A/N: I don't own JR; only Nori. Enjoy Chapter Three of Unexplainable!
/JRJRJR/
Sumi proved to be an avid guide. He knew the university from top to bottom, even classrooms he didn't have class in. He proudly showed off the Hot Springs Research Club, which he'd been a part of since coming to the university.
"Sempai, don't boast so much," Misaki scolded.
Nori had stopped listening halfway through. He stared around, his expression blank, but thoughtful. It seemed to be a good school, somewhere Nori could spend his time. He felt a flutter of relief tickle his stomach.
"Nori-kun, where is your first class?" Nori looked to his cousin and pulled out a folded slip of paper.
"International Relations and Cooperation with Professor Suzumi," he read aloud, "Humanities Wing, room 204."
Sumi nodded and led the way down the hall, "I know exactly where that is, never you fear."
/JRJRJR/
The school day passed in a frightening blur. Finding his classes was a challenge and Nori found himself late on more than one occasion. He wanted to sink into a hole and die, but at least it was all over. He was walking to the front of the school when Misaki pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Nori-kun! You made it through your first day!" He smiled, bouncing to Nori's side, "But you looked exhausted. It's overwhelming, I know, but you'll get used to it."
"The classes are fine, it's just so spread out. I'm not used to it."
"It'll seem smaller and smaller the longer you're here. Oh! And Nori-kun, you could always ask me or Sumi-sempai for help with homework. I'm not a genius, but I can try!" He laughed heartily.
"I don't need help with school work," Nori replied in a blunt, honest manner, "Thank you for the offer, though."
"What? Never?" Misaki looked incredulous. Nori shook his head.
"…How good were your entrance exam scores?"
"I aced them all."
It was as though dark clouds had gathered over his cousin's head. Misaki slumped his shoulders and sighed, "So you're really smart, then."
Nori never got to ask why Misaki seemed upset because a loud voice interrupted them,
"Misaki!"
A tall man leaned against a cherry red sports car out front of the gates. His arms were folded over his chest and a cigarette smoked between his lips. Violet eyes regarded Misaki with impatient scrutiny.
"U-Usagi-san!" Misaki squeaked and stopped in his tracks, "What are you doing here?! I left you a note!"
So this was the famous Akihito Usami. Nori hadn't had the chance to meet him yet. The man didn't give off a friendly air. If anything, he looked aloof and disinterested.
"But I knew you could use a ride," Usagi took one last drag of his cigarette, then dropped it. He ground it with the toe of his shoe and fixed his glasses.
"Stupid Usagi! You draw too much attention!" Misaki exclaimed.
There was a ripple of murmurs that went through the crowd of students and Nori shifted in unease.
"So? Just ignore them. Get in. We're going home."
Misaki's green eyes narrowed, "No, you go home. I'm walking with Nori-kun."
Again, the conversation swung back around to him and Nori's expression grew stricken. Misaki grabbed Nori's wrist and went to pull him down the street. The pressure of his fingers on his skin brought a memory rushing back.
Cold hands kept his arm trapped by his side, unwilling to allow any twitch or fidget. The silence weighed heavily on a young Nori's shoulders. He looked around, studying the drab tapestry and flickering candles. Focusing on anything except the casket at the front of the church.
"Nori," his father's voice was sharp and dulled of pain.
He tried to resist, but those hands pulled him out of the pew, toward the casket. He wanted to scream and claw away, to avoid seeing her face, so still and pallid. Lifeless. And suddenly, he was screaming. It was loud and frantic and so sudden that his father released him and Nori took off out of the church.
Nori's eyes widened and he shoved Misaki away.
"No! Let go of me!"
"Nori-kun?" Misaki looked at his cousin in utter surprise and tilted his head, "What's wrong?"
Just like that day, Nori turned and ran away, down the street where he and Misaki had come from that morning. He could hear his cousin shouting after him, but he didn't turn around nor did he stop. He had to get away, despite not knowing where he was or how to get back to Takahiro's. Japan was literally foreign to him, but that wasn't enough to make him turn around.
When he stopped, Nori had no idea where he was. The area was unfamiliar and everything just looked different. He considered pulling out his phone and calling one of his cousins, but something caught his eye and made him pause. He was standing in front of a large aquarium, the building's name displayed in big, bubbly letters. Nori used to go to aquariums at home in America. The past few years, he'd stopped, but the love for them was still there. He had money on his person, so on a whim, he hopped in line behind a small family. He pulled out his money, which was now traded for Yen. He didn't quite understand the conversion from dollars to yen, even though his father had tried to explain it to him. The line moved quickly- it seemed that not many people visited the aquarium on a Monday afternoon.
The inside of the building was enormous, the tanks of fish bigger than he imagined. Nori gazed into the exhibit as he approached the glass. Colorful schools of fish danced by, scales flashing. A manta ray floated as if suspended by strings. The entire picture was beautiful and Nori found himself enchanted by it. He'd had goldfish as a child, but they were never this exciting. These fish came in all shapes and sizes. Their colors clashed and blended and dazzled Nori into silence. The thrum of conversation melted away around him. He was by himself, nearly pressed against the glass.
"Excuse me."
A voice broke through his peaceful haze. Nori's head whipped around and he blinked at the tall stranger standing beside him. He was an older man, probably in his early thirties. His face was rather stern and plain. Brown hair with a choppy cut was styled cleanly and his flat brown eyes were narrowed behind a pair of glasses. The man was dressed in a nice suit with a briefcase at his side.
"…Yes?" Nori stepped back from the glass and turned to face him.
"The aquarium is closing," the stern man stated, "You'll need to leave now."
"Huh?" Nori's gaze tore away from him and flitted about the room. It was entirely empty except for them. How long had he been standing there?
"Oh no," He shook his head and dug through his bag, "What time is it?"
Nori opened his phone and the time blinked up at him: 7:45 pm. Twenty-five missed calls, fifteen from Misaki and ten from Takahiro. He even had frantic text messages from his cousins as well. Nori groaned and closed his eyes.
"Shit, I am so dead."
"Are you American?" Nori opened his eyes and glanced up at the man.
"Er, well, I was born in Japan, but I was raised in America. So, I suppose so," he answered, "Why do you ask?"
"You were speaking English just now," The man adjusted his glasses and glanced down at his watch, "Come. We need to leave so the employees can lock up."
He started toward the exit without another word, causing Nori to hurry in order to catch up. This stranger acted odd, like he was professional, yet could not interact casually. Nori didn't even know his name. As they walked, Nori dialed his cousin's number and held his breath.
"Nori-kun?!" Misaki's voice was loud and Nori flinched.
"H-Hi, Misaki…" he muttered in a sheepish voice.
"Are you okay?! Where are you? Onii-chan and I have been trying to call you for hours!"
A wave of guilt made his stomach clench. He hadn't meant to stay out for so long and worry them. However, he couldn't even apologize because the phone was tugged out of his hand, "Hey!"
"Misaki?" the man spoke into Nori's phone. His face actually showed a hint of surprise.
"Usagi-Ani?!"
"So it is you. I wasn't sure that it was. Is this young man a friend of yours?"
"Nori-kun is my cousin," Misaki's voice sounded wary, "How did you find him? Where are you right now?"
Nori clenched his fists, wanting to snatch the phone, but not having the gall to do so.
"At aquarium that I helped design. Don't worry, I'll get your cousin home safely," he clicked the End Call button and handed the phone back to Nori.
The younger sputtered, at a loss for words. He hadn't even gotten the chance to talk with Misaki!
"I have a car picking me up momentarily. You may tell me where you're staying and I will take you there," The way he gazed down at him made Nori feel uncomfortable. He shifted from foot to foot.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" he grunted, "Actually, who are you? You haven't even mentioned your name."
"I didn't? My apologies. I am Haruhiko Usami. My younger brother is Akihito, the man your cousin is staying with," Haruhiko nodded slightly.
"Oh, I didn't realize Usami-san had a brother. My name is Mitsunori Takahashi, but everyone calls me Nori. I'm living with my cousin Takahiro right now," Nori thrust out his hand, though Haruhiko looked down at it uncertainly.
His hand was shook, firmly, but slowly, "Misaki's brother? Alright, I shall inform my driver."
Nori's hand was dwarfed by the older's and he blushed, pulling it away. Why did it seem like everyone was so much bigger than he was?
"You don't look anything like Misaki," Haruhiko leaned down a bit, his gaze calculating, "How old are you? Fifteen?"
Nori blushed darker, his eyebrows furrowing, "No, I'm eighteen."
"Eighteen? Did you ever eat your vegetables as a child?" Haruhiko's expression remained stoic.
"Of course I did!" Nori snapped, "I have a small build- I can't help it!"
"I've never seen someone as small as you, at least not at eighteen years old. Misaki is small, but not quite as small as you," Haruhiko pushed up his glasses, "It's surprising."
Nori had reached his limit for the day. He was tired, more tired than he realized, and fed up with Japan already. He didn't want to waste time with this man and his blunt way of talking. Nori wanted to take a shower and go to bed. He closed his eyes, fighting off the headache that was forming behind his eyes. When he opened them, he squared his shoulders and looked at Haruhiko.
"Don't bother with the car. I'll just take a bus back to my cousin's," Nori looked around, searching for a bus or cab. Something that would take him away. He didn't care about the cost.
"That's just ridiculous," Haruhiko's voice was distinctly a scoff. He reached out and settled his hand on Nori's head- actually touched him so familiarly, like they'd known one another forever. Did strangers actually do that?! The absurdity floored Nori for a second, "Besides, I promised Misaki that I'd get you home safely. I fulfill my promises."
Nori stared at him, his eyes wide in surprise. Here he was, having his hair ruffled by this man he'd only met minutes prior. It was the weirdest situation that he'd ever found himself in, both in America and Japan, so why did Nori find it to be pleasant? Surely this unwarranted physical contact was not something that he could actually be comfortable with. It must be his exhaustion playing with his emotions, screwing up his perception of things. This man sounded nonchalant about this, though Nori very well could have been a delinquent out to steal his wallet or phone or something. Okay, he wasn't the most intimidating, but Nori prided himself for being deceptive when he needed to be.
"I could just steal from you," he blurted, immediately regretting the stupid comment.
Haruhiko looked down at him- dear god, he really did have to look down, as though Nori was a small child- and his brows furrowed in bewilderment.
"Well, yes, I suppose you could try. I don't see myself being overpowered by someone like you, but you could try. You won't though."
The presumptuous nature of his answer irked him, "How would you know?"
"You would have by now," Haruhiko's hand lifted from Nori's head, retreating back to his side, "And you don't come off as hostile."
Hostile. Not something Nori would have used to describe himself, so he allowed Haruhiko's answer to slide for now. He didn't have much time to dwell on it anyways, because a sleek black car pulled up to the curb and Haruhiko was opening the back door for him, "Here, get in."
Nori only lingered for a second longer, climbing into the car with a grumble of discontent. Either his death wish was severely high or Nori had just gone crazy, but it was too late to back out now. He would accept whatever fate was in store for him with pride- and if worst came to worst, he did have a can of pepper spray in his bag. For emergencies only, of course.
/JRJRJR/
A/N: Welp, there you have it! It took a while, I know. I just kept staring at it and trying to make words appear, but that's not an efficient way of writing. The school year is over for me, though, so maybe inspiration will come!
Haruhiko has made his appearance and seems to be set on taking Nori home. Shenanegians are sure to ensue in the next chapter!
Thanks for reading,
Lacey ~