My Shin-chan
Midorima gazed in wonder at the top of Takao's head. The older man's face was burrowed on his chest, Takao's hands tucked under his own chin. He was completely caged in Shin-chan's tight embrace, like he was a stuffed toy the kid couldn't let go of.
Their position was rather an embarrassing one, especially for a twenty nine year old guy like Takao. For a snot nosed gangly kid to see him like this at his most vulnerable was enough to annoy the hell out of him. Though he had to admit, since his family lived so far away, and they wouldn't be exactly thrilled to know the cause of his heartbreak, Shin-chan trying to comfort him endeared the child more to him.
But enough was enough. With a grunt, after a full five minutes of sobbing like a five year old girl, Takao disentangled himself from Midorima and rubbed at his eyes. He stood, putting a lot of distance between him and the young man. He didn't know what he was thinking, crying so openly like that. "Hey, uhhh – thanks, kid."
Midorima looked up at him from the floor, his green eyes reflecting his concern. "Do you want to talk about it?" When he spoke like that he sounded like a complete grown up.
Takao grinned, sniffing. "Naaah – don't want to bore you to death. I – uh – I'll just go to my room. You can do whatever you want, there's still pizza, watch TV for as long as you like. I'll probably catch up on my sleep. How's that?"
Midorima hated the fact that whenever Takao became indulgent like that he couldn't help but think of Shin-chan still as the ten year old kid who had to be told what to do. Shin-chan didn't want to be treated like a kid anymore. He was even taller than the older guy, was he blind?
Shin-chan frowned deeply, his face solemn. "Did you break up with your girlfriend?"
Takao was surprised by the question. Of course. People tended to assume that heartbreak was the only sole reason that could reduce a man to tears. Shin-chan was correct in his assumption, really but Takao knew it wasn't as simple as breaking up with a 'lover'. It was more than that. It was everything. The way Takao couldn't fully be honest with his feelings towards the person he loved because of all the obstacles on their path – whether it was the judgment of society or their families – Gay people usually had a harder time falling in love than straight ones.
But of course he couldn't tell all those to Shin-chan. The kid was fourteen, had probably never seen a gay man before. It would be easier if Takao would just go along with the boy's notions. Takao nodded, brows furrowed.
Midorima did not react at once. He looked seriously thinking about something.
Takao let out a soft laugh. "Don't think about it too much, okay? I'm fine. What you saw was just a moment's lapse of – uh – judgment on my part. I shouldn't have cried on you. I mean, I even ruined your shirt – "
Midorima stopped the older man's rambling. "Are you getting back together?"
Takao shrugged. "I don't know. I don't really know."
Shin-chan barked, his eyes blazing with passion. "Well you shouldn't!"
"Huh? Why?"
"If she makes you cry like that – she's not worthy of you. You don't even realize it, do you?" Shin-chan bowed down, his finger tracing the wet spots on his shirt created by Takao's tears.
The older man couldn't help but smile at Shin-chan's loyalty towards him. A warm feeling of affection spread over his chest for the boy. Shin-chan was really a surly, sometimes rude kid but when the goings got tough Takao knew he could count on the boy for help. His respect for Shin-chan grew. He was really like the baby brother he never had. "Thanks, kid. That's so nice of you."
"I'll clean up. Go ahead and sleep," Shin-chan mumbled.
"Okay, thanks."
Takao went into his room to cry some more.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
During the days that followed Takao ignored all the calls, emails or texts coming from his ex Takeru. Takao knew he had to stand firm on this and not let any of the guy's sweet words get to him. It had always been like that. Whenever they broke up and Takeru wanted to get back together he would do everything in his power to woo Takao back. Being a fool that he was in love, no matter how much the last breakup hurt him, Takao would easily be swayed into accepting his lover back into his arms. One kiss was even enough to melt Takao's resolve.
But hell. This was the last straw. It was the fucking last one. Takeru had always been the consummate flirt. Yeah he was the one hiding behind a wife and a family but whenever he and Takao were on safe territories, like places far away from their home where his wife could reach him, once Takeru let his guard down among men their kind, it was easy for him to flirt and charm other guys around his well-manicured fingers.
Takao told himself that was the biggest irony of all. Takeru was the one hiding inside a closet, transforming to the perfect husband and father at home when he was the one who could easily give in to the temptation of cheating on Takao if he was given the chance. It was just in Takeru's nature. He was one person who seemed to like grasping for things he wasn't supposed to.
Takao knew if he forgave Takeru, and they settled back into their routine, at some point in time, this would happen again. Takao wanted a partner who could hold out from temptation because it was the right thing to do, not just because it was what was expected of him.
A week passed. Two weeks. Three weeks. His voice mail and inbox became filled with Takeru's messages. And Takao deleted them as soon as he got the chance.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Takao went home earlier these days. His sex life suffered, yeah, but at this point he just didn't care about that anymore. He found that staying at home, while Shin-chan switched channels on his TV and they shared some light snacks, he found life peaceful. Well, it had been, before Takeru came into the picture.
Takeru was supposed to come home last week since he had stayed in the main branch for six months, as was originally planned. There had been some change of plans, though. It turned out that the main branch liked Takeru's performance and gave him another option. He would be given a promotion if he stayed and didn't go home.
In the end, Takeru chose to stay in the main branch. Takao only heard the news from his other co-workers. It wasn't like he'd hear that from the man himself. No way. Takao did his best these days to forget about the lying cheating scum and ignore any form of communication from him.
It got Takao into thinking, since Takeru's new contract for the main branch would probably span three years, two at the least. How about Takeru's family, then? Would he have them pack up and move them there? Takao massaged his throbbing temple. It was none of his business what his ex decided to do with his family. They were over. Done. For good.
But he still couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain in his chest. They were together for more than two years. It wouldn't be easy to forget something like that.
At home, Takao would continue working on his projects. He figured the best way to forget was just to bury his head in work.
One night, as he tinkered with his laptop, and Shin-chan was sprawled on his sofa, Takao asked, "Hey, Shin-chan, I haven't really seen your mom these days. Is she doing okay?"
Midorima grunted, obviously annoyed.
"What? I'm just asking!" Takao shot back defensively.
"She's busy," the teen ager snapped, propping his chin on his palm. He restlessly surfed from one channel to another.
"Yeah, well she always is. I hope we can have dinner again, sometime, like we used to. The three of us."
"You're too late."
Takao frowned. "Huh? Too late for what?"
Midorima shot him with a disgruntled look. "If – after all this time – you're still attempting to get into my mom's pants, you're way too late. She has a boyfriend."
Takao threw his pen at the rude boy. Which Midorima easily caught in his hand. He threw the pen back at Takao and it landed on the kotatsu. "Where do you learn how to speak like that, huh?! Just because you're bigger than me now doesn't mean you can be a smart mouth."
"Well, it's true. You've known her for almost five years, you're both nice to each other but why haven't you made a move on my Mom, huh?"
Takao rolled his eyes. "Not every guy wants to make a move on any good looking woman that he meets. Your mom deserves to have a second chance at love. I hope she's happy."
"I think it's serious."
"Does he stay in your house? I mean, overnight?" Takao asked carefully.
"No. She wouldn't do that. I think they stay somewhere else. If you know what I mean," Shin-chan answered his meaning obvious.
Takao shook his head, smiling. "Wow, I forget how grown up you seem to be these days, kid. For you to come into a conclusion like that."
"I'm not a kid anymore," Shn-chan added, as if a challenge.
"No you're not, man. No, you're not."
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
It was easier than Takao had expected to get back to his everyday routine before he had gotten a serious boyfriend. Takao forgot that it was uncomplicated this way, to just get off from work, share a meal with Shin-chan, who was even taller these days it was crazy, and just visit a gay bar down town once a week perhaps just to take care of his needs. Everything was doing well, life was quiet.
He even met Kazumi's new boyfriend. It was a guy ten years older than her, making him in his forties, a short one, too, only taller than Kazumi by an inch, making them like tiny elves in the presence of Kazumi's giant of a son, Midorima. For his part, Midorima fairly tolerated the new guy. He had always been a quiet one anyway. Sometimes when Kazumi's boyfriend came over for dinner, Kazumi would also invite Takao, and the four of them would sit around Kazumi's tiny kotatsu, sharing supper.
Takao was happy for the woman. Her life was getting a move on. The guy she was dating was also divorced. He was a store owner who had just set up a store branch in their area, but his family owned a bigger store from where he came from, which was in Tokyo. He had just thought of expanding their store here, since he also had a few relatives living in here. He had no child with his previous wife.
There was just one thing that bothered Takao these days.
Sometimes, at night, as Takao was bent in front of his laptop, he couldn't shake this feeling that he was being watched by none other than the brooding boy who completely dominated his living room as naturally as he dominated everything else.
Sometimes Takao would purposely look up from what he was doing, expecting to catch clear green eyes boring into him. Most of the times, he would catch Shin-chan looking away, obviously embarrassed at being caught staring.
One particular night, though, when Takao looked up, Shin-chan's gaze did not flinch. He was indeed staring at Takao.
"What?" Takao asked nervously. "Do I have dirt on my face?"
The boy shook his head.
"Go watch some TV. Don't look at me!" Takao turned back to his laptop.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why don't you want me to look at you?"
Takao's shoulders shook in mirth. "That, my boy, is the stupidest question anyone can ever ask. You're here to watch TV, right? Then watch some."
"Last time I checked, this is a free country," Midorima shot back, one eye brow arched.
"What?"
"If I wanted to look at you, as long as I'm not hurting anyone, I can, right?"
Takao rolled his eyes, thinking nothing of the weird situation. "Dumbass. You're being a smart mouth again."
"Shut up, Takao."
They kept their friendly banter to a minimum, since Takao was really busy with what he was doing. And he truly didn't want to dwell on the fact that Shin-chan seemed to act weirder and weirder towards him these days.
One night, Midorima came over and instead of watching TV, brought home a few of his homework with him. That suited Takao just fine. They worked side by side on the kotatsu, he on his ledger and Shin-chan on his homework.
Around ten PM Takao yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "Dude, I don't know about you but I think I'll call it a night," he told the teen ager who was buried in his books, scribbling furiously on his notebook.
"Mmm hmm," Shin-chan merely grunted.
"Goodnight, then okay? I'm off to bed. Just lock up when you leave."
"Hey." Midorima turned to look at him. "Can I borrow your laptop for a while? I need to make a few researches on the internet. Mine is at the shop til Wednesday."
Takao shrugged. "Sure, sure."
"Have you saved all your files? You sure I won't mistakenly delete anything here?"
Takao shook his head. "Yup, everything's saved. And the important ones are encrypted, so don't worry. Do whatever you want with it."
"Thanks."
"Goodnight, Shin-chan."
"Hn."
Midorima worked well into the night, finishing his homework so late, but he was glad he was able to borrow Takao's computer. It even cut his work in half. This homework was due next week anyway but Shin-chan wanted to finish it as soon as possible so he wouldn't think of anything else once he got immersed in his basketball practice.
He was about to turn off the laptop when he thought of something. He wanted to see more of Takao. Maybe he had some old pictures there. Maybe pictures that went back as far as the time when they they hadn't even met yet. A ghost of a smile caressed the boy's lips. If Takao had baby pictures in here then all the better.
Midorima spent the next minutes browsing through all of Takao's picture files. Some were taken at the office, some during holidays, during festivals, there were even pictures of Kazumi and Shin-chan in there.
A locked picture file caught Shin-chan's attention.
He frowned, clicking on it.
Sure enough, it was encrypted. It asked for a passcode.
Shin-chan thought about possible options. One general rule about creating a passcode was that you shouldn't make one out of numbers which could be easily traced to you, like your birthday or anniversary. Those were easy to guess.
But Shin-chan still tried putting in the date of Takao's birthday. Beep! Wrong.
Shin-chan sighed. He had no idea what the anniversary date of Takao was with his ex girlfriend, or if it was even the anniversary date that was supposed to be the passcode used here.
Maybe it was the date when Takao got promoted at work. It had happened three years ago. Shin-chan could remember that date. He input the numbers. Beep. Wrong again.
He stared at the screen for a few more minutes.
Then, just because he had no other option he could think of, Shin-chan typed in his own birthdate: 070798.
Enter.
Whoa. The file opened.
Midorima could hardly believe what he was seeing. There were hundreds of pictures in the file.
And all of them were images of Takao with another man, the curly guy Shin-chan had seen a few years back.
Shin-chan's heart leaped to his throat, as he browsed all the files, showing Takao and the other man all over each other, kissing, hugging. There was even a few pictures obviously taken on the bed, with only the sheets wrapped around them and they were snuggling against each other.
So.
Finally. After all these years of guessing, Midorima could lastly conclude that Takao was indeed gay.
Shin-chan's gaze turned to the door of Takao's bedroom, his green eyes suddenly flaring in desire.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Heheheheh. I'm working on the last chapter. Shin-chan is 14 turning 15 in this timeline. Hence the 070798 birthdate. According to Wiki his birthday is indeed July 7th.
Alright. The final chapter is underway. I really don't want to give spoilers but rest assured that Takao is not going to be a pedo. Hehehehe.