The Fabulous Kenta Kitagawa
Chapter 1: Summer Fling
July, 2006
Okinawa
"Damn is my ass sore," Hirokazu gripes as he rubs his backside.
"The flight wasn't that long," Jen points out for the third time.
"Tell that to my ass!" Hirokazu shoulders his duffel bag, falling behind the rest of us thanks to his awkward gait.
"Can we please stop talking about Hirokazu's butt now?" Takato pleads.
"Aw, c'mon," Hirokazu says mockingly. "Don't you guys want to kiss it and make it better?"
"I'm with Takato on this one," I have to add.
"Oh like it's any worse than when Takato goes on and on and on about his girlfriend," Hirokazu points out. "We get it, dude! You're getting some! No need to rub it in."
Takato's already getting red. "It's not like that—"
Sorry, but I have to interrupt. "Hirokazu, did you just compare Juri to your butt?" I ask.
He gives me a blank stare for a few seconds before realizing what he had said. "I… guess I did. And you know what? Nobody wants to hear about either of them!" Green is not a flattering color on you, Hirokazu.
"So does this mean you think of your butt as your girlfriend?" I ask, flashing a big grin Hirokazu's way.
"Kiss my ass, Kenta!"
I snicker at him. "I think that's your job."
"Please, PLEASE let it drop," Takato begs. "We're supposed to be having fun this week." He's right, of course. The sooner we nip this one in the bud the better. I don't need to spend the next week talking about Hirokazu's butt.
"So where'd your cousin say he'd meet us?" Jen asked, turning to Takato. He's pulling his luggage along behind him, like Takato and I.
"Should be around here somewhere." Takato shades his eyes with his hand and starts looking around the airport terminal. The rest of us do the same. This place is pretty big, but it wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the almost blindingly bright, sunny weather outside and the dozens of people all around us. This place is a zoo.
"Maybe we should call him or something," Jen suggests.
"He doesn't carry a cell phone," Takato explains.
"What kind of guy doesn't have a phone?" Hirokazu asks. "Does he live under a rock or something?"
"We're not in the city anymore, Hirokazu," Jen tells him. "Moumantai. We're supposed to be taking it easy, right?"
Hirokazu pouts. "Yeah, well, he better have some good video games at least."
Takato starts chuckling to himself. I'm going to take that as a bad sign for Hirokazu. But really, it's his own fault. Was he even paying attention when we were all planning this trip together?
Suddenly we all hear a shout. "Takato!" I barely have time to turn my head before a boy about our age with dark hair and tawny skin bursts through the crowd, leaping at Takato with a huge grin on his face. Takato's eyes go wide and he tries to scream, but he's not fast enough. The boy grabs him in a hug and screams, "You made it!"
Takato looks a little too shocked to say anything. That this guy's shaking him around like a dog with a toy probably doesn't help much, but he's smiling at least.
"Hey Kai, it's been a while," Jen says with a little laugh.
"Hey dude, welcome back!" the guy, Kai, says to Jen. He flashes a huge grin but he's still not letting go of Takato.
"So you're Kai, huh?" Hirokazu asks.
He turns to us this time. "Yep! I guess you guys must be Hirokazu and Kenta, right?"
"You know it," Hirokazu says, brushing the hair out of his face to try looking cool.
"Nice to meet you," I say, bowing slightly.
"Back at you!" Kai smiles right at me. Wow, he's got a really nice smile.
"You can let go now," Takato manages to squeak out.
Kai shakes his head vigorously and hugs Takato tighter. "Not a chance! You've been gone way too long, man! What happened to my favorite little cousin?"
"Little?" Takato sounds insulted. "We're practically the same age!"
"Five months is five months," Kai reminds him. That guy just can't seem to stop smiling.
"We're in the same year in school though!" Takato shoots back.
"Maybe, but I'm still taller than you!" Kai finally lets Takato go and stands up to his full height, waving a hand between the top of his own head and the empty space above Takato's. "Are you sure you didn't shrink since the last time I saw you?"
"Hey, I'm plenty tall!"
Kai looks at the rest of us. "Raise your hand if you're taller than Takato."
Kai of course has his raised from the start. Jen, Hirokazu, and yes, even I join him. Sorry Takato, but I guess that growth spurt put me ahead of you.
Takato groans at all of us. "Can we just get going?"
"You got it," Kai says. "As long as you guys didn't bring any extra friends along in your luggage this time."
Hirokazu groans. "I'm thinking the luggage compartment couldn't have been any worse than those seats."
"Give it a rest, Hirokazu," I tell him.
Kai laughs. Great smile and now a great laugh too? Lucky guy. "C'mon," he says. "If we hurry, we can get home with enough time do so some swimming!"
Jen chuckles at that. "Sounds like fun."
"Yeah, let's do this thing," Hirokazu says as he pulls his sunglasses out of his pocket and puts them on. "I want to see what the big deal is about this place."
Kai leads the way of course, dragging Takato along by the wrist. Hirokazu and I are bringing up the rear and, since Kai's busy talking to Takato I don't mind asking Hirokazu something. "Kai seems pretty cool, don't you think?"
He shrugs. "Eh. He's just some kid from the islands."
Sometimes there's just no pleasing Hirokazu.
"Can you guys walk any slower?" Kai asks. "Look, the sun's almost down already!"
"Not our fault that boat ride took forever!" Hirokazu points out as he drops his bag on the wooden floor.
We're at what I guess is the shrine where Kai and his grandfather live; I'm not really sure on how that arrangement is set up, but this is what I've heard from Takato at least. It's what you'd call… rustic. We'll have no trouble getting a breeze going through here, I can say that much. I wonder how old this place is? Probably even older than Kai's grandfather, who right now is sitting outside playing what I'm pretty sure is called a sanshin. And that is one serious bottle of beer he's got with him. How can a guy who wouldn't even come up to my shoulders drink that much in a sitting?
Never mind that. Even if the house is a lot different from anything I've ever seen in the city, it's worth it for that sunset. We're surrounded by jungle on all sides, but if you look out to the west the trees thin out and you can see the whole sky: gorgeous orange and purple, the sun sinking low, all reflected in the sea. I've never seen anything like it in my life.
"When's dinner, gramps?" Kai shouts.
"You tell me!" his grandfather shouts back, not even looking up as he slowly plucks the cords of the sanshin.
"Thanks for having us, Wataru!" Takato calls out, bowing low after setting his luggage down. "We're sorry to—"
"Miserable old bastard!" Kai interrupts him. "We've got guests!"
Wataru waves a hand our way. "That's all I need, more yapping, spoiled children!"
"Hey!" Hirokazu shouts.
Kai speaks up again. "Get your eyes checked, old man! Nothin' but men here!"
Wataru keeps playing that tune. "We'll see about that tomorrow, won't we? Until then I've got a bunch of squabbling little boys running around my legs begging for food!"
"Oh like it would kill you to cook for once in your life you wrinkled geezer!"
"Watch your tongue with me you insolent minnow!"
"Old goat!"
"Rug rat!"
The four of us kind of stand there watching, looking back and forth between Kai to Wataru as they trade insults. It's… actually getting pretty funny. Kai is smiling the whole time. I don't think I've seen him do anything but smile, actually. It's infectious.
"Enough bellyaching!" Wataru finally announces. He sets his sanshin aside, picks up the bottle of beer and… he drinks the whole thing! It was already half-empty, but the bottle's as big as my arm! This guy is a pro. "If it'll stop your moaning I'll set something out. Hope you boys like real food instead of that sissy stuff you get in the city."
"Thank you, Mr. Urazoe," Jen says with a bow.
"Just call me Wataru, kid!" He wipes his mouth on his arm and gets up. He dusts himself off and heads inside.
"So what're we having?" Hirokazu asks after Wataru disappears into the kitchen.
"I hope you guys like pig," Kai says as he looks out at the ocean. His silhouette standing there against that sunset looks really cool.
"Like what, ribs? Bacon? Chops?" Hirokazu asks.
"Everything but the oink," Kai says with a laugh.
It turns out he wasn't kidding. I don't think I've ever seen so much pork in my life. If I didn't know better I'd think they bought a whole pig for the occasion. Actually, they might have, and decided it wasn't quite enough so they added in some spam appetizers. Any way you can think of to turn a pig into food is probably somewhere on this table.
"Stop being so stingy!" Kai argues after Wataru again refuses to pour him any island sake: awamori, he calls it.
Wataru brushes Kai off. "You're supposed to set a good example for your little cousin and his friends, boy! No drinking."
"I keep telling you I'm not little," Takato says in a disappointed tone. Hirokazu laughs at him before digging into the pork shoulder.
"What? Now I can't drink just because they can't?" Kai asks, completely ignoring Takato's statement.
"That's right!" Wataru declares with a laugh.
"No way are you sticking me at the kiddy table, gramps!"
"Kiddy table?" Hirokazu and I both ask at the same time, only to get as much reaction as Takato did.
"We'll have to see how things go tomorrow, won't we?" Wataru asks. "Until then, this house is officially dry."
"But you're drinking right now!" Kai objects.
"Respect your elders!" Wataru smacks Kai on the forehead with his chopsticks.
"Takato, what exactly is happening tomorrow?" Jen asks.
Takato swallows his dumpling and shrugs. "I think Kai said something about going out fishing. It sounded fun."
Apparently noticing Takato was there for the first time, Wataru and Kai look at one another and start cracking up. That can't be a good sign.
"You guys better get to bed early tonight," Kai says as he tries to keep his laughter in check. "Trust me, you're gonna need it."
Definitely not a good sign.
Of course with Hirokazu around there's no way we're getting to bed anytime soon. No, after dinner he wants to go explore the beach at night. No one has the heart to turn him down. Besides, it's beautiful out here. More than I ever imagined it could be. I've lived in the city my whole life and I never once imagined there could be so many stars at night. There's not a cloud in sight and the moon isn't out. There isn't a single light for miles around. I could look at this sky forever.
Of course, this would all be a lot more serene if it weren't for Hirokazu going on and on about the tan he's going to get and how he'll get to show off his muscles to all the babes around here (even though Takato has told him a hundred times that not a lot of girls ever come by this island.) Kai kind of kills the mood too, taking every opportunity he can get to jump out of the shadows and startle Takato. I think I'm starting to understand why Takato was… less than excited at the thought of all of us joining him on this trip at first. Hirokazu was persistent though, and Jen talked about how fun the last trip to Okinawa five years ago was, so Takato finally gave up on trying to stop us.
I don't really mind Kai being so loud. It's who he is, I guess. Like Hirokazu. Besides, how could I stay mad at a guy who smiles that much? Not to mention taking us into his home and serving us all that food. This might sound a little weird, but in the soft starlight he's… really attractive. What? I don't mean it like that. It's just a compliment! You'd have to be blind not to see it. Kai Urazoe is not a bad looking guy. Ask anyone in the world and they'll tell you the same thing.
I would kill to look like that. You can tell he must exercise constantly. And that complexion would drive the girls back home nuts. Plus there's that hair, too. Normally guys look a little silly with one of those short ponytails, but he wears it really well. Not to mention his smile is only made better by having perfect teeth. Alright, I admit I'm jealous, okay? What of it?
No, it's not weird that I think about stuff like that. It's kind of hard not to notice. I mean he's right there. It's impossible to miss the guy, especially with how excited he is. It's kind of sweet, actually. You can tell he must love it when Takato visits. I wish I had family like that.
I think I understand why it would have been a good idea to get to sleep early now. "You can't be serious," I grumble while reaching for my glasses. "The sun isn't even up yet."
"Well the fish are," Kai says, sounding way too upbeat for this time of… I know I should call it morning, but morning involves things like breakfast and sunlight. Not being dragged from bed to go fishing.
"What time is it?" Jen asks, trying to smooth out a bad case of bed head. Judging by his tone he isn't too thrilled about this either.
"Fishing time," Wataru says briskly. He's already up, dressed, and loading up rods, reels, nets, and a pair of harpoons, if you can believe it. What does he take us for?
"C'mon, guys!" Kai says as he prods Hirokazu to get moving with his foot. "You want to eat? You gotta work for it!"
"Sleep now. Eat later," Hirokazu grumbles. His face is buried deep in his pillow and his whole body is curled up in a tight little ball under his blanket.
Takato yawns loudly as he pulls on a yellow t-shirt. He's already changed into a pair of blue shorts and he's got sandals ready to go. "Aren't you cold?" I ask.
"I'll be fine," Takato says as he pulls on a dark blue bucket hat. "If anything I'm worried I'll be too hot today."
"Well no way am I going out there without a jacket," Jen says, already wearing a grey shirt and some cargo shorts.
"Boat leaves in five minutes!" Wataru barks at us. "Anyone not ready to go gets to be our bait!"
"Better do what he says, Hirokazu," Kai teases. "He means it."
"He's not going to wake up, you know," Jen assures Kai.
"Yeah, when he gets like this you might as well be beating your fists against a brick wall," I add.
"Oh yeah?" Kai asks, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We'll see about that." He reaches for Hirokazu with one hand. That's not going to work. I once tried to wake Hirokazu up by shaking him when he was this tired. He grabbed me and absorbed me into the covers like he was a giant amoeba or something. Wait a minute. Kai's not shaking him. He grabs the covers and—oh my.
"Gyah!" Hirokazu screams as Kai rips the covers off.
Takato and Jen both cover their faces with their palms and shake their heads. Kai goes into a laughing fit, barely managing to get out a quick, "Nice undies!"
"I got hot!" Hirokazu shouts, fighting for his blanket back.
Kai, you have no clue what you've just started, do you?
Hours later the sun is shining and all six of us are out on the water. There's only a few white, fluffy clouds overhead and the sea is the deepest blue I've ever seen. The nets are cast and the fishing rods are propped up. We actually caught a lot of fish this morning, though none of them would exactly break any records. Wataru has mostly been reading the newspaper—that or sleeping; it's hard to tell which. It's really peaceful, at least for the moment.
"Sunscreen?" Jen offers a tube of the stuff to Takato as he finishes rubbing it into his own leg.
"Thanks, Jen. I forgot mine," Takato smiles.
"This is sooo boring," Hirokazu whines. He's bare-chested, wearing his black shirt with some metal band's logo on the front on top of his head for shade.
"Patience, Grasshopper," Kai says with his usual grin. "For once you find the true Zen of fishing, you will see it is not the fishing that is boring, but yourself."
Hirokazu looks my way. "Should I take that as an insult?"
"I would if I were you," I say, smiling at him.
"I thought so!" Hirokazu declares with a grimace. "Well just you wait. You and I, we'll show this guy why no one messes with us!"
"I don't know," I tell him. "He's already got a bit of a lead on you. Especially after this morning, and I don't think he was even trying."
Hirokazu's face turns bright red once again. "I told you, I got hot!"
Jen, Takato and I all laugh. Kai, of course, laughs even louder. "So why didn't you take the blanket off and leave your clothes on?" he asks.
"Hey, I'll have you know I've got nothing to be ashamed of," Hirokazu says with a firm nod.
Kai smirks at him. "If you say so."
"Sunscreen, Kai?" Takato offers.
"No thanks, Takato," Kai says, quickly turning to face his cousin and waving the offer away. "I don't really burn."
"Hirokazu?" Takato asks. "Sunscreen?"
I catch sight of Hirokazu glaring at Kai. "Nah," he says. "If this Ryukyuan can handle a little sun, then I can too."
"I'll take some," I quickly chime in. "I burn just looking at pictures of the sun."
"All yours," Takato says, handing the tube my way.
"You sure that's a good idea, Hirokazu?" Kai asks. "You probably don't get much sun living in the city."
"Hey! I deal with a lot worse than nice weather, pal! I think I've got it covered."
"If you say so." Kai rolls his eyes and stands up. "Hey gramps! Grab me one of those spears."
"If you think you can handle it without cutting yourself again," Wataru says, shaking his newspaper. I swear I hear him chuckling.
"C'mon, gramps, I haven't done that since I was little!" Kai shucks off his bright yellow shirt, which was already unbuttoned to start with.
"And?" Wataru asks. "You still look pretty little to me!"
"We'll see about that!" Kai says, flexing all of the muscles in his arms. Wow. He is… seriously toned. I mean he looks kind of skinny but… wow.
"Have it your way," Wataru says gruffly. "Just don't start crying again if you poke your eye out. And at least try to stay away from the poisonous fish this time."
"I'll be fine, gramps. Besides, everyone knows Takato's the crier in the family."
"Hey!" Takato tries to interject.
"Nonsense!" Wataru declares with some authority as he hands Kai one of the harpoons by the dull end. "Every other day with you it's tears, boy! 'Grandpa, help! I got a boo-boo!' 'Grandpa, help! I can't hold my sake!' 'Oh Grandpa, why oh why won't that girl return my phone calls?'"
Hirokazu gets a big kick out of that. Kai looks like he's trying to shrug it off, but I can barely make out a bit of pink on his cheeks.
"You wait and see old man!" Kai says, dramatically holding the harpoon above his head. "I'll bring back enough fish to choke you!" He grabs hold of his hair tie and flings it down onto the deck, letting his abundant black hair fall freely around his shoulders before he jumps off the side of the boat.
"Alright, now that was pretty cool," I say.
Hirokazu snorts. "Showoff. I could do that."
"Enough flapping your gums!" Wataru barks. "You'll scare away the fish."
I don't mind the quiet. It's sort of nice, out here in the sun with just the sound of the waves. It's tranquil. The sea is breathtaking. I've never seen water so clear. I can even see Kai swimming around under the surface. He comes up every minute or so for air, and when he does his hair is matted all over his face. It's… hard not to watch. There's something about him. Like he knows how good he looks and can't help showing off. If I had abs like that I know I'd probably never bother buttoning my shirt either. Plus, he's a natural in the water. It's like he's half fish or something! He must have been doing this his whole life. I have to say, even though I'd miss living in the city I'm starting to see the advantages of growing up out here: lots of sun, an ocean to swim in, plenty of outdoor exercise. It's no wonder Kai looks so damn—
"Ow!" I cry out after Wataru smacks me over the back of the head with his rolled-up newspaper.
"Eyes on the fish!" he barks, the slightest hint of a smirk on the corner of his mouth.
I rub the back of my head as the other guys snicker at me. Was I… staring at Kai? That whole time? Weird.
We spend the whole day on the boat. Peaceful is one thing but by the time Wataru finally says we're heading back we're all a little on edge. Except Kai, of course. He takes the whole thing in stride. I'm guessing this is nothing out of the ordinary for him. At least he managed to bring in the biggest catches of the day, including an octopus that he assures me will taste great tonight. I thought he was kidding at first!
Sure enough we barely make it back to the house before Wataru tells us to wash up and get ready to start cooking. Jen, Takato and I all stare at him in disbelief. Hirokazu collapses on the floor. I wonder if I can get out of kitchen detail if I join him.
"Don't worry guys! I'll show you how it's done," Kai says. How does he grin so much? Especially after being out on a boat all day. Maybe he's insane or something. I guess it's true what they say: the pretty ones really are crazy.
…
Uh, forget I said that. I'm tired is all.
Now you would think having so many of us to help would make the cooking go faster. You would be wrong. I don't know about too many cooks spoiling the soup, but I do know if you throw a bunch of teenagers into a small space with sharp knives, a lot of seafood, and barely any cooking experience between them, it's a recipe for disaster. I hoped Takato at least would have some idea what he was doing, but I guess baking bread and cutting up octopus aren't all that similar. He flipped out when the suckers grabbed hold of him.
At least Jen keeps a cool head about the whole thing. I wouldn't expect any less from him, of course. He's pretty cool under pressure. It's like he blocks out the rest of the world when he's focusing on something. I can see how that would come in handy, given that Kai and his grandfather are trading insults back and forth while they try teaching the rest of us what to do. If I follow Kai's instructions too closely I'll wind up making an eel tempura with a side of miserable bastard.
Somehow we do finally manage to bring together a real meal. I don't know about taste, but for something we all had a hand in it looks delicious. It helps that I am starving. If it tastes like dirt I'll still eat every last thing I can get my hands on. Of course any time I tried to get a taste-test while we were making it Wataru was right there behind me just in time to smack me across the back of the head. I swear that guy must have been a ninja or something once upon a time. Now that the food is on the table though and we are all kneeling around it we can finally dig in!
"Hold it!" Wataru orders from the head of the table. I knew it was too good to be true. "How did you boys enjoy yourselves today? Too hard on you?"
"Piece of cake, gramps!" Kai gloats. He's sitting at the opposite end from Wataru.
"I'm not talking to you, brat! Takato, speak up, boy!"
"Fossil," Kai grumbles.
"It was, uh, great sir. Really!" Takato says, probably hoping to appease Wataru.
"What about you?" Wataru asks, turning to Jen.
"It was challenging, I admit," Jen says, smiling a bit. "I enjoyed it though."
"You should've let me have one of those spears," Hirokazu chimes in. It's hard to ignore how burned he got today; he's pretty much radioactive. "I'd have caught a ton more fish than Kai!"
"Hirokazu, do we really need to tell you why that is such a bad idea?" Jen asks.
"I think our parents want all of us to survive this trip," I add.
"And you there!" Wataru says, finally pointing to me.
"Oh, I thought it was good," I say, knowing full well that this is the first time I've described a day where I got rope burn from hauling in fishing nets as being good.
Wataru gives me a weird little smirk, the kind that I only ever thought Ruki could give. "Yes, I think it's pretty clear what you thought." What's that supposed to mean? "Kai! Go get the hanazake. These men are thirsty. And be quick about it you indolent tortoise!"
The insult rolls right off Kai's back and his whole face lights up. "Hanazake coming right up!" He's already half-way out the door before he finishes the sentence. I don't think his feet even touch the floor after he jumps up from his seat and bounds to the next room.
"Hanazake?" I ask.
"You'll love it!" Kai shouts, reappearing just as quickly as he left. He's carrying a bottle with him. "Trust me. Gramps never lets me have this stuff. We're in for a real treat!"
"Uh, I'm not sure my parents want me drinking," Takato says.
"Yeah, my dad is kind of strict about that," Jen adds.
"I am so in!" Hirokazu smiles fiendishly.
"Relax, guys," Kai says as he starts pouring some for each of us. "You'll only have a little bit, okay? It's not like it'll kill you."
"Damn right it won't," Wataru nods. "I was drinking twice that much when I was half your age!"
"See?" Kai asks. "And he's lived to be, like, a thousand!"
"Listen to my idiot grandson. A little hanazake will make you feel better after a long day."
"Well, I guess if it's only a little bit it's okay," Takato says as he looks at his drink.
"What your parents don't know won't hurt them, Jen," I point out.
Jen rubs his chin for a few seconds, studying his drink carefully until finally saying, "Well, it would be rude of me to turn down your hospitality."
"So we can eat after we drink, right?" I ask.
"Yeah, dude," Kai says, smirking my way.
"So let's do this!" I declare.
"Kanpai!" Wataru and Kai say together, both throwing back their drinks easily.
"Kanpai!" Hirokazu yells, trying to do the same. As soon as the drink hits the back of his throat though his eyes get huge and he starts gagging and coughing, drawing laughter from Kai and his grandfather.
"Maybe you should try sipping it for now," Kai suggests. "It's got a bit of a kick."
Hirokazu lies on his back, groaning but not saying anything.
"Well, I guess if I go slow…" Jen says to himself.
I raise my drink to Jen. "Bottoms up."
We both take a sip and… I… think… I went blind there for a second! What the hell is this stuff? Why in the name of all that's holy would anyone willingly drink this? Am I dying? That was barely a sip! I cough but I can't get that burning taste out of my mouth!
Judging from the look on his face, Jen's not taking it much better. He's trying to keep stoic, but his eyes are bulging out and he's got a death grip on the table in front of him with both hands.
"Go for it, Takato!" Kai shouts.
Takato's practically sweating. I don't blame him. But how could he turn his cousin down? One way or another, this is going to happen. And, over the course of dinner, it does. He gets down his whole drink plus the rest of Jen's. Kai eagerly finished off mine himself. An hour later, we've all learned something we all probably should have suspected about Takato.
"You guys… you're, like, the best, uh… the best guys ever!" He's currently hanging off Jen's shoulder, wobbling unsteadily.
That's right: Takato can't hold his liquor. At all. If I was ever asked I'd have guessed he's a lightweight, but this is surprising even by those standards. I don't think Wataru and Kai felt a thing. Hirokazu got a little loose, but that's about it. Takato is ripped though. Plastered. Kai and Wataru say they had no idea it was possible to get that drunk off so little alcohol, but that doesn't stop them both from finding it hilarious.
Takato starts to sniffle. "I j-just… wish that he…" He's trembling. We can all tell where this is going, but there's no stopping it.
Jen pats Takato on the back. "Easy now, Takato. Take a deep breath and—"
Takato bursts into tears. He wraps his arms around Jen and bawls onto his shoulder. "I-I-I j-just miss m-my big red buddy so much!" Takato doesn't cry a lot these days, but this is as over-the-top as I've ever seen.
We've all made our second discovery about Takato this evening: he's a weepy drunk. Kai and Wataru find this even funnier, but Takato doesn't seem to notice their hysterics. He keeps on sobbing, occasionally stopping to hiccup.
"Dude, what's your deal?" Hirokazu asks. Tactful as ever, Hirokazu.
Takato keeps on crying. "H-he, the last time I… we were here… with the thing 'n all… I miss him!"
"Anyone catch that?" I ask.
"I think he means Guilmon," Jen says. Given how Takato sobs even louder at the word "Guilmon" I'm pretty sure Jen hit the nail on the head.
"Still bummed about Guilmon?" Hirokazu asks with a frown.
Takato nods. "He… he w-was my… my big red buddy!" He goes right back into a tears. This is going to be a long night.
I understand. The last time Takato was in Okinawa he still had Guilmon with him. This trip probably brings up a lot of memories for him. Jen too, but Jen's better at hiding it. And now of course I'm thinking MarineAngemon. I still miss him. Of course I do. How could I not? I know I didn't have him very long but it was like I'd spent my whole life waiting for him. Great, now Takato's got me all weepy too!
Takato hangs off anybody that will put up with for the rest of the evening. It takes some time, but we do finally get him to calm down. That or he starts sobering up. Either way he's still pretty tipsy when we all decide to turn in for the night. It's been a very long day and my little spot of floor crowded on all sides by the other guys looks pretty damn inviting. I hope Takato doesn't fall apart again, especially since I'm the one he's sleeping closest to.
As I'm starting to doze off something strange happens. Takato, pretty clearly still feeling weepy, rolls toward me, puts an arm around me and holds me like a stuffed animal for him to sob into. I might think this was a little weird if it weren't for the fact that he'd been doing the very same thing ever since dinner. It turns out that not only is Takato a weepy drunk; he's also a cuddly one as well. I don't really mind. After all the times he's been there for me I'm happy to return the favor. Takato's great, you know?
We've been in Okinawa for five days and I am starting to feel… really pent up. After the other night we all agreed that would be it as far as drinking goes. Takato does still sleep pretty close to me, but that's not a problem. Hirokazu, since getting that nasty sunburn, has abandoned all sense of shame. He doesn't even cover up with a blanket when he strips down to his underwear at night. It's close quarters for everyone. All the time. Day and night. It's impossible to get a minute away even when you're bathing! There's only so much hot water to go around and everyone wants it. Though to be honest, a cold shower wouldn't be so bad at this point.
I mean, just so I can get a minute away from everyone else.
Yeah.
Uh, anyway, we still fish every day and we still cook together. We did cut back on the fishing a bit, though, so we get at least afternoons off to hang out or wander around the island. That's what we're up to right now, down at the beach. I'm out in the surf with Hirokazu and Takato close by, a little closer to the shore. We're all watching Jen and Kai, who are facing off against one another at the water's edge. Takato let it slip that Jen was pretty good at tai chi last night and, well, I guess Kai's been learning karate from his grandfather. Kai was really excited to test himself against Jen. It's definitely all in good fun though; you can tell they're enjoying themselves.
Oh, and did I mention that neither of them is wearing a shirt? And they're both dripping wet from being in the water? Yeah.
"Go again?" Kai asks as he re-tightens the yellow and black bandana he's wearing on his head today.
"Sure thing," Jen says with a smile and a bow before assuming his stance.
Kai bows back with his own trademark smile. He's going to make the first move. He always does. He takes his position.
Kai moves in, throws a blow, and the next thing I know he's laying flat on his back on the beach. Jen, you are amazing, you know that?
Kai laughs at the whole thing, not bothering to get up. "Alright, that's three to two, Jen. Looks like you win this set."
"You sure didn't make it easy on me," Jen says, chuckling and offering Kai a hand.
"See? I told you Kai wasn't so tough," Hirokazu says with a shrug.
"Oh he's tough alright," Jen says.
Kai brushes the sand off himself. "Care to try your luck Hirokazu?"
"Bring it on!" Hirokazu says enthusiastically as he trudges back to the beach.
"This is going to get ugly, isn't it?" I ask.
Takato shakes his head. "It's the only way he'll learn."
"Hirokazu? Learn? Don't get your hopes up," I say.
"I hope Kai doesn't do any permanent harm," Jen says as he joins Takato and I in the water.
"Just you guys watch!" Hirokazu shouts back at us. "I've got this!"
"Good luck, Hirokazu!" I call out to him. He's going to need it.
"Now I don't want you going easy on me," Kai says as he cracks his knuckles and stretches.
Hirokazu smirks at Kai. "Don't worry, I won't."
Kai bows. "Whenever you're ready then."
That's all the prompting Hirokazu needs. He leaps at Kai with a yell and… promptly winds up face-down in the sand. Kai puts a foot on Hirokazu's back and flexes at us, beaming proudly over his triumph.
"Are you okay, Hirokazu?" Takato asks, trying not to snicker.
Hirokazu gives us a halfhearted thumbs-up, not even bothering to take his face out of the sand.
"So guys, you want to maybe go into town later?" Kai asks, taking a few steps toward us.
Hirokazu finally pushes himself upright. He wipes the sand from his face and spits out a mouthful before turning to look at Kai's back. I don't want to say Hirokazu's pissed, but he's not thrilled. I've seen that look from him before, and it can only mean mischief is afoot. Don't poke the bear, Kai. You're too cu—er, too cool to die so young.
"Yeah, that might be fun," Takato says. "Do we have to take a boat?"
Hirokazu is on his feet. He's got a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his lips. I'd warn Kai to watch his back, but… I can't do that to Hirokazu. Besides, sometimes you've got to sit back and watch the train wreck happen.
Kai nods. "Yeah, but—"
"Oh Kai…" Hirokazu practically whispers. Before Kai can turn Hirokazu has pounced, grabbing Kai's shorts in both hands. Oh Hirokazu, no! "Nice undies!" Oh Hirokazu, yes!
There's a red spray right in front of my face. Nose bleeding. Blood dripping off chin. Glasses fogged up. Can't. Look. Away.
Hirokazu is so stunned he can't even move. "You, uh, going commando today, Kai?"
"…Yeah." Kai's face is… so red it's almost purple. His smile is less cocky now. More embarrassed. Cute. So cute. Can't-look-away cute. "You, uh, see something you like back there?" he asks, trying to sound nonchalant.
Takato is speechless, trying to cover his eyes. Jen is definitely mad at Hirokazu, but no matter how hard he's trying he can't hold back a laugh. I am burning this moment into my brain. Must remember. Forever. Just… just… wow!
Kai clears his throat. "I'll, uh, get this." Hirokazu actually takes the hint and backs off. Kai turns around—sending more blood rocketing from my nose—and bends down to pull his shorts back up.
Hirokazu, I owe you big time.
Kai still doesn't turn to face the rest of us. "You guys enjoy the show?" he asks with a nervous laugh. You have no idea how much, Kai.
Suddenly Hirokazu looks my way and the shock disappears from his face. Now there's a wicked grin there. "What'cha thinkin' about, Kenta?" he asks slyly.
SHIT!
I plunge my face into the water without hesitation and start scrubbing furiously. Damn it, Hirokazu! Not cool, man! It's because of the climate! I'm not used to this kind of weather! That causes nosebleeds, right? Sure it does! I always get random nosebleeds whenever I've gone up into the mountains! That's the same thing, right? Right?
Alright, that should be good enough. I jump out of the water again, my hair sopping wet. I smile, which is easier than I expected even though it feels like my cheeks are on fire. "Nothing!" I shout back.
Hirokazu shrugs it off. I don't think Jen and Takato saw anything; Takato was too busy trying to cover his eyes and Jen was trying to keep himself from laughing. Hirokazu probably didn't see much. He's far enough away that he couldn't have seen more than a blur. Kai, though, he probably saw my bloody nose. He had to. I mean, he was looking right at me pretty much the whole time.
This is so embarrassing. It doesn't mean anything though! Nothing! I swear! It's the climate. Plus, I was surprised. Wouldn't you be? I know Kai sure was. Everyone was surprised, even Hirokazu! Damn it, Hirokazu, why'd you have to go and do something like that? Anyone could tell that Kai wasn't wearing underwear today. Or most days, really. I mean, I noticed at least. Why didn't you notice that, Hirokazu? I should be so mad at you right now! I'm not, but I should be.
Okay, this is leading to a weird train of thought. Stop it. It was nothing.
"So, uh, how about that trip into town?" Kai asks, quickly changing the subject. Thank you, Kai. Thank you so much. I could kiss you for that.
…
I know. Shut up. It doesn't mean anything.
Man do I need a girlfriend.
Like I was saying. Pent. Up. Being around these guys non-stop is driving me insane. See? That's why! I'd be all back to normal if I could just get some freaking time to myself. Is that so much to ask for? Huh? A little quality time with Kenta? I'm really not a bad guy once you get to know me.
The rest of the day passes pretty much without incident. It's all back to normal. We go into town for a while, visit some shops, ogle some girls, and then it's back to Kai's place for cooking, eating, and hanging out. It's like it didn't happen. Except that, of all people, Kai actually does throw out a few jokes about it. Somehow, Hirokazu is the one who's more embarrassed! Does Kai have some kind of special immunity to embarrassment or something?
Of course I can't sleep at all even hours after everyone else has passed out. Takato's breathing on me, Hirokazu's splayed out in nothing but his underwear, and even if Kai's snoring weren't enough to keep him right at the front of my mind it's impossible to ignore the fact that he's lying bare-chested only a few feet away with the moonlight bouncing off those impossibly perfect pecs and what I saw today is now my brain's permanent screensaver. Now all I need is for Jen to strip down and start doing his tai chi exercises and I will never, ever be able to sleep again. This. Isn't. Fair.
Okay, calm down, Kenta. Focus. Think about something else. Anything else. Think about… Hirokazu's nasty sunburn! Yeah, that's it. All day long he's been peeling off bits of dead skin. Gross! Seriously Hirokazu, nobody wants to see that. We don't care how much you can peel at a time. It's nasty. And I will not help you do your back! We're close, Hirokazu, but we aren't that close. Why did he have to go and get himself burnt? He hasn't been willing to wear a shirt in days because of it! Strutting around here like he owns the place. Shirtless. Sweaty. Maybe his shorts clinging to him after he's been swimming…
Damn it! Focus. He should have just used the sun screen. I should have made him use it! If I could go back in time I would grab that sunscreen, hold Hirokazu down and forcibly use it all over… his… body…
What the hell is wrong with me?
Two days. Only two more days and we're going home. That's not so bad, right? Even if I don't sleep at all I can make it two days. Then this will all blow over. Focus, Kenta. You can do this. It's only two days. I mean, how many more times could I possibly see Kai naked in two days? It's not like anyone's going to pants him on the way to the airport. Not even Hirokazu is that cruel.
How the hell can they all sleep so soundly? Why am I the only one that seems the least bit bothered by any of this? Why am I the only one who can't sleep?
…
I'm not normal, am I?
Never mind. That was a stupid question. I'm perfectly normal, damn it! Everyone says so! Every day at school, someone says to me, "Wow, Kenta! You must be the most normal guy I've ever met!" Okay, maybe I'm paraphrasing, but I'm plenty normal. Not a single thing weird about me. Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix. This whole trip is messing with my head. As soon as I get back home I can sleep in my own bed in a familiar city where I can get a minute's privacy. No more Hirokazu and his nasty sunburn. No more slaving away in the kitchen or on a boat. No more Takato snuggling up against me all night long. No more of Kai's perfect smile.
Why can I not get this stuff out of my head? I know I think about this sometimes, but never for very long. This is different though. Most of the time I've got something to take my mind off it. School or television or games or almost anything. Not out here though. At least the guys are all here to keep me distracted. I just wish they weren't so… distracting.
Forget it. I must be in an uncomfortable position. I probably need to roll over. Or go use the bathroom. Or go for a walk. Something. Okinawa is weird. Two days, that's all. I can make it two days. I could do two days standing on my head. Piece of cake.
Don't ask me how, but I made it through in one piece. The last couple days were pretty quiet, over all. Hirokazu actually started wearing a shirt again once his sunburn was mostly peeled. He didn't try any more funny business, either, after that incident with Kai. Well, I should say that he didn't try any more funny business that would have been quite so embarrassing. He still tried to one-up Kai every chance he got. He even challenged him to a rematch after getting some pointers from Jen. He still lost, but he was a good sport about it.
And yes, for the record I did finally get a good night's sleep once I made it back home. I can't begin to describe how much of a relief that was. My head's clear, I've got personal space and most importantly no one is barging in on me to use the hot water! The islands might be beautiful, but I am a city boy through and through. I've got to have my TV, my games, my internet, my fast food, and my freaking hot running water.
Don't get me wrong. I love hanging out with those guys. I wouldn't trade them for anyone in the world. How many times do you get to say you've got a friend who literally saved your life? But even when we were stuck in the digital world we weren't all joined at the hip. Being with those guys non-stop for a week would start to get to anyone.
It was great meeting Kai. He really is a nice guy. And funny, too. It's been a week but he's still fresh in my mind. I wonder if he'll ever visit Takato. I'd love to see that. For how much Kai loves having Takato around they don't seem to see very much of one another. I guess it's probably a little expensive to plan trips like that though. I think I'll miss Kai for a while. Even if he diddrive Hirokazu crazy. Maybe even especially since he drove Hirokazu crazy. And no, I don't think it's weird that I miss him. He's a good friend. He even said so when we were leaving. He called all of us his "new best friends." It was really touching.
I look at the luggage next to my bed. It's been a whole week and I still haven't unpacked yet. I think my mom's a little miffed about that. She's right, actually. I really should unpack. Those clothes were pretty ripe a week ago. I doubt being crammed into my suitcase all that time in this summer heat did them any good.
With a sigh I pick up my suitcase and place it on the bed. I unzip the top and start pulling out clothes, doing my best not to smell them as I toss them toward my hamper. I didn't realize how much sand there would be. It's starting to get all over my bed now. Oh well, I guess that's something new for my mom to nag me about. That should probably make her happy.
What's this? There's a box in here. I didn't put that there. Did I get someone else's stuff mixed in with mine? Looking back, that's pretty likely actually. Like I said, quarters were really close that whole week. I better see what's inside; maybe I can tell whose it is.
There's a note in here and a seashell necklace. It's like the one Hirokazu was looking at when we went into town, actually. He didn't buy it though since he was short on cash. How did this get here? Oh, right, the note. Don't be stupid, Kenta. Let's see what this says.
Wait, what does this say? This handwriting is terrible. It's chicken scratch on a torn piece of yellow, lined note paper. Is this even kanji? I can barely make it out.
Dear Kenta,
Well, that's a good start at least. Now I know it was supposed to be in my bag.
Give this to Hirokazu and tell him it's from you.
Huh? That's kind of weird.
I know he really wanted it but was strapped for cash. I feel bad for making him so jealous.
Ah, so this must be from Kai. See? Nicest guy in the world. Of course Hirokazu wouldn't even want to look at this necklace if he knew it was from Kai. I've got to admit, it's a really nice necklace.
Sorry if I came between you guys. I can't help being such a stud. Besides, he's just too fun to mess with!
What's he mean by that?
Be sure to give your…
What is this word? I've never seen handwriting this bad. I guess Kai Urazoe has his shortcomings after all.
Be sure to give your boyfriend a big kiss for me! You owe him that much for checking me out all week. I figured the necklace could be the cherry on top. Peace out, dude!
Your friend,
Kai
P.S. You make the best soba ever!
B-b-boyfriend? Kai thinks… He thinks Hirokazu is my BOYFRIEND? Kai thinks I'm GAY? What the shit?
I read it twice more to make sure I'm not getting screwed up on Kai's terrible penmanship. There's no denying it though. He thinks Hirokazu and I are going out. I drop the note.
Kai Urazoe really is insane.
I-I guess I should still give the necklace to Hirokazu though. I mean, he wanted it. And Kai wanted to give it to him. And I know it wasn't cheap. Probably best that I don't give Hirokazu any of the details though. He'd be really weirded out.
…
I'm really weirded out! Were you drunk or something, Kai? Where did he get the idea that Hirokazu and I were going out? Where'd he even get the idea that I was gay? That's crazy talk!
I pick the letter back up and keep reading it again and again. I can't tear my eyes away.