Chapter four:
"Thanks for letting me stay." Hikaru says to Mori as he sits there by the table on his knees while Mori makes some tea.
Mori just kind of grunts in acknowledgement even with his back turned to him.
Hikaru glances away as silence falls around them.
Mori finishes making the tea and he turns with two cups coming over to the table placing one on the table for Hikaru.
"Thanks." Hikaru says picking up the cup of tea while Mori settles on the couch as they are in the living room. He blows on the tea gently to try to get it to cool down faster so he can sip.
After a few blows Hikaru takes a small sip finding it still warm but if he sips carefully it won't be too hot.
"It's time for a talk." Mori says suddenly causing Hikaru to lower the cup to his lap as he blinks at the older male in slight confusion.
"About what?" Hikaru asks.
"About why you are here." Mori responds and Hikaru falls silent slightly gripping the cup tighter but obviously not tight enough to break it. "I know that something is going on but I have been waiting for you to speak to me. You know I won't tell so tell me what has you so bothered."
Hikaru glances away still silent and his eyes fall to half open.
"What intrigues me the most is that it seems that you cannot talk to your brother about whatever it is. Usually you two would share everything but now it appears you are drifting apart." Mori says and though he may be usually silent he knows when it is time to talk.
"Maybe that's for the better." Hikaru says a little quietly and Mori tilts his head silently urging Hikaru to continue. He however remains silent for a bit until finally he speaks again. "I haven't been fully honest for a while… It hurts to keep Kaoru in the dark about it but really… It's for the best… You wanna know what will happen if he finds out the truth? He'd hate me. It doesn't matter how it is explained, he'll hate me if he learns of the truth." He bites his bottom lip almost as if appearing nervous.
Mori sits there for a few moments waiting for Hikaru to continue and after a few moments that's just what happens… Well sort of…
"I… I um…" Hikaru's eyes turn downward and he bites his bottom lip again, he had released it to speak, but this time harder.
Mori decides that it is time to interfere before Hikaru started losing his mind to his thoughts… He's seen it happen once before…
It's something that Hikaru has a tendency to do when something was troubling his mind and Mori saw it when the twins had won the competition for the room back in Karuizawa. Though it was only Mori around at first Kaoru ended up wandering over there and saw Hikaru slightly curled up biting his bottom lip while Mori watches on not knowing what to do. Kaoru assured Mori that it was okay and what had happened as he helps his brother to his feet only to get Mori to agree to not tell anyone before he left with his brother.
Mori gets up going over to Hikaru and crouches next to him placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to get his attention.
Hikaru blinks then his head snaps to Mori and he blinks again a few moments after their eyes meet.
No word was spoken and only half a minute later Hikaru looks away again but not biting his bottom lip.
Mori sits there watching him with a hand on his shoulder as he wonders if he was actually unable to help one of his friends with this. He just isn't fully sure what else he could have done to help Hikaru because he isn't Kaoru… He suddenly wishes that Kaoru was here because then he'd know what to do while Mori sits here trying to figure it out while fearing that his friend will become like how he was that one time…
… Kaoru….
That's right.
"Talk to him."
Hikaru's eyes widen slightly in surprise then he looks quickly back to Mori almost making the older wonder how he didn't get whiplash. "W-What!? Are you crazy!?" He questions. "I can't tell him!" He exclaims brining his hands into the air with angered motions.
"Tell him what exactly?" Mori asks and Hikaru looks at him almost shocked as he lowers his hands.
"Oh." Hikaru slightly glances away. "Right I still haven't told you what it is yet."
"Hikaru." Mori begins then he leans closer to his friend showing his worry. "I know that it seems impossible to talk to your brother when you can't even talk to me about it. But just holding it in isn't going to go anywhere let alone help in any situation. Talking to someone else like me is a start but you really need to talk to your brother before anything can truly be fixed."
Hikaru sighs heavily his head slumping down to hang for a moments as his shoulders slump as well. His head raises and he looks back to Mori. "You have to keep it a secret."
Mori nods and Hikaru feels glad that he can trust Mori with his secret since the older male is a silent figure with often no expressions to give anything away. He is the best person to tell your secrets and he did keep quiet about what he had seen when Hikaru himself had broken down thanks to his thoughts.
…
Kaoru is walking along the sidewalk looking down at a paper in his hands. He looks up and though his eyes sparkle with sadness he tries to seem strong. He turns and stops looking at the address then glancing back to the paper in his hand. "This is it." He says as he turns back to the building. He turns to fully face it and for a few moments he stands there staring at it. He doesn't want to move to be honest but with a harsh swallow he moves because he knows that he has to. He walks up to the front glass doors that slide apart to become open as if to welcome him inside.