Minna-san, the fourth short story of yakitate from me. so please have a look and feel free to give a comment about it. Good or bad it doesn't matter. Warning: Grammar is quite suck so beware and I desperately need a new beta-reader for my story. Is anyone outthere interested?
Lonesome
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Short summary: Azuma helped cheering off heartbroken Kuroyanagi. AU One shot
Rated:PG
Trivia: Azuma never went to southern and worked at main branch with Kawachi, Suwabara and Kanmuri. Kuroyanagi came back to Pantasia after became a judge.
"ARE YOU GOING TO SULLY MY MOUTH WITH THIS? BAKE AGAIN!!!" Kuroyanagi exploded, making all the artisans inside the wide kitchen room stiffened on their spots. He pointed hard and eyed the young artisan dangerously.
The boy, whom has been yelled off, rooted on his feet with tremble. All eyes stared at the pair with shock. This was the first time they have witnessed the cruelest manager scolded the Pantasia's top artisan.
Their minds spun off, tend to question the reason of Kuroyanagi's madness over the cute teenage boy. Kuroyanagi never screamed at him and threat him so badly liked this. It was somewhat uncommon from Azuma's past experience. Since over the year, he had never even once complained about Azuma's lack of baking skill. How dared he underestimate him? Azuma is the genius on his way with his Japan!
Azuma cast up his eyes at the furious man with awfully terrifying gaze. "H-Hai K-Kuroyanagi Oc-Oni-san…"
The tall raven snorted arrogantly and headed away with unhappy face. The frown wrinkled up on his forehead and his eyes saddened a bit. There was a deep emotional sense glinted out from his cold grayish eyes.
For a split moments Azuma was depressed but then he caught off the glimpse of the man's dark feeling from the corner of his eyes. The quick tempered man usually never let his stoic mask fell but now he obliviously let his guard off. Azuma put away the tray of his failured bun and stood still as his eyes analyzed the older man from afar. Kanmuri and Kawachi's low chattering voices were well hearing from his ears but he just ignored them. He knew what they gossiped at the back but he just didn't give a damn.
Last he saw the raven looking so subdue when he had lost his sense of taste but it has been recovered back by Azuma's help. He always looked tough, clever and strong and being such a rough asshole but now he seemed awkwardly indifference.
It seemed so odd to see him like this. Azuma's eyes just followed the man's movement as he stalked out from the kitchen room. And the last thing he saw from him was a tear welling up his eyes before he wiped them off with his callused finger.
He chocked his breath and crinkled up his brownish brow. "Why on earth the man is crying?" He felt concern all of sudden and all the previous thought erased from his mind. The man was grieving inside and nobody knew or cared a little about him. "What's with him? Is it my bread? No, impossible! It must be personal matter…Why should I feel care for him?"
"What the hell is wrong with the damn moronic Kuro-yan?." Kawachi's squeaking voice startled Azuma from back. He turned on his heels and found Kanmuri already beside him.
"I don't think your bread is that bad but….he seems out of control lately. I don't have an idea what's happening to him," Kanmuri's frankly exclamation left a puzzled look on Azuma's face. Even the sweet cross-dresser wondered the same. Azuma was getting dazed. "Is he mad at me that much?"
"It's so unlike him, nee… Did you hit him somewhere, Azuma-chan?"
Kawachi winked his eye at Azuma and elbowing his chest. He instantly pulled away from the blonde and clutched the hurt spot. "Ite…watch your hand, Kawachi!"
Kawachi naughtily smirked at him earning a quizzically look from the younger teen. "Even these years, I still feel hard to get even closer to him," Kanmuri confessed sadly and cast his eyes downward.
Azuma blinked questioningly at the pink haired teen "Nee..Kanmuri, Kuroyanagi occhan have said that he loved you once, didn't him?"
Kanmuri gazed softly at him and he craved a broken smile. "It's an old story, Azuma. Maa! Let's get back to work," and with the last order, Kanmuri left him curiously wondering on the floor. Kawachi patted lightly on his shoulder, gesturing him to the unfinished task before he took back his rejected bun and dump them into the nearest bin.
"It's no way to sell a trash…" Azuma said sadly and for some reason he couldn't stopped thinking about the certain black haired man.
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Kuroyanagi took a few sips of beer before he eyed back the small photo on the desk. His fingers gripped the bottle hard with his another free finger traced circularly the beautiful figure inside the photo. He need to admit that he felt awfully hurt right the moment. It was so long he never felt so fragile and lonely.
The ached inside his chest churned sickly. He missed her very much, indeed and even this time, he could feel her soft touch and sweet sense lingering on his skin. Tears streamed down against his cheeks and Kuroyanagi just let the hot droplets unshed. Someone might catch him crying there like a lost boy but he didn't even care of what others think of. He deserved to cry and savored his sadness that he had forgotten a long time ago that he couldn't remember.
Let peoples see the dark side of me….let them know what I'm suffering….
"You've promised to wait for me….," the black haired man muttered out unclear voice. He sipped once more and brought back the photo closer to his face. "We've promised to see each other again when the right time is come…."
He couldn't forget her blue azure eyes and her long silky blonde hair. And the way her hair blew smoothly when he caressed hers and the cold breeze touched her porcelain skin. It seemed happened like yesterday like he gave her last hug and last passionate kiss.
"Cathy…how could you marry other guy rather than me?"
"How could you betray my love for you?"
Flashback…
The Kid's news about Cathy's weeding reached him this morning. At first, he was too shock after hearing his over the phone. The world surrounding him seemed to spin off all of sudden, bringing him into an unstable state of mind and physical. He was breathless for a moment and his knees weakened. The phone slipped off of his fingers, leaving Kid yelled out his name with annoying curses.
"Hello Ryou! Hello!!! Damn you, answer the phone!"
He slumped on his knees, unable to reach over the fallen phone. His hands getting cold and the sadness tears watered up in his eyes. For the first time in many years, Kuroyanagi felt like crying. The horrid news was something that he couldn't handle by himself. He felt like defeated, useless and lost his soul mate to another guy. He had lost the only girl whom he adored so much, damn it! How can he hold back his tears?
His limbs and feet stiffened on its place and he couldn't move for a moments. Thank God he was in his office and nobody was there. Nobody was allowed to see him like this, to see him so helpless, hopeless, loveless and careless.
However deep inside his broken heart, he hoped somebody was there to help him erase the pain. He scooted closer to his chair and grabbed the handle. "Somebody out there, please help me!" he unexpectedly yelled even his sobered mind forbidden him but no sign of peoples coming.
He needed to make some sampling two hours from now and he didn't want his great Pantasia artisan waiting for him in disappointment. They need his support and acknowledgement. They were always there for him. He was a true leader for them who they cling into with all of their guts and efforts. He must climb on his feet and fight off this feeling.
Kuroyanagi wasn't even care, he badly needed somebody now, somebody to hold him and comfort him. He yelled again for second, third and the very next tries but no one was there. Seemed his workers shut themselves out of him.
"Please…come to me…whoever out there please…"
End flashback
Kuroyanagi snapped out his mind as he heard a thud of footsteps aiming toward him. He quickly rubbed off her sloppy face and slipped back the photo into his pocket. He was struggling to act stoically as best as he can and drank a few sips from his beer.
It was actually such a crime for a manager to drink so much liquor but he just didn't even care. Even he will be caught off by someone superior than him and getting sued after this, he will shrugged them off and gave their accusation a cold shoulder.
"Ah! Kuroyanagi Occ-Onisan….Actually, I'm just looking for you. W-What are you doing here?"
The sounds of childish voice seemed well familiar to his ears. He brushed away his bangs out his saddened face and looked up to the owner of the natural cheerful voice. It was Azuma. The boy wasn't wearing his Pantasia uniform anymore instead off in his light blue sweater plus his pink haired band. He was carrying a small chestnut bag paper with him.
Azuma perked up his brow as their eyes met and was about to say something but he just shut off his mouth. "What is it, Azuma?" Kuroyanagi demanded uninterestedly.
"You're drunk," Azuma's big honey eyes scrutinized the older man from head to toe. Red blush spread across his cheeks, unkempt hair and the few bottles of beer were evidences of his drunken state. It was the first time the brown haired teen ever saw him drunk. Kuroyanagi never acted beyond his code of ethic as far as he knows.
The man just looked away with no intend to argue. "Why you didn't back to your quarters, Azuma? It's already past eleven now," he asked suspiciously and clutched bit his head with hurt expression.
"I wait for you…"
"NANI?" The man tossed a shocking look at his side.
"I-I mean I wait for you to give you this…," Azuma handed over the small bag at him but he just eyed him wordlessly.
The boy pulled back his gift and wrapped his arm around it. "What's that for, Azuma?" he looked back at the bag after the cold silence. "Oh! The buns that you've requested me before, do you remember it?"
Kuroyanagi's eyes widened a bit and he sighed inwardly before leaned back against the couch. "Oh! In that case…. No need to wait for me for sampling. You may hand it over to me tomorrow, Azuma," he ran his fingers' through his dark hair while Azuma stared at him hopelessly.
Azuma pouted a bit and looked away. "I don't know that you give me such an excuse but the buns will get cold and it might be such tiredness for me to do it from start again," he warily explained, wish the man won't turn out berserk.
Kuroyanagi sighed exhaustedly and looked up to the ceiling before glanced back to the brown eyes. "Alright, just put it there," he gestured him to his desk and the boy quickly put down the sweetly aroma paper bag.
He smiled brightly and bowed thankfully toward the oblivious looking of the shady man. "Arigato Kuroyanagi oni-san!" the raven never looked at Azuma and he was about to leave when the firm grip suddenly caught his small wrist. The shiver went down to the contact of the cold skin.
He looked down with shaken. "I-Is there anything-"
"Would you…would you stay with me for awhile, Azuma?" he finally gazed up and his bangs slide down against his temple. At first, Azuma was speechless. He didn't know how to avoid this awkward invitation. It's already late and he felt so exhausted.
His delicate sweaty body was longing for a hot shower right now.
"Please….be my partner here," Kuroyanagi gave a pleaded look with a gentle voice. Azuma was drown a bit with his unexpectedly gentleness. He never sounded so courteously to anyone before. It was so unlike Kuroyanagi and Azuma might be the luckiest one ever saw him slipping off his devilish mask. Could it his out of soberness condition let him caught off his guard.
"Drink eh?" he thought again even deeper.
"Just accompany him for a drink even my age is still illegal, anyway it doesn't sound bad. Just a drink, Kami! Nothing bad could happen!"
"Kawachi must be going mad at me."
Kuroyanagi released him as his mind convinced him that the boy would be agreed to partner him. Azuma sat down on the remaining space with uneasiness. He brought closely his legs together and fidgeted his fingers liked a shy teenage girl.
For the first few moments, they had sat in restless silence liked they never used to get along before. Azuma has not said anything with his eyes narrowed at the quite ignorant man. He noticed how the man would get so fascinated in his drinking, chugging the beer down like a thirsty man in the desert. Then, the boy peered down at the empty bottles near the desk. Kuroyanagi had been drinking a lot and surely it is too bad to his health.
Must be his mind getting messed up with the unsolved personal problems by Azuma's thought. Kuroyanagi isn't a type of drunken fashioned guy and he clearly sure about this but can him, the only merely country boy, the regular artisan forbidding the genius and the high class judge of taste from his newly drinking habit?
"Can you stop drinking, please?" he finally spilled out with a slight of braveness. The drunken man faced him with bore, bottle in his hand.
"You're terribly drunk-"
"Did I ask you to company me not to complain me," his voice deep and slurred. There was a little pang in his heart but the boy mind it off.
"I-I'm just concern…"
As the raven heard the short exclamation, he turned into quietness. His fingers caressed circularly the mouth of his bottle. Eyes looked forward. He wondered back beyond his tangled mind. When did the last time people ever showing their concern on him?
"I don't need your concern, Azuma. I need no care from anybody…" He put the bottle away and clenched his fist. His eyes were already turned red from the alcoholic effect mixed with sadness.
"And why you wished me here….if you want no one to be at your side?" The boy asked tersely and leaned a slight forward. It was liked Azuma have slapped him hard across the cheek. Kuroyanagi's breath stuck in his throat with fluster.
Azuma still gazed at him demandingly and he just averted the boy's clear honey eyes and rested back. "So…you rather go back than sit here, hm? Sorry for wasting your time, you may go."
"It's not like that!"
Both of the males unexpectedly exchanged their glares. "It's not like that….truth to tell, I'm tired and how I wish to have a nice warm bath right now but…seeing you like this, I don't know why, just couldn't ….leave you like this. I'll try to hang out with you as long as I can, trust me," Azuma said reassuringly after an uneasiness long stutter and the man emotionlessly returned his stare.
"Trust me, will you?" the boy touched lightly his arm with smile.
"How about we both do sampling then have a nice chat? It will help you feel better," the boy suggested cheerfully. Kuroyanagi remained silence. The boy wasn't only had a God solar hand but also a kind heart. He was willing to hear his sorrowful confession like he was someone to him. He is such a wonderful teenage boy. Kuroyanagi had already admitted this long ago and this is the reason why peoples easily get drew toward him. Maybe he needs to open up his heart a little.
"S-sorry…" he muttered hard and his eyes downcast. Azuma raised his brow naively "For what, Kuroyanagi-san?"
"I-I didn't mean to yell at you," He stammered with shy, mentally cursed how lame it was by confessing his mistake. Azuma smiled with his eyes crinkled up "I didn't take it seriously, oni-san. No worry."
The raven chocked off. Seemed the teen wasn't offended with his annoying pull of act and the man felt a little guilt with it. The silence invaded them once more. Kuroyanagi wasn't a skillful type person to start a conversation since he was being labeled as an uncivilized judge. Suddenly, he felt freakily unrest with Azuma's friendly aura. It wasn't liked they never get close instead that they did see each other everyday and why this made sense to him? The pink blush slowly crept across his cheeks even it was undetectable by the drunk's.
The young teen looked pretty calm and serene, seemingly unaware with the other's dismay. Then, his hand reached out towards the lying paper bag and picked out two hot fresh buns.
"Try it, you'll like it!"
The man took the bun from the kind teen and quickly shoved it into his mouth. His eyes suddenly widened with surprise. The excellent outcome was unpredictable. He swore he could make such a bombastic reaction but his sensitiveness was fairly blocked off by his drunken state. But still the deliciousness matched his choosy taste. The sudden tingling sensation of calmness flew into his vein as they went down to his heart, unleashing his painful sadness.
Kuroyanagi mentally shocked. The bun functioned like a stimulant, assisting in reducing a depression and uncertainty, liked a great medication. He unexpectedly smiled, yes that's right! Kuroyanagi smiled again since the last time he had heard good old news from Kid.
He quickly clutched Azuma's shoulder and brought him mere inches towards his face, earning a startled gasp from the boy. "This is the bread that I really wish for, A-Arigato Azuma…"
Azuma stared back at his smiling face, some kind of act that was rarely pulled of by the passive looking man. He couldn't help but stared at him in awe and mentally complimented of how mesmerizing Kuroyanagi's grayish clear eyes? The tall dark snarky man was deniably charismatic.
"What I'm thinking?"
The boy's face heated up and he squirmed lightly to pull away. He shook his head, trying to hide the blush. "Why did I'm blushing? He's suck and it's no way I'm going to like…Aww man!"
The younger one shifted slightly and struggled to rid of his embarrassment. Kuroyanagi leaned forward with concern "Hey, are you okay?"
Azuma shook vigorously and rose up his palms "Iie, Kuroyaangi Occ-Oni-san…I'm fine just tired a bit." The raven made an 'O' from his mouth as he leaned backward comfortably. Then he grabbed back his half full of bottle and shoved it into Azuma's face.
"Drink?"
"No thanks, I'm still underage."
"You're good boy, aren't you?" The man frowned up with a little disappointed before chugging back the bottle into his mouth. Azuma rolled off his eyes and quickly held him back.
"I told you to stop. How if Meister find you like this!"
Kuroyanagi swallowed down the remaining drips of beer and smirked down to him. "I don't give him a damn, Azuma. Not him, not anyone here…"
"You're damaging yourself!"
"Oh! Is that so….What about me? You at least, show me some respect," Azuma's voice trailed off in whisper and looked away. Why should he felt so ached inside? He's nothing to him and the man means nothing to him.
"I wanna to get drunk only for tonight….and please, mind your own business," the man huffed inwardly and put his arm over his temple. "Whatever, it's your problem not me. I'm going out of here," he quickly snatched the boy's arm.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm still wanting you to be around," he pleaded and Azuma sat back and folded his arms. "Thanks, just give me a chance. Please, understand me."
Azuma narrowed his eyes annoyingly at him. It was no use to waste his advice on this stubborn man. The man continued sipping down his beers, completely ignoring him. He scanned his eyes at the man then spotted a piece of photo inside the man's front pocket. "Umm…Kuroyanagi oni-san?"
He stopped and turned on his side "Hm?"
"I've been meaning to ask you….there, inside your pocket. What's that?" Kuroyanagi moved his glance toward the thing which Azuma pointed. His face darkened a bit. The boy then noticed out his moodiness and got nervous. Maybe he has pressed a wrong button.
"Its fine, Kuroyanagi oni-san, it's not like I want to see it," he chuckled lightly and trembled. "Don't be, just have a look…," surprise to him, the man's finger slowly traced the photo out from his pocket and handed it over him.
Azuma took the photo carefully and looked down to it. He gawked in disbelief. "W-Who's the girl?"
"My ex…" Kuroyanagi retorted calmly with broken smile.
Azuma rolled off his eyes with surprise. "Since when?" He never showed her to them even to talk about it. Like the boy must know what Kuroyanagi kept it laid secretly behind him?
He just mentally shrugged the thought off and looked back at him. "Ne…she's very pretty girl. You've a good taste!"
"Indeed."
Azuma complimented, craving the happy smile on the man's face then it turned sad. "What's wrong Kuroyanagi oni-san?"
Kuroyanagi huffed in silence, clutched his hands together and eyed forward. The boy stared at him patiently. Actually, he didn't mind it all if the raven refused to talk about his romance life. However, the man badly needed a comfort by now.
"We're no longer …actually we've separated for many years," he said in whisper. Azuma frowned up and glanced away. "It must been hurt to miss your long time lover."
"Ne…Where she's been now?" he asked warily, worried with the man's fragileness. "America…..I was forced to leave her after graduated from Harvard." He muttered out with no feeling. Azuma get even more bewildered.
"Why don't you try to find her? Maybe she still loves you," the boy encouraged and clenched his fist. He peered down at the boy with soft glance, smiling hopelessly. "It's no way to get her back, Azuma…she's a married woman."
Azuma stunned on his seat liked been struck by a lightning. No wondered he looking so upset. It was too painful by glaring into the man's stonily eyes. He shuddered uneasily from the empathic contact of the lost looking man.
Kuroyanagi was struggling to put an emotionless mask on his face. But he failed and burst out into tears, cupping his face with shameful. Azuma chocked off a little and his hand unexpectedly traced down to his pocket, reaching for handkerchief.
"Don't hide it," he shifted closer compassionately.
"I'm such a weakling, Azuma….crying like a baby, kuso! Kuso!"
He looked down with a tears showering down onto his green pants, blocking by his dark bang. "N-no…it's okay to cry."
Kuroyanagi startled off as he felt the boy's warm finger caressed his bang and pressed the certain thin soft cloth on his cheek, Azuma's touch always warm and tender like early morning sunlight, full with love.
For a short moments, the little stir of comfortableness tingled under his skin before the raven hastily shoved his hand and backed away "N-no, Azuma…you don't need to." Being nurturing by this boy is somewhat unusual for him.
Kuroyanagi flushed furiously and quickly faced himself away, wiping off his soaked face. Azuma big honey innocent eyes studied him curiously. "Doushite, Kuroyanagi oni-san? I'm just helping you up with your tear."
The man chuckled softly between the sobs, feeling funny of the boy's honesty. "W-what's the matter? What so funny?" The boy glared at him and pouted.
"I'm just wondering …you have such a cute sulking face," He said in a slur voice with a small flirty hint. He just couldn't figured out the suitable answer but why should the word 'cute' crossed in his mind right there in the moment. It was more to compliment than statement.
Then he barely remembered he has gotten heavily drunk by the times. The alcoholic effect slowly influencing the way he think and act beyond his soberness. "I hope I won't do anything stupid."
Azuma gaped and spaced out. Kuroyanagi had said him cute and what's the big deal with it? "He won't say nice words to anyone as far as I know. Might be because of his drunkenness, I better be careful."
TBC
Woops...no dangerous rating here. It still safe, like it or hate it? Let me know.