pet so I went to the pet shop where we saw the little rotweiller. I bought you a guinea pig. You can choose it tomorrow but if you want a little rabbit instead you can take one. I took care of everything."
"I don't give a damn about that stupid guinea pig. I want a dog. It's not that horrible little beast that will protect me when you work at night or when you have to be at the hospital during a whole weekend.!"
"Stop acting like a spoilt brat Takahisa. We won't have a dog. You have known it since the very beginning of our relation."
Kajimoto began to cry. Tears were running along his cheeks.
"You don't love me Yuushi. I hoped you'd change. I would have paid for everything: its meal and the vet. I would have taken care of it. The only thing I asked you was to live with it."
"Stop being childish! I love you and you know it pretty well. If I hadn't loved you I wouldn't have accepted to live with a man who wasn't able to express his feelings."
"I was just a toy for you. If you don't want to have a dog it means that you don't want to live with me. I want us to part. I'll go back to my parent's."
Kajimoto went to the room they shared, packed his suitcase and left without throwing Oshitari a last glance.
Oshitari had to learn how to live on his own, how to wash his clothes and how to iron. Kajimoto had always done these chores because his working schedule was less heavy than his.
It was really difficult because he had never used a washing machine or an iron before. As a result he burnt several shirts, some of them became pink after being washed with some red piece of clothe and some even shrank because the water was too hot.
Kajimoto had to adapt himself to his new situation. His parents were shocked to learn that he was no longer with Oshitari; and his little sister took this opportunity to tell to go out with one of her friends. Everybody wanted to know the reason behind their breaking off. He said nothing and enclosed himself in his room whenever they tried to find the truth.
The situation lasted several days until he said that Oshitari didn't love him. His family thought that he was lying but the fact that Oshitari didn't come made them think it was the reality.
Oshitari spent most of his time at the hospital. Working was the best therapy to forget everything about his lover. He was there day and night during the week and even during the weekend. Before, he used to spend his weekend at home with Kajimoto. They were playing tennis, spending the day in bed or visiting museums… But now their little house seemed to be too big and empty without him.
The garden was full of weeds and a thick layer of dust covered the furniture.
Kajimoto tried to convince his parents to let him have a dog. At first they agreed but they soon changed their mind because they discovered that their little nephew had to live with them during his mother's operation. He didn't understand at first but he didn't make a fuss. Later he discovered that he cousin was afraid of dogs.
Oshitari was in his office waiting for his last patient to come in. a woman in her late thirties entered the room. She handed him a piece of paper.
Oshitari put his glasses back in place with his middle finger and began to read. When he reached the names of the woman he froze. He looked at her.
"Are you part of Kajimoto Takahisa-san's family?"
"Yes, I'm his aunt. Why are you asking this question?"
"Oh for nothing. Well you have a hernia and more precisely a slipped disk. Do you know that it can be cured without surgery if no risk of paralysis is involved?"
"Yes I tried everything from pills to injections. The only thing to change was the pain. Now I can't sit or stand for more than an hour. I have a little boy and I can't take care of him in this state."
"Right. I see you have an appointment with doctor Cheng. She is the best surgeon of this hospital."
"Yes. I know I could have been operated in Sendaï but my brother in law told me to come here because of my nephew's boyfriend who is also working in this hospital. I really would like to meet him."
"I can't help you with that. I know your nephew but not his boyfriend. Please excuse me, I've another patient to see before the end of my duty period."
Kajimoto was in front of the hospital. He closed his surgery earlier to drive his aunt back home.
She came out of the building walking slowly. Kajimoto helped her to get in the car.
"Taka you could have waited in the waiting room."
"It's Ok auntie. I've just arrived. How was your meeting with doctor Endoh?"
"I didn't see him. I saw a young doctor, Oshitari-sensei. A very nice young man. His girlfriend is really lucky to have him."
"His girlfriend?"
"Well he is wearing a silver engagement ring."
"Oh yes, it's true. I'm really stupid but as far as I know they are no longer together."
"He must still love her."
"I don't think so."
When they arrived everybody was waiting for them in front of the door. Kajimoto helped his aunt to go out and then rushed into his room.
He was upset by what his aunt told him, the fact that Oshitari was still wearing the ring he bought him on Valentine Day.
He checked his emails hoping to see that Oshitari sent him a little something even if it was something like "I don't want to see you ever again."
Oshitari was in front of his computer. He stared at his emails page hoping to see something from Kajimoto.
He who never cried was weeping because his lover left him.
He knew that he wanted a dog. He knew that he felt insecure when alone. He knew that he was the first man his lover trusted that much. He knew that he had been raped during the first year they shared a dorm.
Two weeks later Kajimoto's aunt went back to the hospital. Oshitari was the first doctor she saw before her meeting with her surgeon. She wanted to ask him something really important for her.
"I've something to ask you. You said you know my nephew. Can you please talk to him? He doesn't want to listen to me."
"I don't know. I'm not sure that he will listen to me."
"Why? He told me everything about his relation with his lover. I forced him to talk to me but that's not the problem. I know the reason for their break up. This dog issue is stupid. They behaved like kids. When you have the chance to find true love, you shouldn't leave the man or the woman you love for such a little issue."
"You know who his boyfriend is?"
"No, but he is as guilty as my nephew. He should have tried to understand his feelings. I know he will listen to you. You are his friend. Promise me you'll talk to him."
Oshitari removed his glasses and wiped them.
"Kajimoto-san I can't. I'm really sorry. Now here is the paper you need for your operation."
Kajimoto was in his living room. The words said by his aunt just before she left for the hospital kept echoing in his mind.
A photo album was next to him on the sofa. He took it and flipped it open. He thought he would see photos of his family. He didn't expect the photos to be the one of his last holidays with Oshitari and his parents. They were so happy. A single tear rolled on his cheeks. This was the moment his cousin chose to come in.
"Why are you crying Taka?"
"I'm not crying Kota."
"So why is this photo wet? And who is the man on the photo? I can see my uncle, my aunt; you and this man with glasses."
"Nobody."
"If it's nobody why is there pain in your eyes when you look at these photos? It's the person you love. The one you used to talk about. Mum talked to you yesterday evening and then you ran to your room crying. I heard you whispering a name. The name of the man with glasses."
"Please mind your own business. You don't know what you are talking about."
"I may be 10 but I understand more things than you think. Living with my parents isn't that easy."
"Shut up! You know nothing about my life."
Kajimoto stood up and went up to his room. He sat at his desk and glanced at the photo next to his computer screen.
"I miss you so much."
He put his head on his desk and began to weep silently.
Oshitari was sitting in front of his TV set with a bowl of instant noodles. Pretty Woman was on air but he watched it without seeing it.
His thoughts were directed towards Kajimoto. He was thinking about the life they could have had. He saw himself in front of their little house, he was reading a book, Kajimoto was gardening, while a little kid was running on the lawn and smiling at them. Suddenly this perfect picture was destroyed by the corpse of a dog, lying in front of them. The happy family was replaced by a family weeping over their dead dog. Their child was hiding in his room while they were burying their pet in the backyard.
Then happy images of their life with this dog flooded in his mind.
He was suddenly woken by the sounds of his beeper. He looked at the number displayed on its little screen and called it. When he heard the reason of this call he dropped his phone and sped to the hospital.
When he arrived, he saw the whole Kajimoto family standing in the waiting room. A little boy was crying, his head was on his lover's lap. Mr. and Mrs. Kajimoto were talking to a doctor. When he saw Oshitari he called him.
Oshitari came close to them.
"What can I do for you doctor Cheng?"
"You know this family. I want you to help them with the papers linked to Kajimoto-san's death."
"Of course I will help them. Kajimoto-san please follow me to my office. Takahisa you can come too. Your cousin can stay with my secretary."
They filled all the forms and he explained them what was written on the death report.
Kajimoto couldn't stand this any longer. He stood up, excused himself and ran out of the room.
Oshitari was now alone with his boyfriend's parents.
"We will have to run a post mortem examination to understand the reason behind this cardiac arrest. She was really healthy so it's strange. I can't explain it."
"Don't worry about it Yuushi, we know it's not your fault. We know you will do everything you can to solve this mystery. Now we will have to break the news to her husband and we will have to deal with Kota and Takahisa. He was really close to his aunt and our nephew will have to get used to traveling with his father. Taka will need you more than he will need us. He says you don't love him but we know it's false. Please talk to him. Life is really too short to be wasted over quarrels."
These words kept echoing in his mind during his drive home. He knew that Kajimoto's parents were right. It was just really difficult to admit it.
He thought about their situation during a whole week. Finally he reached a decision.
The day of the burial finally came. Kajimoto and his family were in the churchyard. They were surrounding the open grave.
The priest finished talking and the coffin was slowly going down.
Kajimoto couldn't stand the scene so he walked away and hid behind a tree. He sat on the ground and began to weep.
He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. When he saw who it was he stood up and walked away.
"Taka, please stay. I've something to tell you."
"I don't want to hear it. Go away!"
"Please. It will only take a few minutes."
"Fine. I'm listening".
"Not here. Let's go to the parking lot."
Kajimoto followed Oshitari. They stopped in front of his black sedan.
"Taka, I would like to introduce you to somebody."
"You replaced me. I don't want to meet your new lover. I go."
"Please stay. I really want you to meet Toru."
Oshitari pulled the handle and opened the door.
"Toru, come here."
Oshitari came close to Kajimoto who didn't face him.
"I know I was stupid. I regret all the things I told you. Please come back if not for me do it for Toru."
"A threesome? Yuushi you're really disgusting."
Kajimoto began to move. He wanted to slap his lover. When he faced him his hand fell back at his side. He looked at Oshitari with teary eyes. He didn't expect his lover to hold a little puppy in his arms.
"What's that?"
"A puppy. I'm sorry it isn't the rotweiller we saw. It's a little Golden Retriever. You'll be able to use him for you're "cure with a pet" project."
"Why?"
"Because I realized that my life was empty without you. You were the one making sacrifices for me. You did everything at home and I never thanked you. When you asked for a dog I was being selfish. Please forgive me. Come back. I need you because I love you."
"Yuushi. I don't know what to say. I was the one being selfish. I knew what happened to your dog when you were little. I shouldn't have said what I told you when I left. I'm so sorry."
"Does it mean you'll come back?"
"Yes."
Kajimoto patted the little dog on the head and kissed Oshitari on the cheeks. They put Toru back in the car and, hand in hand, they went back to the churchyard.