Mizuiro No Yuuki
Chapter III: My Friend (Shiota Hirokazu)
I go up to the water faucets and sink by the side of the wall and turn them on. I splash my face a few times. I'm still trying to wake up...I'm not normally at school anywhere close to this early but...I woke up really early, like before sunrise, and couldn't get back to sleep. I decided this should be the one magical day a year I show up at school before the first bell rings.
I couldn't get back to sleep because I was thinking about something that had been on my mind since yesterday...
...He's gay, isn't he? That's probably it. It would make a lot of sense, now that I think about it. He's just not all that into girls, and I'm pretty sure he was actually watching that shirts and skins game the other day instead of the girls' track team like we were. He wasn't all that subtle about it, even though I think he was trying to be. I wonder if he liked anyone on the Skins team...
...I wonder if he likes me. Ha ha ha!
If that's what he's into, though, I wouldn't have a problem. He's still the same friend I've had...forever. If anything, I'd feel like an ass for all those times I've invited him to check out girls with us (which has been, like, every day since we started middle school). I mean, I'd feel weird if he invited me to check guys. I guess it's sort of the same. And I know how he'd be really, really afraid of telling anyone that girls aren't exactly his thing.
Plus, there's what he was doing yesterday when I gave him that invite to the ramen shop...I mean, that...was a huge tip off. I-I didn't say anything, he looked embarrassed enough so I played dumb. It's also why I kept quiet about Yuki-chan, the world's most beautiful waitress, at the ramen shop...I thought he could use a break from checking out hot girls...
...Even if Yuki-chan is the fairest of them all.
"Hirokazu!" ...And what's that Chinese saying Jen always uses? Speak of Sou Sou, Sou Sou shows up and invades your ass? ...Er...I-I meant...Invades your ass as in...He's Sou Sou, great conqueror of central China, founder of Gi...Not...THAT kind of...
...Oooh boy...It's too early for me to think about this kinda thing...
"...Kenta!" I turn, trying to give him a casual smile. Kenta walks up to me with a wave from the school gate...He's...smiling like...I've never seen him smile before. "What's got you so happy?"
"You'll...see," Kenta says, playfully. "I had a talk with Takato and...He'll tell you. He's just dropping off some books at his locker. He wants to meet us out front somewhere." A talk with Takato? With a smile like that...What, did Takato give him winning lotto numbers or something? If so, you'd better share, Matsuda!
I nod, looking around the front of the school for a place to wait...One of the trees surrounded with those bench-slash-raised-box planter combinations looks good, it's near the wall and not too many people usually hang out in that area. Plus it's in the shade. "How 'bout there?"
Kenta nods, still smiling. He hurries over to the tree and sits down, I jog after him...
...I might as well ask him now. "Hey, um...Before Takato gets here, can I ask you something?"
Kenta nods.
"Kenta, lately...Um...How...do I put this...?" I trail off. "I-I've been...kinda wondering something. I-I don't want you to think I'd be pissed but-"
"Hirokazu! Kenta!" Crap, Takato's here! I'll wait 'til lunch. I don't know if Kenta would want to have Takato think he's gay or anything. And, again, I'd have no problem with it, really! Kenta's been my best friend...forever! Gay or straight, Kenta's awesome!
I wave. "Takato! What'd you tell Kenta that made him so freakin' happy?" I turn to Kenta. "Seriously, dude, you haven't looked like this in a loooong time." Like...Ever. Not since we went to the Digital World. Not sayin' that Kenta's been depressed lately but compared the smile he's got now... ...Let's just say I can practically FEEL how happy he is!
Kenta just nods with that smile...I really like it that he's in this good of a mood. Kenta's my best friend, if he's happy, I'm happy! ...Hell, I'm a better mood just looking at him smile like this!
Takato sits on the opposite side of me. "Well... I-I told him something about myself." About...himself? "I'm making an announcement today to all of my friends. And thank the Gods Kenta was the first person I told, because...I almost lost my nerve."
"Good luck, Takato-kun," Kenta says.
...Kenta's...THIS happy because Takato...told him something about himself?
...What the hell's going on?
Takato glances away, saying, "First, Hirokazu-kun...Promise you won't mention this to Jen. I want to tell him myself. It's really important that I do that."
"No problem." I nod. "So, what is it...?" ...Is...it possible...?
Takato looks to Kenta. I glance over to him, too...Kenta gives him a different kind of smile, less...Kenta's-Super-Duper-Mega-Happy and more...'You can do it.' He also gives him thumbs up.
...Takato? ...Kenta?
Takato takes a deep breath, he's...shaking a little. "Last night, I overheard my parents talking about me...They had a...um...a-a theory about why I've been...sort of depressed at home, lately. And they were right about why." Takato's...been depressed? That's news to me! Wh-Whenever Kenta, Jen and I see him he's...always happy. "I-I heard them say they...wouldn't have a problem if they were right. So this morning, I told my parents this in a letter I hid in the cash register...And I'm also telling my friends. Because...I want to be honest with...My friends, my family...A-And...Myself." ...Accept? ...Honest? ...T-Takato...?
Is this...what I think it is?
Takato hesitates at first, he clears his throat. He looks to me and says, "I...I'm gay, Hirokazu."
...Holy shit...
"Y-You? ...For real?" I ask.
Takato nods. "Does...this bother you?" Hell no!
I shake my head, quickly. "I-I'm surprised but...Dude, these days? It's not a problem for me, I-I'm sorry about all that 'check her out' stuff, if anything. R-Really, I didn't...mean to make you, y'know..." Damn, I feel...like an ass about that.
"D-Don't be," Takato shakes his head. "I mean...I kept it a secret and, well, that helped it...stay a secret, let's say."
"W-Wait..." I just...realized...If this is what...Takato told Kenta... And Kenta's...that happy...? "...You're...happy because...?" I look to Kenta.
...Did Takato confess to Kenta or something...?
"I-I'm...I'm the same, Hirokazu," Kenta says, his smile is replaced by a bright red blush, but there's still a bigger smile than usual on his face. "Takato told me first on the way to school and.. I...got to talk to someone about being gay for the first time ever...I'm not alone. I-I'm...actually...ready to tell more people, I-I woke up so afraid of people knowing and now..." Kenta laughs, looking to me with that huge smile again. "I'm gay, Hirokazu." ...I knew it.
I put a hand on Kenta's shoulder, smiling. "I'm happy you're...so happy, Kenta-kun. I wanna make it clear, you're always gonna be my best friend." From the look on his face after I say that, I think Kenta just found a way to be even happier.
I...I'm not surprised about Kenta. I won't tell him that...But, after yesterday...
...The fact Kenta was at one of the computers in the school library and reading a Taiki\Kiriha fic when I invited him to the ramen place yesterday...There wasn't much deniability there, Kenta-kun. I just played dumb when I saw how embarrassed you were. "Clicked the wrong link," my ass, Kenta. Not when I'm reading it over your shoulder for ten minutes...And you were on chapter six!
...How's it end, though? I-I forgot the title and, well, chapter six was a cliff-hanger! Still...I think Zenjirou would work better for Taiki-Wait did...Did I...Did I really just think that?
...I gotta derail this train of thought. NOW!
"One thing," I say. "Just...with how happy Kenta is...Um...Are you two...?" I look to Takato, then Kenta. Takato's blushing, Kenta's...blushing but not as bad.
Takato and Kenta sitting in a tree...
Kenta shakes his head. "N-No...There's a reason Takato doesn't want anyone else telling Jen." ...Aw... Sorry, Kenta...
"...I love Jen," Takato says. "And...I don't expect him to like me back but...I want to be honest with him. I want him to know how I feel..." He...suddenly looks really nervous, even shaking again...Just the thought of telling Jen is enough to scare him, I guess...
...Yeah, if I were Takato I'd...be pissing myself with fear right now. Not just from coming out to everyone but...I mean, Takato and Jen are so freakin' close that if Takato didn't have Jen, even as a friend, I don't know how he'd take it. Aside from "not well," I know that much.
I put an arm around Takato. "Good luck, dude. I'm with you, always. Whatever happens, I'm there." If...Jen hates you, Takato, I'll kick his ass...Granted, I know Jen can easily kick my ass but...There's still a message in the attempt! ...Except...
...Jen is, by far, the best friend Takato's ever had. I can see him saying 'I don't swing that way,' but I can't see him saying, 'Get the hell out of my life.' Of course, even I know that sometimes throwing 'I'm gay' into the equation can make even the best of friends turn into huge assholes...
...Takato, you've got a lot of courage. If I were gay, I couldn't do this...I couldn't even say it to myself in the mirror. You're freakin' awesome, Takato. Good luck with your confession.
"Thank you, Hirokazu-kun," Takato wipes his eyes, smiling. "I'll...let you both know how it goes." He gets up. "I'm going to go try to find Juri...I'm telling her, too. Thank you both...so much for your support."
"Anytime, Takato and...I hope Jen likes you back," I say, waving as Takato jogs off to the school building. He turns and gives us a quick wave...Smiling. Even I can tell how much of a relief it is, not just being accepted by his friends but...Just being out.
...And I really do hope Jen likes him.
I mean, if Takato's gay then...Hearing he likes Jen, well...DUH! I mean...Those two are like Kenta and I-Wait...
...Like...Kenta and...I...
...Baaaad analogy...But not because I have a problem with Kenta or Takato, but...
"Um...Hirokazu...On the subject of...Takato and Jen..." Kenta trails off, blushing slightly.
...I think I know where this is going...
Ori's Notes:
I couldn't resist the fake-out opening with Hirokazu...I hope you got a little laugh from it at least.
Hirokazu's chapter was meant to be a little more light-hearted since, well, he's Hirokazu. And his POV is always fun, especially if he's questioning his "preference."
The power of Taijirou compels you, Hiro-kun! The power to Taijirou compels you!
I'll let the reader decide how Kenta's confession goes...
Finally, the "Chinese saying Jen always uses" that Hirokazu quotes: "Speak of Sou Sou, Sou Sou shows up and invades your ass." The actual phrases is "Speak of Cao Cao, Cao Cao is there."
Sou Sou is Cao Cao's name pronounced in Japanese, Hirokazu would be familiar with that instead of his name in Mandarin (Also "Gi" is the Japanese pronunciation of "Wei"). In Chinese, the phrase is "Shuo Cao Cao, Cao Cao Jiu Dao." And, yes, that's the same Cao Cao from Romance of the Three Kingdoms\Dynasty Warriors.
Happy New Year's Eve!
Taiki's Notes:
Yes! Thank you for the Hirokenta confession, Ori! I really didn't think you'd put one in here!
I see the confession ending with Hirokazu being very confused about his feelings for Kenta. After school, he goes home and reads a few Taiki Kudou\Zenjirou Tsurugi slash fics before calling Kenta to say "I love you, too, Kenta-chan." But I'm very biased towards seeing Kenta happy with Hirokazu. Kako Mo Etc. influenced my view of him that way.
Speaking of Kako Mo Etc., Ori, I noticed that little shout-out to the "Bonus Christmas Chapter" you put in there with Hirokazu's inner-dialogue about Kenta. I had a good laugh and it gives Kenta some hope, I think.
And, like Ori, I wish everyone a Happy New Year's Eve! Stay up 'til midnight, everyone!
-Taiki Matsuki
