The Dinner of Dinners

Yoshiki liked to think he was a chill guy, and brutally honest one at that. He said what was on his mind because he didn't care, though it wasn't necessarily out of aggression, simply because he didn't care to censor himself.

Maybe that why he felt so guilty, lying to Satoshi. But telling him the truth would destroy him.

"I finished the chicken, so besides the desserts, we should we set."

Satoshi nodded approvingly, smiling warmly, "awesome sauce!"

"...awesome sauce?"

Satoshi huffed at Yoshiki's incredulous tone, "I heard some teenagers saying it!"

"We're not old people, we don't need to try using slang we don't know to feel younger."

"I know," Satoshi said, "it's just… I'm legally drinking alcohol."

"What?"

"I'm actually twenty one, drinking some fine wine, it's just so odd. Police officers could come in and I'd be totally fine."

Yoshiki began to laugh hysterically, the increasing distress in his boyfriend's voice making his statements even funnier.

"I love you so fucking much," Yoshiki blurted.

For a moment, Satoshi seemed stunned. Maybe it was the raw emotion in the blonde's words, or such an abrupt declaration, but in that moment, Satoshi only managed to chuckle warmly.

The sound was better than any words he could have said back.

"I love you too, you big moron."

Except those words.

"Now, I'll start carrying the food out. Your family isn't here yet, but they're the last ones we're waiting up on. Would you mind texting them?"

"Of course, anything for you, my love."


"So how's school, Yuka?"

Yuka turned towards her brother, "it's been good! I don't really like maths, but I really like my literature class."

Satoshi smiled, "that's awesome! I don't think there was any classes I didn't really like, I was okay at everything. Gym was a little rough."

Yuka made a face of disgust, it was clear she didn't like gym. Not that the activities were bad, Satoshi loved getting physical exercise, but the gym teachers at Kisaragi had been awful.

"Yeah fuck those-" Yoshiki was cut off pretty quickly.

"Yoshiki, if you don't mind not swearing in front of my child!" Morishige snapped.

"Shit, sorry."

"Yoshiki, this is a dinner table!" Yoshiki's mother said, staring at him in horror.

"I'm so sorry, not intentional, I'm just delirious from cooking or something."

His mother's eyes softened at that, "it is really good food, sweetie."

Yoshiki's relationship with his mother had been an odd one. His teenage years were mostly spent fending for himself, paying for his own apartment, working, going to school, and generally just ignoring the very existence of the people he once called family.

They weren't close, she never stood up for him against his father, so Yoshiki didn't feel too bad about cutting ties.

But, once his father died of a freak heart attack a few weeks before Yoshiki's high school graduation, she had reached out to him.

Yoshiki was much closer to his sister, and generally only spoke to his mother out of pleasantries, but he could tell she was making an effort to be part of his life. He knew what it was like, trying hard to fix something you broke, so he respected the effort. Not to mention, she was the one who originally funded his music shop, the very one below their floor.

"So, Sakura, what have you been up to lately?" Naomi asked kindly, smiling warmly at the three year old.

Sakura looked up from her mashed potatoes, smiling a bright smile, "Daddy got me a new toy last week!"

Everyone turned to Morishige, expecting him to elaborate. "Yeah, it was a turtle."

Mayu lightly smacked his arm, "it's so adorable! It's got those big eyes, and it's pink, like a Sakura color. Shig is just shy and doesn't want to look like a big softie!"

Watching Morishige's face turn a vibrant red was hilarious, but as someone who found himself in a similar position, Satoshi tried to change the topic, "Miki! How's school?"

Miki snorted and rolled her eyes, "it's certainly something."

Everyone paused, expecting her to continue talking, but nothing came.

"How many detentions have you gotten?" Yoshiki asked, smirking deviously.

"None, I'm a good student you know, brother."

"Bah, I had at least twenty at this point in the year!"

"I would say that's false, but I'd believe it," Seiko said.

"Seiko, you weren't a model student either," Naomi pointed out.

"Well, there was no point in trying to compete with Shinozaki to be model student."

The silence that followed was unnerving.

Of course, Ayumi was always a sore subject for the group. Naomi despised her, and they had exchanged fists many times before, but that was Naomi, always willing to stand up for her friends against a girl that was more of a bully than a friend. Seiko disliked her, simply because she would always patch up the scratches Naomi suffered during their few fights, but when Naomi had actually walked away with a black eye, the entire class of 2-9 was sure Seiko would absolutely murder her. Morishige disliked her, Ayumi had a way of reminding everyone of everything he desperately tried to put behind him. Satoshi had originally wanted to give her a chance, but after her verbal and emotional abuse, he put her behind him like everyone else.

Mayu was the only one who would talk to her after a few months of their return. But, Mayu had the patience of a saint, and Ayumi had never been hostile with her, though their friendship had been strained because of Mayu's relationship with Morishige.

Satoshi had trouble figuring out where Yoshiki stood on it all. Satoshi knew his lover hated her to an extent, he had made it very clear to her and the rest of them, but she was his first love and Satoshi knew it was something Yoshiki regarded in an almost fond light.

But, to a degree, Satoshi understood. Naomi had been Satoshi's first love, and looking back on those months where he pined after her, he actually remembered it in a positive way. It was interesting to think about him, not knowing who he was deep down, but still thinking Naomi would be it for him. He could never hate her, he admired her and their friendship far too much for that.

"I'll be back, I have to go check on one of the desserts."

And with that, Yoshiki jogged into their kitchen, allowing the door to swing shut behind him.

Satoshi tapped the mahogany table anxiously, but he was spared by Naomi speaking up before he had to make another failed attempt at conversation.

"So, this guy was hitting on me a few days ago. Seiko and I were getting coffee, she was up grabbing our coffees and two slices of coffee cake, when this sleazy dude just walks up to me. He was clearly staring at my chest, so I asked him to leave me be. Seiko comes over and-"

"I could totally tell what he was doing! No one moves in on my vanilla bean like that!"

"-and she kisses me, all "hi babe" and puts our orders on the table. So the guy, after staring at us in shock for a few seconds, asks if we would be interested in a three-way."

The table erupted into giggles. Even Mrs. Kishinuma found the story absolutely hysterical.

"How did you respond?" Miki managed to ask through her giggles.

"Seiko dumped her iced coffee on him."

Seiko grinned, clearly proud of herself, "and we are now banned from that coffee place on the corner by the organic food market because that guy was a good friend of the manager's."

"You got banned from there? A real shame, that place is good."

As Yoshiki said that, walking out of the kitchen with two pans, the group sitting at the table was hit with the violent smell of febreze. Yuka even began to cough.

"Christ, why does it smell like a fairy vomited in our kitchen?" Satoshi exclaimed, horrified by the smell.

"I burned something, tried to cover it up, don't worry about it."

When the door shut, the group was able to breathe again, until Yoshiki placed the pans down and rushed back into the kitchen to grab more. In the end, he brought out one cake and three pies.

"Damn, mind letting us have the leftovers?" Naomi asked.

"He already promised me whatever is left of the apple pie!" Miki shouted, glaring at anyone who even looked at her precious apple pie.

"Yoshiki, I swear I saw another dessert in there earlier," Morishige said, looking at the blonde suspiciously.

Yoshiki chuckled, "probably something store bought in our fridge, don't worry about it."

That was the second time Yoshiki said "don't worry about it"


The rest of dinner was uneventful, conversation flowing much easier. The wine the adults had loosened them up, and they were casually talking about whatever seemed interesting in the moment.

Eventually, Yoshiki's family and Yuka were departing, something Satoshi was surprised to feel sad about. He of course would miss Yuka, though he would see her again tomorrow. But, he didn't expect to get along with Miki and Mrs. Kishinuma as well as he did. Miki was a nice kid, and Satoshi knew that from seeing her with Yoshiki, but he actually found her wit entertaining and everytime she commented on someone's anecdotes her comments were very meaningful or witty. Mrs Kishinuma also had a certain sarcastic element Satoshi hadn't been expecting. They were good people.

Which made him wonder how bad Yoshiki's father truly must've been to force everyone into being okay with Yoshiki being disowned.

"Goodbye Miki, Ma, I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

"I love you Yuka, tomorrow will be epic, with or without mom and dad."

As the trio departed, Morishige snuck into the kitchen, determined to find the fifth dessert he was sure he saw.

And find it he did.

He stumbled out of the kitchen, grabbed Yoshiki's arm, and dragged him in without a word.

"Did I just find what I think I found?"

Yoshiki chuckled nervously, wondering if Morishige would be mad, since his daughter was here this year.

"Yes?"

And then suddenly, shocking Yoshiki, he laughed, "you are such a moron, but with good taste."

Yoshiki grinned, "shall we bring out the fifth dessert?"

"Of course."