Characters From Araisou student council executive committee belongs to Minekura Kazuya sensei…..
The noon sun shone brightly through the windows into the corridors of Araiso High School. The school grounds were filled with sounds of activities as was usual on a Saturday afternoon. The smell of the sun-basked grass flitted in with the cool breeze, as two boys walk along the quiet corridors. The tall bespectacled student slouched as he walked, hands in his pockets and a cigarette hanging by his mouth. The smaller feline built boy fidgeted with a band on his arms that had the words "Student Council Executive Committee" sewn on it. Irritation vibrated off him, as the badge keeps slipping off his arm.
"God damnn..!WHY the Hell do we have to wear this FUC…!" before the boy could explode into full blown expletives, his partner stopped beside him and took hold of his arm.
"Tokitou.. here let me…" he mumbled out with his smoke still hanging by the side of his lips.
Tokitou clamed down almost immediately, it was hard not to, when someone with such a quiet presence like Kubota talks with you, you either calmed down or get frightened enough and quiet down.
Tokitou stood quietly as Kubota fasten the badge such that it applied the right pressure so that it would not fall off and would not cause his blood to stop flowing in his arms.
"Thanks! …That 's much better" Tokitou swung his arms round making sure it does not fall off.
"Anytime.." moving on once again in their leisure patrol. The sound of crickets in the quiet drowsy afternoon suddenly broke with screams and shouts from the school field.
Tokitou and Kubota sprung into action, an amazing difference to their previous movements. They flew down the flight of steps with Tokitou swinging across the handholds at each end flight to catch up with long legged Kubota.
They reached the school field and saw everyone pointing up towards the main building.
A disheveled looking boy was standing outside on the narrow edge of the 4th floor classrooms.
There were people screaming from the classroom and the boy screaming for them not to come near.
Kubota ran towards the entrance of the school building and shouted out to Murota n Ainoura approaching from the Sports building direction.
"Murota ! Get that float from the swimming team!."
Murota n Ainoura stopped in their tracks, immediately comprehending Kubota's intentions.
Kubota was just bounding up the stairs as Tokitou caught up to him.
"Tokitou ! You take the pipes!"
Tokitou stopped dead in his tracks.
"Huh?! What ?Wh…" understanding lit up his eyes and he gave Kubota a grin before heading back out the main building's entrance.
That's team spirit for you Kubota thought, as he races up onto the 4th floor and into the classroom. He skids to a stop and accesses the situation.
It was Tsubasa, a first year student. He wasn't looking too good, with bruises on his face, a torn and bloodied shirt and pants not zipped properly.
He had heard Ootsuka was bullying the boy but had not the chance to catch him red handed. He wondered if it was another case of "too much" for Tsubasa.
Kubota had ran down 2 flights of stairs, across the school field, up 4 flights of stairs and yet he had not broken out into a sweat, he was not even out of breath.
He approached the window still calmly.
"Tsubasa." He called the boy in his quiet and gentle voice.
"No…..Don't come I'll jump now..Don'T I say don't!"
Kubota stopped, sticking his hands in his pockets.
"I'm just..thinking…. I just need to think, there were people on the roof, in the class rooms …. I just wanted to think,…" the boy's voice trembled, his face streaked with tears and bruises.
"I recommend the girl's changing room."
"Huh..?" the boy's frightened look turn bewildered and widened for a moment and Kubota uses the interval to move closer .
"The guys are always trying to sneak a peek there, so the girls don't use it anymore. It's quiet there. Has aircon, electricity, a nice cushioned bench if you feel sleepy."
"I didn't know that.."No! Stop there!"
Kubota stop his advance.
"I wanted to think …..remember now…" the boy started sobbing" no body cares anyway, the only re..ason.. reason..n you all are here is because I'll dirty the main entrance if I jump rig..ht. …RIGHT!?"he screamed, and Kubota knew the boy had made up his mind.
Kubota lurched forward as he noticed a movement on window ledge behind the boy's back.
Tsubasa jumps as Tokitou lunges for his hand.
He grabs Tsubasa's hands but the boy' struggle loosen his hold on the pipes. With superhuman effort, Tokitou uses his weight to throw Tsubasa through the 3rd floor window, where he was caught by other students watching from there, and his body, pulled by gravity falls towards the ground.
"TOKITOU!" Kubota dives for him and is dragged by the force of Tokitou's body along.
END of CHAP 1.
Coming chaps includes, angst , rape and some yaoi….. Comments are welcomed
CHAP 2
It was dark. He couldn't see a thing and he couldn't seem to move his body either. Tokitou hated the darkness and the vacuum silence that follows it. His uncle had always locked him up alone in the closet if he got into trouble. But trouble just seemed to follow him. And the impulsive genes he had inherited from his father, as his uncle so love to deride about, did not help matters either. Before he had met Kubota, he had no real friends to speak of; no one wanted to hang out with the guy who always seemed to be at "the wrong place at the wrong time." People who wanted to get close were usually people who wanted to make use of him, his impulsiveness, agility and strength. But he wasn't interested in street punks who spoke of loyalty while beating up people weaker and picking their pockets while at it.
"…tou…Toki…tou…" he hears a voice in the distant, it sounds familiar , he tries to move towards it, but the darkness binds him…but slowly he starts hearing other noises….the whirling of a fan, the clicking of metal on metal and…..the dreaded smell of medicine. Something pricked his arm causing a light pain, he struggled against it and tries to force his eyes open.
"Ooo." Kubota greets him from the side of the sick bed. Tokitou tries to sit up feeling slightly embarrassed at his vulnerability. His head does a dizzy turn before he falls back onto the pillows. "Shit" he cursed softly. "I have a hell of a headache!" "What happened?" his eyes were close so he did not see the fleeting moment of concern crossed Kubota's expressions. "You don't remember?" he turns back to towards who was just replacing the syringe he had used on Tokitou.
Tokitou opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling blankly for a moment, trying to let the memories slip back in. " …some kid was trying to jump, …I climbed up the pipes….man were they slimy…." Tokitou grimace in remembrance n Kubota's lips lifted a bit " then the guy jumps….I grabbed him and…fell…."Tokitou place his arms over his eyes. "Then.. I woke up here…'
"I fell on top of you, luckily Murota has already gotten the float ready, or we won't be waking up so cheerily now."
"You FELL on TOP of ME?!" Tokitou remove his arm and glare at Kubota ," No wonder I feel like crap were you doing, trying to squash me?!"
"Well… couldn't go and let you have all the fun, could we?"
"Don't worry Tokitou, you're like a cockroach, you won't die SO… easily." Tohru commented while wrapping his arms across Kubota's neck.
"Who the hell ask for your opinion anyway!" Tokitou angrily sat up straight and regretted it as he places his hands on the bump behind his head. "and Stop molesting students! You creep!"
"Kubo chan…" Tohru whispers into Kubota's ears, "here's the uncivilized kid's medicine, make sure he doesn't go into a coma tonight"
"I will." Kubota turns his head, his lips mere inches away from the cross dressing doctor, his face as expressionless as ever.
"OH FOR CHRIST SAKES!" growled Tokitou, "Let's get out of here." And proceeded to suit his actions with his words.
'See you tomorrow, Kubo CHAN!" Tohru waves goodbye to Kubota sadly.
Damn, he thought, I lost my cigarette.Kubota thought to himself as he realized he had lost his just lighted cigarette after they had ran to save Tsubasa. He walks slower than usual behind Tokitou, who he knows is trying to keep to a normal pace to show HIM that he was all right.
And although Kubota needed a pair of thick spectacles that does not mean that his eyes were not observant, especially towards Tokitou. Even now, he could see the limp Tokitou was trying to conceal in his right foot , the way he was favoring his right arm and the pain the bump in the head was causing him.
"Toki chan."
"What?!" Tokitou answers back grumpily.
"You want to walk a little slower, it's too nice a evening to return home so soon."
Tokitou hesitated for a while before slowing his pace to match Kubota's. "FINE…. if you want a STROLL to ADMIRE the sunset…"
Kubota's lips lifted again in a smile that Tokitou did not catch.
"hey….What happened to the kid?"
"They send for his parents and he was taken to the hospital to treat his injuries. Murota and Ainoura is taking statements….Matsumoto is probably wanting to see us on Monday."
"Arhhhhhh… I was hoping to get to school after lunch, now we'll probably have to meet Katsuragi chan first and then the "stick in his ass' Matsumoto before class starts." Tokitou's lips goes into an unconscious pout that Kubota finds endearing.
" I have a feeling Tsubasa's problems are not that easily solved… but that's none of our business. We'll wait for Murota kun's report."
By the time, they reach the apartment, the sun had already set and the street lamps had lit on. In consideration of Tokitou, Kubota cooked porridge instead of his famous curry dish for dinner. But even with something so mild, Tokitou did not finish his dinner for the first time, since Kubota has known him.
He can see that the headache was really bothering Tokitou and he left the medicine in an conspicuous area and left for the bathroom so that Tokitou would not feel embarrassed at downing the medicine.
Tokitou felt better after taking about 4 of the painkillers that the school doctor had prescribed for him. Although he often felt disgusted and strangely angry at the way the cross dressing doctor paw Kubota, he also admits grudgingly that he is indeed a good doctor.
CHAP 3
Tokitou woke up in a bad mood. He slammed the toilet door and let down the toilet seat nosily. He had dark circles under his eyes and the source of his insomnia was nowhere to be found.
He had been repeatedly woken up through out the night by Kubota asking him how many fingers he was holding up, at one point, his sleep deprived mind even told him where to stick his fingers and what he could proceed to do with it. Kubota had only lifted his lips in his quiet smile and he thought he heard him said " I could…. But I prefer to do it to you.." before darkness consumed Tokitou's mind again.
Tokitou stared at his thin face in the mirror. He looked bad, like he had been thrown into the washer and spun for a full cycle or the way he would probably look like if he had a hangover. But at least he felt better than last night, his head was still sore, along with various body parts, but he was use to pain and the various aftereffects of fighting.
As he left the toilet after he had washed up, he went towards the kitchen searching for food substance to fill his hungry impulses. He scratches his chest underneath the thin singlet while opening up pots and pans. In the end he settled for the left over porridge from last night.
Kubota came in through the entryway, just as he brought out his brunch.
Kubota stopped and stare at the white and yellow gruel his friend had concocted.
"What did you add in the porridge?" he questioned with mild interest as he threw the house keys on top of a small fridge next to the kitchen's door.
"Instant noodles." Giving Kubota a "do u even need to ask "look.
"hmmm… interesting combination….." he slump down next to Tokitou on the sofa and stared at the cigarette commercial on T.V.
They were silent for a while, with only the sound of Tokitou slurping his noodles in porridge and the sound of the television.
"So where did you go?"
"Hmmm…..Matsumoto wanted to see me."
Tokitou fidgeted a little at the answer. "In school? On a Sunday?!"
"Nope. He actually treated me to breakfast at Mos. They served really good coffee there."
Tokitou lost interest in his own breakfast. He spoke with scarsam next "No wonder you were able to wake up so early even though you probably stayed up all night keeping ME awake." Tokitou got up and dump the food contents into a bin and the bowl into the sink. He turned and nearly walked into Kubota.
"Your head… I had to make sure you didn't get a concussion." Kubota spoke softly without smiling.
Immediately, Tokitou felt chagrined, he knew why Kubota had kept him up all night, but the combination of sleep deprivation and the knowledge that Kubota had went off alone to see Matsumoto had cause him to vent his temper at Kubota.
He turned back towards the sink and with a slight blush to his cheeks and starting washing the dishes without thinking.
"Yah.. I know…" he muttered out before lapsing back into silence and his jerky moments was all too apparent that he was feeling awkward.
Kubota could tell his friend was trying hard to apologize without actually saying it. He decided to let him off the hook, since he was cleaning up … which was a rarity in the house.
"Tachibana was there as well….think they actually have an entertainment fee they could claim for this sort of things."
Tokitou's shoulders loosen learning that Kubota hadn't met up with Matsumoto alone. But he still wasn't pleased with the fact that Matsumoto always seem to act like he can get Kubota to do whatever he wants. Kubota always keeps quiet or go "Hmmm…" if he brings it up which makes him more suspicious of their past relationship.
Kubota walk back out towards the living room. He picked up the new packet of cigarettes he had just bought and lit it up. He proceeds to smoke it by the balcony.
Tokitou followed soon after and started his DOA beach game which he was halfway through, but his mind wasn't really on the boobs touting fighters on the T.V screen, he glances frequently to the Kubota's back.
Kubota stared down at the street, he loves teasing his friend. He may look dull and expressionless but he had a kind of sadistic streak in him that takes fun out of making his friends fidget. He looked at his cigarette; the small red glow is nearly finished at the end of the stick. He was surprised that Tokitou took so long this time, he wondered if he will have to lit another one up before…
"So what did that pair of lovers want with you?" Tokitou tried to phrase his question nonchantly, but he was non-where near the expert that Kubota is.
4 and a half mins. Slightly longer this time. "Nothing much….would have called you, but I couldn't drag the covers off you." He snubbed the stick and flicked it off the balcony. It landed somewhere along the dirty sidewalks .
"Tsubasa's case mainly….. just another one of those troubled youths confused with their sexuality and to top it off they get bully and beaten." He slumps down back onto his usual place on the couch. "Matsumoto is worried, more than usual, thus the off campus talk. Feels that the club have not been up to it's usual standards in maintaining peace n order."
"WHAT?!" Tokitou turned back to look incredulously at Kubota, at the same time, the short hair blond that he had selected as his fighter got plummeted by the ponytail beauty .
"YOU, of course rebutted, right?!'
"Well…..that's been more…disturbances lately….and this time it did get a bit serious."
"But how are we to keep a lookout on EVERY student?! He's just trying to assign blame coz the elections are coming up again." Tokitou throws the remote down and goes off to look for a drink.
"hmmmm…."
Sound of Tokitou rummaging the fridge in the background could be heard.
"hey, Kubo chan."
"Hmmm?"
"We're out of milk. Wanna go out to the 7/11 store with me?"
"The police in bikini show is starting…"
"Fine. I'll go. You want anything?"
"Ummm… cigarettes."
'Ok" Tokitou proceeds to put on his shoes.
"Cigarettes. " he repeats to himself.
"Umm… some 're running out of that too."
"Right. Cigarettes and tooth paste."
'Air refreshner, you finish up the last bottle."
"I won't use it so much if you didn't smoke so much." muttering under his breath.
"OK! CIGARETTES AND TOOTH PASTE AND REFRESHNER. That's ALL right?!"
"err.. u remember that new flavour of mint by Lotte we saw on T.V that day, the one after the Ayu's MTV. Can you get that for…" a crooked grin lit up his face as his shoes flew and landed on the couch. 1 and ½ mins.
"JUST GO WITH ME!"
"OK. Ok." Kubota got up and the two friends left the apartment.
Next goal, 1 min.
CHAP 4
2 weeks later…
"AHHHH…..this is so boringggggg…" Tokitou complains, he slumps onto the table top and stares forlornly out the window. Murota , as usual is lifting two hand dumbbells, working on his biceps. Matsubara sips hot green tea and is reading a fashion magazine. Kubota sits on the window sill, smoke from his cigarette wafts out through the window.
"Kubo chan, what time is it?" Kubota sighs, "4.15."
"HUH?! Only 5 mins have passed?! AHHHH… when will it be 6?"
"Stop complaining!" a featherduster thumps his head. Katsuragi stands behind him, hands on her hips, look down on the frowning Tokitou.
"HEY! What you do THAT for?!"
"Tokitou ." Kubota call his name in a soft voice without turning towards him.
"But it's been so quiet lately, even Ootsuka seem to have finally gotten the message And all we seem to do is sit around all day . You can't even call our patrols, patrols any more.."
"If you are SO BORED, you could help me with clening the club room then ." Katsuragi rebutted with her arms folded.
"BORRRRRINGGGG…." Kasuragi seem to contemplate hitting him with her trusty feather duster again when Ainoura rushed in.
"Fujiwara!" all heads turn to look at him. Ainoura looked flustered and was drenched from head to toe.
"He's not here." Katsuragi informs him. "What happened? Wasn't he on patrol with you ?"
"He was. Then I caught some newbies trying to impress the girls by hoisting the science's teacher Toyota into the pool. I told him to get help to book them, he goes off and doesn't return. "
"So what happened to you?" Matsuhara asked amusingly.
Ainoura's blushed and his voice as he spoke grew softer " Ummm…. I told the newbies to hoist the car back to the carpark after Fujiwara did not return, then they sort of drop it…."
"And you got drenched." Murota finished his sentence for him.
"It was'nt just that right?" Tokitou spoke with insight to his friend's reaction. "It was deliberate wasn't it, they got caught and DRENCHED a member of the EC."
Ainoura's look answer it for him.
Tokitou stood up "That's IT! Where are those idiots? They need to be taught we aren't the fucking soft headed discipline student heads they are used to. Come on guys, Let's go."
"Hey! What about Fujiwara?" Katsuragi called out as she locks the club's room to join in the "orientation" of newbies.
"Aaa. He'll show up eventually."
"Hmph..and when he does he's getting cleaning duties for one week. Running off like that."
"Hey, make that one month." Ainoura added with malice. " And throw in extra patrol shifts at it."
Next Day
"AAAAAA….. another boring day.." Tokitou is slump in the same position he was yesterday and looks, once again, forlornly out the window.
Katsuragi enters and scans the small room, "hey anyone seen Fujiwara, his classmate told he didn't come to school today."
Everyone gave their half hearted "Nope'; and "nos' before continuing with what they were doing.
Sighing., " Well, I guess we'll just have to update with him later. Come on, the president of the student council wants to see us. "
"What does he want with us?…..Probably going to make use of us again." Tokitou speculated.
All others, except Kubota, gravely nodded their agreement.
"Whatever he wants, we'll know once we get there. Come on, come on." Katsuragi urges them with an impatient shooing movement with her hands towards the door.
Kubota lead the way as they walk down the corridor towards the student council's main office.
The two wooden doors opened and they were greeted with a huge room that looks out of place with it's MNC CEO's office deco.
Matsumoto sat in his usual position behind the mahogany table with the vice president Tachibana in his customary supporting role standing behind him.
"Thank you all for coming at such short notice." Matsumoto with his elbows on the table linked his fingers in front of him. "Buts something…serious has happened and I need to talk with the Executive Committee immediately.'
"Your club mate Fujiwara has been seriously injured, that's why he could not make it today." Everyone stood up a bit straighter at that info. Kubota stuck his hands into his pocket and waited for Matsumoto to continue.
Apparently they took him when he was in school yesterday, they beat him up pretty badly. He's still in the hospital, but he was conscious enough to give us some info.'
"Wait ." Matsuhara interrupted, " if his' in the hospital, isn't the police involved in this already?"
Matsumoto gave Tachibana a glance before he continued, "He …talked with them, but held back certain…info."
"His parents called the school and we were informed. We decided to visit him first and we found out some stuff."
"Why didn't you inform us yesterday?" Kubota asked in a quiet voice, everybody sense that he wasn't pleased with the fact that one of theirs was hurt and they didn't know about it.
"There were certain ..stuff that we needed to check on first before we could inform you.'
'What Fujiwara left out was that group that took him were wearing the school's uniforms, he caught sight of the trousers before they blindfolded him."
"So someone from the school beat him up, why did he hide the fact?" Katsuragi asked.
'The people who beat him up were calling him names like faggot and dick licker."
Everyone grew silent at that. Ainoura spoke up "What are you saying that he wAs beaten up coz he likes guys? That we could have a group that hates gays running around here?"
Matsumoto looked gravely into the ECs' members eyes "I'm sure all of you know that most of the male students here have a tendency towards… word gets out on this, it's not going to look good in the public's we found something else…"Matsumoto motioned Tachibana with his head.
Tachibana brought out a laptop and turned it to the group. The EC members moved closer to get a better look.
"That 's a gay hate group webpage you're seeing, it's setup by someone in the states and advocates violent action against gays. They segment their webpage content by countries. We found these under Japan…."
The page that came out next shocked and angered the group. On it were pictures of a naked Fujiwara getting beaten and a blow by blow account of what happened.
"They even promised videos next." Tachibana pointed out.
"The EC is responsible for the discipline and safety of the students I shall need you all to solve this case and bring us the culprits immediately. Due to the seriousness of the problem, investigations have to be kept underground and at no time is this to get out."
"This still does not answer my earlier question. Why were we not inform earlier?" Kubota press on.
Matsumoto look straight at Kubota and kept silent.
"I see…..you had suspected that one of us was involved didn't you."
Kubota hit on the answer almost immediately.
"There were stuff we had heard that made us suspect someone from your group, yes, but we had cleared the person."
Matsumoto looked over at Tokitou as he answered and Tokitou knew he was the suspect." WHAT?! You suspected me didn't you and you went even further to CHECK on me?!" Tokitou raged and Ainoura stepped forward before Tokitou could.
"Why did you suspect Tokitou?"
Matsumoto spoke matter of factly next,: "Tokitou's relation with Fujiwara has always been bad. Plus it is well known that Tokitou is disgusted by gay…activities, plus he tends to be on the more impulsive and violent side."
'WHY YOU…" Tokitou makes a move to grab Matsumoto, when suddenly Tachibana moves in front of him blocking his gloved hand, " I'm sure you can understand that it was nothing personal. " Tokitou looked up at Tachibana and knew he was no match for the soft spoken vice-president. "CHE!" he shook off his restraining hand and walked back.
"I leave the case in your capable hands and I want to be updated at all times."
CHAP 5
Tokitou stood leaning on the handrail on the school's balcony. It was the hang out spot for him and Kubota when they had no class and no patrol to do. He stared out across the school fields and seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
A while later, the metal door behind him swung open and Kubota came in with a smoke hanging by his mouth.
"Hey I managed to coup some chocolate buns from the canteen. Want some?"
Kubota leaned his back on the rail and offered some buns to Tokitou. Tokitou seemed to not have heard him and continue to stare at the buildings beyond the school field.
"Tokitou?" No response. "TOKITOU" Louder this time.
"Huh?" Tokitou finally turned and look at the chocolate buns Kubota was holding out. "Uh, no thanks. Not hungry."
"Tokitou, are u..." before Kubota could continue, Katsuragi came out through the metal door.
"Hey guys, EC meeting. Now. Let's go."
Tokitou stuck his hands into his pockets and followed behind Katsuragi.
Kubota stared at the Tokitou's back and threw down his cigarette.
As they walk back down to their club room, Kubota wondered what was wrong with Tokitou. Tokitou always had a sweet tooth, and was NEVER not hungry. He wondered if the words Mastumoto had said affected him more than he thought it had.
Back at their clubroom, Ainoura's computer was on the homepage of the gay hating website. Matsuhara and Murota were looking through a list of names. There were boxes around and all were filled with files and papers.
"What's going on? " Tokitou questioned.
"The investigation, of course. Murota and Matsuhara are going through the list of names, students who might have done this. They may be cowards to wear masks and pick Fujiwara as the target, but they still have to have a certain physique to do this. Plus we eliminated the guys who are gays in that box" Katsuragi pointed to a growing box of files. " At the moment the girls are off the hook coz Fujiwara only heard guys' voices." She then hefted another box up," Tokitou, these are files of students who had problems with violence cases previously; you'll be in charge of eliminating them. Ainoura is going to work on the website, see if he can find out where they uploaded the files. Also, the culprits might upload more information about what they will do next. "
She then pulls Kubota with her out the door.
"Kubota, you go with me to interview Fujiwara."
"Hey, Katsuragi, why don't you eliminate these files and I go with Kubota." Tokitou stood up and protested.
"I think it's better if I go with Kubota, he always likes Kubota kun, so he might provide more info, also I'm also closer with him than you.'
"but I .."
"I think it's best you stay too, Tokitou." Kubota added on and left with Katsuragi.
Tokitou was stunned. It was the first time Kubota had not partnered with him on something ever since he knew him. A lancing pain course through his heart. He had been mulling about it since after they had left the council's head office. And Kubota's choice just now had only strengthened his convictions of what he suspected.
Tokitou sat back down and picked up a file to read, but the words did not seem to make sense and he stared blankly at them.
Fujiwara was in a bad shape, he looked worse than he did on the photos. One side of his eye had swell and it was only an open slit. There were bandages on his ribs and arms and he was covered in discolored bruises. But his face expressed happiness at seeing Kubota and try to milk his condition for all it's worth while Kubota indulged him. He then related all the things that had happened to him and as much details of the 4 culrpits as he could remember. When his throat started running dry, Katsuragi went off to look for a drink.
"Senpai…there's something I want to tell you … Something that happened after they hit me and left me in the tunnel."
Kubota remained silent, he had knew that Fujiwara was keeping quiet about something from the way he had become distracted after finishing the account.
"After they had beaten me…I was…sort of half unconscious and laying there." He paused looking away, "I want… to let you know what happened…I know you will be investigating this…I don't want the same thing to happen to you senpai.' Kubota placed a hand over his and squeezed it gently. Fujiwara smiled a bit looking less tense. And he continued, "One of them came back…. I don't think the others knew…he…pulled me further into the tunnel and started posing me. I…hurt so much…I was afraid he'll hit me again so I didn't resist...I saw flashes…I think he was taking pictures of me… It wasn't the same ones they were taking when they strip and beat me up, it was… you know…like playboy photos type. Then I…"Fujiwara started trembling and his voice shook as he spoke. " I felt him putting something into me, I…think it was wooden rod or something, I screamed and he seemed to get more excited. After that…" Fujiwara swallowed and gulp in a deep breath, Kubota could see moisture gathering at the edge of the injured boy's eyelids. "He stuck…it in my mouth and when he got …hard, he screw me." His voice grew soft at last, his hands clutched on the bed sheets and he turn his face away trying to gain control over his feelings." I know I'm a gay, and everybody probably thinks a fuck is a fuck, that's it's no big…"He stop his rambling as he felt Kubota's hand on his shoulder "No.". he said one word, just one word gently. "I'll find them Fujiwara, I promise you." Fujiwara's shoulders slumped and he nodded in agreement.
Katsuragi stood outside as Kubota came up, she was looking down at the white smooth hospital floor, her eyes when it came up was in rage. "You're wrong Kubota.' Her voice carrying determination "We'll find them."
"They posted up something, said that they will be going for the most famous gay touting couple next.".
It was a week after the incident had happened. Between classes and patrols, the group had managed to eliminate more than half the school's suspects, but that still left the other half.
They had needed leads, infos and clues of any sort and so far luck has not been on their side, until now.
'They're probably getting cocky." Ainoura said while clicking through comments given by other members of the website. "Look at all these words of encouragement they've gotten." His eyes turn cold disgusted by the contents he had been searching through.
"We have to narrow down the couples they might target and keep an eye on them." Katsuragi suggested, everybody nodded their agreement. All except Tokitou, "Hey Tokitou, you still with us?" Murota jabbed Tokitou slightly with his elbow. "yah yah, whatever…"
Matsubara rolled his eyes. Tokitou has been getting on everyone's nerves since last week and his lack of seriousness and attention to the task at hand further aggravated everyone. Kubota who was always the one who seemed to be able to rein in Tokitou's temper, had seem to not notice his best friend's behavior.
"Tokitou! Can you take this seriously?! The later we find them, more of our friends are going to get hurt. Can't you put aside whatever is making you this irritable and focus and do your work properly?!" Matsubara lashed out.
A vein starting popping in Tokitou's left temple" NOT FOCUS?! I've been working my ASS off eliminating people for you, what did you think ? These files got into these boxes with their own 2 feet?! " He kicked a box beside him and it fell sideways and open, spilling the contents all over the floor.
"I agree with Matsubara. You've been acting this way since Matsumoto said he suspected you. What is wrong with you, are you still holding that in?! I know you don't like Fujiwara much but can't you at least…" before he could continue, Tokitou was holding up the lapels of Ainoura's shirt and had a fist drawn back. Murota immediately stood and held Tokitou back. Tokitou shook off the big guy and shouted" Fine! I'll quit the bloody club then!" he then turn and slammed the door shut as he left.
Everybody stood in eerie silence after the echo of the rattling door has faded, Ainoura slumped back into his chair, a bit dazed at where the confrontation had leaded.
"I…I'll speak with him in a few days time, I'm sure he's just as frustrated as the rest of us." Katsuragi finally found the voice to say.
Kubota who had been sitting in a chair by the window and sat in silence throughout the exchange got up and placed the files into the box. He then straighten the chair Tokitou had turned over, sat down and said" I think we can include Shuusuke and Kunimatsu in the list of couples…" everyone looked at each other as Kubota continued with the list of names. They too sat down after a while and started contributing their thoughts to the matter.
CHAP 6
Tokitou viciously kicked the empty can in front of him; it flew a few feet before rattling nosily down the road.
He stoped walking and realize he was at the playground near the school, he then crawled into a pipe like concrete structure and hunker himself down. He used to come here whenever his uncle had punished him or whenever he was in a bad mood that was until he had met Kubota. It seems that since then, Kubota had shared both the good things in his life with him as well as the bad.
Which brought him back to the present, it was because Kubota had always been beside him that had made him so short tempered lately. Kubota had failed him twice. He had not defended him against Matsumoto and when he was "attacked" just now.
"To hell with him!" he thought, "It's not like I need him! I've been alone before…"
a blank look replace the blaze in Tokitou's eyes as he remembered the days before he had met Tokitou.
Suddenly, a commotion outside caught his attention.
"HEY, Dick sucker, where's your boyfriend?!"
"Yah! Not doing any fucking tonight?!"
4 guys in masks and one wielding an iron pipe had surrounded an Araisou student. As the boy backed up into the streetlight, Tokitou realized that it was Matsumoto. Matsumoto's face burned with a cold anger but did not get taunted as the four boys were trying to do.
"Shit, they were talking about Matsumoto and Tachibana. Who else could get higher profile than the student's council president and the vice-president.
The guy with the iron pipe suddenly swung it aiming towards Matsumoto's head without warning. The brown hair boy pivoted to his left and used his weight to knocked down another boy. The iron pipe collided with the lamppost with a huge "CLANG".
SHIT and Double SHIT Tokitou thought. He burst out of the pipe and swung a right hook at a shorter boy who tried to catch hold of Matsumoto.
Caught by surprise, the boy went down easily.
"WHAT ARE U STILL STANDING AROUND FOR?! GO GET HELP!" Tokitou braced himself for the masked guy with the pipe even as he shouted for Matsumoto to escape.
As Tokitou ducked the first swing, the boy Matsumoto had knocked down, started to get up, Matsumoto seemed unwillingly to run by himself.
Tokitu does a back swing with his right leg but missed, "GO! I CAN"T HOLD THEM FOR LONG!"
Matsumoto finally decide to run, after accessing that both of them were no match for the four.
"DON"T LET HIM GET AWAY." Shouted a boy with a camera in his hands. He had been sanding away from the action and Tokitou had only realized he was there now.
Two of the attackers started running towards Matsumoto, but they were no match for Tokitou's speed who ran and jumped onto their backs bringing them down onto the pebbled ground with a thud. While still dazed from the pain, Tokitou flipped one of them over and pulled off his mask. As the attacker's eyes widen in shock, Toktou's widens in recognition, he sees the boy's eyes flicked to a point behind him.
He turned and tried to duck but was too late as the iron pipe came down heavily on him.
He did not even feel the pain of falling head first onto the ground.
"Shit! He recognized me!" Hisato quickly pulled the mask back on. "What are we going to do? Matsumoto's long gone, he'll arrive with help soon!"
"Why didn't you stop him?! Kitano!"
"Kitano stood over Tokitou with the camera in his hands," Look we agree I will not do any of the fighting bit, I'm no match for Matsumoto!"
"Yah, and you little coward stood and let him took my mask off!" Hisato grabbed the lapels of Kitano's black t-shirt.
"Both of you shut up!" the guy with the iron pipe looked up and said in a commanding voice. He helped Ueda off the ground "You okay?" Ueda nodded. "Good, carry Tokitou and carry him to Kitano's house."
"My HOUSE!?" Kasai gave Kitano a cold glare and the boy quiet down immediately.
"His house is nearest and his parents is out of the country till next moth. We'll decide what to do then."
The trio immediately took the order from their leader without question.
….
Kubota had an uneasy feeling, he didn't know what it was, but his instincts were never wrong. When Matsumoto had burst in on their meeting telling them Tokitou was fighting the 4 assailants, his mind had told him that Tokitou could handle them before they arrived. He had after all even taken down 5 boys bigger than him before. But something feel bitter in his mouth and his stomach didn't seem to be functioning right too.
When the 5 people finally arrived back at the park, only silence greeted them. The feeling intensified as Kubota bend and touch a dark substance on the ground. He held it up and realizes that it was blood; they combed the area and could find no clue or trace.
Katsuragi spoke up first. "We've got to inform the police! This has gone on far enough.'
"No. Not yet." A calm voice came off to the right of them. It was Matsumoto.
Ainoura rushed towards him and grabbed his lapels, his eyes ablaze with fury' YOU! Don't tell me you are worry about the school's reputation even now! He got taken SAVING YOU!"
Matsumoto stared back "I'm not thinking about politics now. We still don't know who they are. If we report to the police now, it's definitely going to be blown out of proportion. Then who's to say what will happen?"
Matsubara walked over and extracted Ainoura's hold on Matsumoto "He's right, we are still nowhere near finding their identity. If they don't feel threatened, they might just beat him up like Fujiwara and let him go."
Katsuragi looked uneasily at Kubota, only she and Kubota knew that more had been done to Fujiwara, she wondered if Kubota was thinking in the same direction as her. Kubota's face was as expressionless as usual, but all his teammates knew he was burning with a cold fury and his eyes were lacking of its usual mirth and warmth.
"Look " Matsumoto continued with a frustrated tone, "All we can do now is keep a watch at their website. That's the only place we can find out more info."
CHAP 6
Tokitou woke up in a nightmare. They had taken him to a dark room of sorts. Perhaps it was just the basement of that photographer's house. He smelled chemicals and had caught glimpses of developing materials even as the four had started hitting him when he woke. He saw flashes and knew they were taking his pictures and was going to post it up at the website. His broken body was then dragged over to a mattress and he had been lying there since. He had no idea how much time had gone by since he was taken, his limbs were bounded and a gag and blindfold had been placed over him.
He was fed at certain intervals, bread and water. He could feel his body growing weaker and a fever starting to build. 2 of them had came in again once, untied him, beat him up again, tied him back up and he thought he heard sounds of sex following it. His reality and nightmares blended and he no longer knew what was real and what was not. Throughout his delusions he had heard laughter and he had cringed from it, some one sticking something into him and he thought he had screamed from the pain of it.
Finally he woke up. There was a beeping sound next to him and the world seem so serene and white, he wondered if he was dreaming.
A breeze caressed his cheek and the curtains by the window move gently in its movement.
He felt bandages on his arms and chest and a cast on his right leg. He turned his head cautiously as he heard the door slid opened and Kubota came in.
Kubota stopped in his tracks; Tokitou's eyes were opened and staring at him. He seemed to be bandaged in that white gauze everywhere and blended in with the pristine white surrounding.
Tokitou had been unconscious for 3 days, the doctor had said that he would recover and but Kubota found it hard to believe him. He had seen the condition Tokitou was in when they had found him.
Kitano, the photo-taking bastard had been in the act of sodomizing the barely conscious Tokitou. He would have probably killed him if Murota had not held him back. The boy did not look so cocky, curled up in corner, with his mouth bleeding and pleading for his life.
The broken form had kept on muttering even as he sat with him in the ambulance. His heart had stopped on the journey to the hospital and Kubota's mind had just gone blank , he sat staring as the medics shocked his heart and resurrected him. Kubota's world shifted back into its axis as he heard the faint sound of the beep replaced the flat line.
2 days ago, Ainoura had passed him some V8 tapes which he had found at Kitano's house before the police arrived. Kubota had been driven nearly mad thinking about what had happened to Tokitou during the 3 days he was taken. Even in his sleep, Tokitou had screamed and shouted when someone touched him, he kept pleading for someone to stop, before falling back into restless sleep again.
The tapes were footages taken from an installed camera placed at the top corner of the room. It captured everything that had happened. His friend had been severally beaten as Kitano happily clicked his camera. They had then dragged the naked body onto a mattress, tied and gag him before deciding what to do. They were not sure whether Tokitiu was gay or not, but decided that there were enough rumors about him and Kubota to set him up as one. They decided not to meet for a while and left Kitano with him.
Kitano had returned soon after and took off the blindfold and gag on Tokitou. He took off his shirt and started taking photos, Tokitou had groaned in pain several times as Kitano pulled and pushed his body into the poses he wanted. Kitano seemed to get more aroused as he took more pictures; finally he placed his camera carefully onto a cabinet nearby and started rubbing his cock on Tokitou's body. Tokitou regain conscious by this time and bucked and shouted at him, Kitano jerk himself away and ran out the basement. Tokitou had shouted and shouted for help until his voice grew soft and hoarse.
The next morning, Kitano came back dressed in uniform and let 2 pieces of bread and a bowl of water next to the sleeping Tokitou.
Kubota's hands were already clutched tightly together and his eyes were staring at the scene with cold fire.
Tokitou's ordeal was far from over. Kaisai the leader of the group and Ueda had come in again during the afternoon and put Tokitou through another beating. This time he had just curled himself up and took the beating without even trying to put up any resistance. The duo had taken off their shirt and was glistening in sweat after the activity. Kasai had then pulled Ueda to his chest and started kissing him roughly. Ueda's hands roam roughly over Kasai's back and the two had fucked each other silly while Tokitou bled beside them.
Kitano had returned in the evening, taking his shift from Kasai and Ueda. He had placed food in front of Tokitou but Tokitou no longer could even feed himself. Kitano then force feed Tokitou and released the bonds binding him but kept the blindfold on. Tokitou was already in no shape to do anything and Kitano had then gleefully taken out a duffel bag and opened it. He started whistling as he placed various objects in front of him.
Kubota felt a drop of water on his hands, his heart clenched in pain at what his friend had gone through.
Kitano had first started with the wooden rod, Fujiwara had talked about. Tokitou had screamed as the rod was rammed into him. Kitano had laughed and sneer and insulted Tokitou even as he insulted his body. Kitano stared placing restrains on Tokitou, restrains designed to contort the body in sickening fashion, restrains design to give the restrainer viewing pleasure. Kitano took pleasure in pinching, gloating and laughing at his victim, the craze in him evident in his voice even as the camera could not capture his eyes. Kitano grew more and more aroused, white substance dripped from him onto Tokitou. Tokitou groan in pain whenever Kitano played with his body. He was dragged up and leaned against a wall as Kitano forced his mouth opened and stuck himself in. He pulled himself out and came all over Tokitou. He proceeded to rub himself on him afterwards.
He packed his toys carefully back when Tokitou lost consciousness and blew him a kiss and promising a better show tomorrow before leaving.
Kubota forwarded the tape to the next day, Tokitou was less than conscious and Kitano was about to physically rape him when Kubota had barged in.
A trembling finger hit the stop button, Kubota leaned his face over his hands and bend forward in his seat.
It was his fault.
…
CHAP 7
Kubota sat in the beige plastic chair in front of the bed as the doctor checked on Tokitou.
As the doctor ask questions, place his impersonal hands on his chest and other injured parts to check for mobility and paralysis, Kubota caught the flinches that Tokitou tried to hide, other than the reflexive action, Tokitou's face was missing it's usual contortions and even any emotions of any sort.
The doctor then started asking questions about Tokitou's memories, although he answered the questions accordingly, Kubota could see his friend retreat further into himself as he is bought through the recollections of his captivity.
The doctor and nurses throttled out finally and silence descended back into the room.
Kubota kept staring at Tokitou's averted face, he was….at a lost of words, he did not know what he could say that could alleviate the pain or at least not trigger the memories. He did not know whether to acknowledge knowing or deny the knowledge. As he opened his mouth to initiate communication, a hoarse voice croaked out.
"Could you tell the others not to come and see me?" Tokitou's face remain averted, Kubota stood up and walked towards Tokitou's side, he stopped right beside him, but he still refused to meet his eyes.
"I….I'll like to get some rest."
Kubota wanted to say something anything, but this was not Fujiwara, Tokitou was not just another friend, he was…..
Kubota left the hospital, Tokitou needed space and he wasn't able to provide him with anything at the moment. Tokitou had not said when they could visit him, but Kubota planned to go there everyday even if he ignores him or blows up at him. He wanted some kind of emotion from the lifeless doll he had just left. The doctor had said he would be able to discharge in about 2 weeks and recover from home, he was after all a relatively healthy kid, his busies and broken bones would heal fast.
The inner damage though …..the doctor had handed him a card of a psychologist. Kubota had stared at the red letterings in his hands, he couldn't see Tokitou willingly attend a therapist's session, but perhaps THIS Tokitou would.
Kubota skipped a day before he visited Tokitou again, despite wanting to visit him again the next day, he knew he had to calm himself down before he met up with Tokitou again.
Tokitou had not seemed to be surprised or angry at seeing him, he had gave Kubota a smile as he entered. Kubota stared at the forced smile on the boy's lips and pretended nothing was wrong.
Tokitou talked and jibed about the fat auntie nurse taking care of him, Kubota knew his friend was trying to deny what had happened to him and played along. Yet, no matter how much Tokitou tried there were moments when nothing was said and Tokitou seem to have gone into a trance only to come back to the present with a slight jerk and cold sweat, he would try to open up another conversation as if nothing had happened.
This continued to happen throughout all the visits he made. Once, he had entered the room and Tokitou had seemed not to hear him arrived. He was staring blankly at something outside the window and Kubota had called him. Tokitou remained still and Kubota repeated his name again. It was not until Kubota had shook his shoulders did he responded, he had turned his face up to wards Kubota and asked him where he was. Kubota's eyes had widened in shock at the emptiness he had seen in Tokitou's eyes. His heart pounded faster and his hands started to tremble, but Tokitou suddenly "came back" and did not seem to have notice what had just happened.
On the day of Tokitou's discharge, Kubota arrived early to pick him up; he was half afraid that his friend might leave the hospital without him and just walk off.
Tokitou still refused to see any other people, claiming he did not want to have to deal with Katsuragi's incessant nagging and gave other excuses.
He had look pale and exhausted by the time they reached home, he had insisted that Kubota not help him and limped on his clutch awkwardly whenever they had to walk.
He had limped to the bed and fallen into it in an exhausted heap. Kubota took off Tokitou's shoes carefully and placed them back at the doorway.
He opened and closed the balcony doors, pulled out his cigarettes and lit it on. His trembling hands comb through his hair and he clutched them hard as he leaned his forehead on his arms on the railing.
He did not know how much longer he could hold himself together watching Tokitou trying to hold himself up.
The others had not question Tokitou's refusal to see them, they had not seen the tapes as Kubota would not let others watch, but they had an inkling of what had happened in that musk smelling room. Ainoura and Matsubara was not taking it well either, they both felt personally responsible for what had happened and everyone was trying to deal with their anger at themselves for their helplessness during the days following up to their discovery of the culprits.
It was a fluke, not good detective work or the carelessness on the part of the assailants. They had a 'lucky break"
After the first night Tokitou was taken, they had kept their eyes glued to the webpage all night, hoping that there would not be an update, yet at the same time they had hoped for some leads.
At 7a.m the next morning, the first few pictures came in.
The tense silence in the room was broken with Kubota breaking the windowpanes.
Everyone had skipped class and worked non-stop trying to gather clues.
By the end of the day, no one knew anything new.
The assailants had stopped communicating on the webpage as well, despite the resounding reviews they had gotten on their act by other members.
It was at the end of the second day that Tokitou was taken, Ainoura ,Murota and Matsuhara sat forlornly at the table.
Kubota sat smoking at the window panes, a breeze outside blew the smoke into the room which had taken on the hue of the redden sky.
The door opened and Matsumoto walked in.
He shook his head.
Murota banged his fist onto the table "Why!? It's been a day, they left Fujiwara didn't they?!"
"He knows." Kubota answered quietly.
"He knows who they are. That's why they're keeping him.'
Everyone stared at Kubota and digested the implications of it. Ainoua's eyes welled up as if he was gong to cry.
The door slammed opened "Guys…..Guys….." Katsuragi panted .She grabbed the bottle of mineral water next to Matsuhara and drank half of it before continuing.
"Look ,I just heard something in the girl's toilet, I don't know if it's anything…"
Murota stood up and towered over the small built girl " You have news of Tokitou."
"I don't know, could ….."
"Well what is it?!"
"Just let me….."
"So is it or is it not?!"
"SHUT UP ! " everyone stared at Kubota. He NEVER screamed before." Katsuragi go on."
"Some gals….they were discussing about Kasai, the swimming team leader. They were going on bout how good looking he is and all. Then another girl said she thinks he gay coz he always hangs out with Ueda, the 2nd year team mate. But then another girl said that hanging out doesn't mean they are gay, coz he hangs out with Kitano the photographing geek as well."
"So…..what does that mean?!" Murota could not seem to grasp the meaning behind it.
"What would an arrogant son of a bitch popular team captain be doing around Kitano the loser geek." Matsumoto deduced the thoughts that were in Katsuragi mind.
"And you said the pictures taken had to be self developed and they were definitely taken with care." Katsuragi spoke to Ainoura.
And that was that, they had gone with their suspicions and followed Kitano home the next day. They climbed over the fence and watched through window in the rose garden as Kitano went down the basement.
It was sickening stuff, the foursome. Some gay hating group they were. The only member that really hated gays was Hisato. He genuinely hated fags and wanted to punish each and everyone. He had roped in Ueda and Kasai not knowing they were fags too. Kasai and Ueda had been having trouble getting their kicks and getting horny with each other. They discovered violence before, makes the sex better and signed on. Kasai then had gotten Kitano involved, knowing that Kitano loved taking pictures of people suffering. He probably even knew about Kitano' sick preferences but kept quiet on it.
Tokitou had survived because girls wanted to gossip and Katsuragi was in the toilet.
Kubota smiled mirthlessly at the games heaven played with them.
CHAP 8 – END CHAP
1 month later, Tokitou was back in school. He resumed back to his daily routine and impulsive self without a beat. He joked with Ainoura ,wrestle with Murota and competed with Matsuhara drinking a carton of milk in one gulp. The guys were amazed at Tokitou's mental state. But Tokitou had not mentioned the incident and no one brought it up.
Kubota was not taking the act Tokitou presented. He slept in the same room as Tokitou and hears the scream he tries to hide as he jolts awake from nightmares. The trances he loses himself in when he thinks he's alone. But he knows Tokitou is trying to get over it and he knows he is trying to be strong. But it still hurts when he knows all he can do is stand and watch.
Exams were over and everyone was in a light-hearted mood. The school council had organized activities for the classes as the students wait for the school term to end. The executive committee had to increase their patrol as more defiant students had more time and free period to create havoc in school now.
Kubota was relaxing at the rooftop. He stares drowsily at slow moving fat white clouds in the sky as he contributed more pollution to the late autumn breeze as he blew cigarette smoke out with his lips.
He and Tokitou had just finished their patrol, Tokitou had told Kubota to go up first while he went to grab some drinks and grub for them.
Tokitou wasn't getting better but at least he wasn't getting worse. Kubota had not yet recommend the therapist idea to Tokitou yet, since Tokitou had not seem willingly to bring up the incident. And to introduce the subject of the therapist, he had to bring the incident up.
"SENPAI ! SENPAI!" Someone shouted his name and running footsteps echoed up from the stairway.
Kubota got up with one move and met a panicked Fujiwara in at the top of the staircase.
"SENPAI! …..(pant)…..(pant)…..Otsuka….(pant) 3rd floor…fighting…. …..me and Katsuragi…..then Tokitou ….went berserk…"
Kubota didn't wait for Fujiwara to finish his story, he was already rushing down to the 3rd floor. He reached the corridors and saw a huge crowd gathered outside the music room. He pushed through the people and saw Tohru sensei crouching over Ootsuka and some of his lackeys lying on the floor. Murota, Ainoura and Katsuragi was standing on the sidelines trying to get everyone to give the doctor space. Ootsuka looked bad, his face was bloodied and his shirt torn, it looked like he was kicked pretty badly in certain parts as well, as purpling bruises appear on skin that the torn shirt revealed.
"He's crazy! They should fucking place him in a mental hospital!" even in pain Ootsuka shouted out his opinion.
Katsuragi turned away from the curious crowd and storm towards the relentless bully.
"You provoked him!" she ignored the fact that he was injured and that he was twice her size, she grabbed him by his lapels hauled him up to her eye level.
"You think you're strong?! You think getting 3 guys to pin him down while insulting him and groping him is a manly act!? You fucking coward! You did it deliberately and you have only yourself to blame that he went berserk like you wanted him to. You didn't foresee that did you ? You didn't think that he could take all 4 of you easily didn't you?!"
Katsuragi released him and turn away in disgust as the word "scum." Escape underneath her breath.
Murota turned away from the scene and sees Kubota approaching. He grabbed Kubota's elbow and took him aside.
"He ran off. Sorry. I tried to stop him, but it was like….he looked so furious, he was hitting everyone who went near him, it took 4 people to pull him off that jerk."
"I'll look for him. Help me handle this."
"Okay."
As Kubota turned to leave, his mind going through the possible places Tokitou could have gone, Murota called him.
"Kubota."
"Yah?"
"Bring him back,ok?"
Pause
"OK."
…
Kubota finally found him, in the girl's changing room that he had recommended to Tsubasa. So much seemed to had happened since that day, he wonder if it were all inter connected . A big fuck-up script with the intention of screwing Tokitou's life.
Kubota went in and switch on the lights; he closes and locks the door.
He walked straight and sat down on the cushioned bench looking at the figure on the floor in front of him. A stray thought crossed his mind, "how come the guys have wooden benches and the girls cushioned?"
Tokitou remained huddled, with his arms across his bended knees and his face hunched in to hide himself. He knew who had sat down in front of him. He refused to acknowledge him, for Kubota was one of the reasons that were making it worse.
But Kubota was better at him in the waiting game, the silence dragged on and Kubota's presence turned comforting, he wanted to get things off his chest. He didn't want to pretend anymore, pretend that nothing had happened, pretend that he was happy, pretend that Kubota was ….
"I thought…...if everyone treated me the same, that I don't think about it, it would all go away. " Kubota's wait finally came through, he breath an inner sigh of relief as Tokitou's cracked voice spoke after 3 hours.
"I …..managed it sometimes…when everything seem to be like before….only sometimes I remember…and at night….I ….I can't sleep…." Tokitou's voice cracked further.
Tokitou spoke no further, his tiny frame making small movements and Kubota knew he was trying to keep his tears at bay.
Kubota slid down from the bench and sat in front of Tokitou, he placed both his legs beside Toktou's hunched figure and pulled him towards him. Tokitou resisted and Kubota persisted, the tug of war lasted for some time before Tokitou relented and was pulled into Kubota's arms. Tears run silently down Tokitou's face soaking up Kubota's right shoulder even as he rubbed his larger hand up and down his friend's back.
…
3 mths later.
Winter break finally arrived; Tokitou had changed after the breakdown. He stopped his act of being happy; pretending like nothing had happened, stop his forced smiles and laughter. He was more solemn, seldom smile or even laugh. Matsumoto had decide to temporary suspend him from the committee's activities till next term. This had elicited a huge cry of injustice from all the other members, but Tokitou had gone with the decision, not even a word of protest pass through his mouth.
He spends most of his time in the club's room , sometimes just staring out the windows for hours, awaiting Kubota to go home together.
Katsuragi had worried and ask Kubota whether they should press the issue of the shrink, but Kubota had said that Tokitou was finally healing, in his own way.
The weather had turned cold and Kubota no longer slept on the floor. He was back to sharing the bed with Tokitou. He had started sleeping on the floor after Tokitou was discharged but Tokitou had told him one night to get back on the bed, as it was too stupid for him to sleep on the floor in winter.
It was 2 a.m when the screams and thrashing started. They had not came for nearly two weeks so it jolted Kubota out of sleep very abruptly.
A fist hit him near the temple and he grimace in pain, he turned and uses his taller build to restrain the brown hair boy's movements. He held him in his embrace tightly and tried to get him to wake up from the nightmare.
Tokitou finally stop thrashing but his body tense and started to struggle out of the embrace. Kubota kept his hold tighter and spoke softly comforting words, so that the sweat drenched boy would know it's him.
Tokitou finally relaxed and his breathing slow down, his arms lay limp across Kubota's waist and his legs were tangled in the sheets and his bed partner's.
Silence resumed and it calm Tokitou down further, "What time is it?" he croaked, his voice hoarse from screaming and sleep.
He felt Kubota turned his head then a deep voice vibrated over the top of his head,., "Slightly over 2."
Tokitou untangle himself and his eyes narrowed when the bedside lamp was turn on.
His eyes narrowed further when he noticed the bruise near Kubota's eyes.
His hand reach out tentatively and touched it, as his friend lowered himself back on the pillows.
They both stay still, not saying anything not asking.
"Kubo chan….can I …" Tokitou hesitated, he wanted to say something but he was afraid, he did not think that he could remain sane if he pushed his only confidante away, or worse to look into his eyes and know that he knows.
Kubota remain silent, he was not one to probe, waiting for his friend to gather the courage to say whatever is on his mind. He thought he knew what was troubling Tokitou, other than the adduction. It was something Tokitou had to bring up, if he was still unsure then even if Kubota took the first step, the possibility of their friendship cracking had a higher possibility.
Kubota sigh, Tokitou's expression was closed again, he had decided not to say anything again, they lay there and the lamp was finally switched off when the smaller boy fell back into a slumber.
….
The apartment's lights were all on when Kubota walked in.
"Tadaima!…..Tokitou?"
He walked around, yet there was no sigh of the boy. He quenched the unreasonable fear that crept up his spine; he had got home late after meeting with Matsumoto who had updated him on what happened to the 4 students.
He checked the doorway and found Tokitou's shoes still there, that left one more place to check….
The wind blew through his limp strands as he step onto the rooftop of the building. He shivered a bit; winter this year was going to be extra cold.
He heard a fizzing sound and a spark of color flash at the corner of his eyes.
He turns and finds Tokitou sitting on an upturned pot and in the process of lighting up another sparkler.
Tokitou stared dazedly at the stick that he had lighted; it sparked and gave off intermittent sounds before fizzing into darkness again.
Something warm covered him and he trembled, not releasing that he was shivering from the cold.
Kubota nudged him and he moved over, sharing his seat and coat with his friend.
Friend. The term was his curse and salvation….
A soft hand took the lighter from his and the familiar sound and smell of Kubota's cigarette waft gently pass him.
"Where you got the sparklers?"
"We had some left from last Natsu hanabi matsuri, remember?"
"Aaa…...we lit them here and left the rest under the pot?'
"Yah."
Silence resume, with only the sound of their breathing and Kubota's enjoyment of his cigarette filling up the void.
"Remember the conversation we had then?"
"Hmmm….."
"We…..we were talking about school, then girls …..…then….'
"Homosexuals."
Kubota finish for his stammering friend.
"Yah….."
"Kubo chan do you….I mean….if …..I …...that's IF….."
Kubota grabs hold of Tokitou's chin and press a kiss onto his lips, Tokitou's eyes widen and his body froze as his lips remains parted after Kubota release him..
"Was that what you wanted to ask me?" Kubota flicked away his cigarette and ask softly.
"I…."
"This isn't about me Tokitou, you should know what I'm like. After that you should know what I want. The question is you. What do you want?"
Tokitou looked away from his friend's penetrating gaze and was silent for a while.
Finally he answered in a quiet tone "I don't want to lose you."
Kubota sigh, white puffs of air escaping his lips. "You wouldn't lose me, Tokitou. You can't lose me, ever. But do you want to be friends….or" he reached out his hand upturning it and placing it on Tokitou's canvas pants covered thighs, "or do you want something more."
Tokitou stares at the upturned hand and the taller man suddenly felt a droplet of warm liquid on his hand before a cold smaller trembling one was placed on it.
"Something more."
Kubota turns Tokitou towards him and gave him another kiss, this time lasting longer and more participation from both sides, they broke apart as Tokitou's stomach growled in hunger.
Tokitou blushed and mutter and a very small sorry.
"We should celebrate anyway."
Tokitou's eyes lit in anticipation" You're gonna cook something nice?'
"Well….we still have yesterday's curry." Kubota's lips lifted in a grin as Tokitou punched him lightly in the arm. His heart took a good take as Tokitou laughed.
It's been a while since he could do that.
His mind started reeling on the one minute pact he had make so long ago.
It was good to have him back and…something more.
THE END
YeaH!HurraY! I finished this fic. Sorry, I pondered and mull over the ending for a long time, I might add in an atogaki story, just a sex scene between these two, if I get the time. So please review and sorry if you hate the ending, the characters are pretty OOC, but hey, Tokitou did not go through this much in the EC manga thus no one can really say this is OOC right?