Chapter 10: Bento

Out in the open air of the quad, mother and son sat quietly side by side on a bench, each picking at the lunch Nowaki had packed for them before he was called away.

Hiroki's mind was busy fluctuating between his next lecture and how he was going to deal with his father if his mother ever disclosed what she'd witnessed that day.

On the other end of the bench the lady Kamijou was equally distressed. She wondered if her son's association with that lewd Miyagi wasn't to blame for some of Hiroki's difficulties in finding and securing a mate. How long had he been working with the man?

Wouldn't their association have begun not long after Hiroki had finished with the first of his undergraduate work?

That was not long after he'd had that terrible breakup with that mystery girl. The one who left him before Mrs. Kamijou had ever had a chance to meet her. Hiroki had been despondent over that for almost a whole year.

It didn't seem to the lady that her son had really had a decent relationship since then. Thank goodness he had such a good friend in Kusama-san, otherwise the man would have likely become a hermit.

Still, now knowing Miyagi, it all made sense.

Hiroki's mother knew that beneath his volatile exterior that her son was actually a bit delicate. It must be such a blow to his male ego to have to deal with such perversions daily and for so long now. Surely the timing of this following the dissolution of his last great love had affected her boy's confidence.

Yes, that was it. This would explain so easily her son's seeming timidity in pursuing a suitable bride. Poor Hiroki! Thankfully, Mrs. Kamijou knew that one did not need extreme confidence (though it surely helped) to secure a decent partner, there were more traditional ways.

Hiroki was feeling guilty for being so silent, but he did not know what to say. The weather he decided at last, would be the most benign subject to discuss. "It's nice to be eating out here on such a pleasant day."

"Oh Hiroki-kun," his mother replied brightly, determined to steer the conversation, whatever its origins down a particular path, "it is so nice to be with you here, but I wish you would consider coming home more often. Your father and I get to see you so seldom. He's always asking after you and I'm sure he would be delighted if you would consider visiting. Family is so important you know."

Mrs. Kamijou watched as Hiroki studied something in the bottom of his bowl. "Not likely," Hiroki said under his breath.

"What?" Mrs. Kamijou asked, her son's voice was so quiet she had not heard his words.

"I said I'll try," Hiroki sighed, "maybe at the end of term. It always was nice there during the summer." As he said the words, both Kamijous knew that this would not happen.

Studying her uncomfortable son, his mother ventured, "Did you get the packet that your father and I sent you?"

Hiroki put his chopsticks down and set his lunch to the side.

"Yes," he breathed, still not looking at his mother.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did you see anyone who might be of interest?"

"I haven't really had time to look through it yet Mother, I've been busy." Hiroki was struggling to keep his increasing sense of surliness from entering his tone.

"Oh Hiroki-kun," his mother fluttered, trying to keep the mood of the conversation light, "your busy life is exactly why you must make the time to look at them. Just think how much easier your life would be if you found a lovely lady to take care of you so that you could devote all the time you wanted to your work. Perhaps you could secure a better post at another university then."

"Did Nowaki say how long he was going to have to stay at the hospital today before he left you?" Hiroki asked unexpectedly. The professor would never admit it, but he was suddenly and desperately overwhelmed by the desire to see his boyfriend.

Hiroki's mother was surprised by her son's interruption and perplexed by the seemingly unrelated question.

"Oh, he thought he might be free later this afternoon. Why?"

"I have one more lecture today. Let me call him. Maybe you and I could go to the hospital and meet him and we could all go out for dinner together if he doesn't have other plans. I mean, after all, he went to all the trouble of making dinner last night and lunch today. It seems the least we could do."

"Hiroki," his mother scolded, "it's Friday night. I'm sure Kusama-san must have a busy evening planned."

She saw her son's dejected face and realized suddenly how much happier (even if it was not obviously apparent to others) her son was when his friend was around. He'd always been like that she supposed, remembering his similar attachment to Akihiko when he was younger.

"But why don't you call him anyway and find out," she suddenly said, willing to try anything to lift her son from this depressed state. "Perhaps he will be free after all."

The lady Kamijou repacked their leftover lunch things as Hiroki walked off a ways to make his call to Nowaki.

Hiroki was furious with himself to find that he was relieved beyond belief when Nowaki actually picked up the phone in person.

Nowaki, as was his way, was delighted by the dinner proposal. "Can we go to Pandasan?" he asked.

For Hiroki the childlike excitement that the man expressed about the possibility of going to the exact same restaurant they went to every weekend was simultaneously annoying and endearing.

"I think that will be fine, but I'll have to ask my mom. I'll see you in a while." Hiroki tried to make his voice sound particularly gruff as he said this.

"Okay, Hiro-san. I love you."

Why did the big dork always have to say that? Didn't he ever worry who might be listening? Hiroki was about to hang up but he stopped just short of doing so. "Nowaki, are you still there?"

"Yes Hiro-san."

"Know that I'm only saying this because I am under a lot of stress right now, and don't plan on me making this a habit, but I miss you and I love you too." Hiroki said in a low growl.

"Hiro.."

Hiroki snapped his phone shut before Nowaki could respond to his declarations.

Between this confession and last night's promise, Nowaki floated through the rest of his shift. He wished Hiro-san's mother would never leave.

When her boy returned to her, Mrs. Kamijou's son's countenance was definitely brighter.

"Everything is a go." Hiroki said and for almost an instant he smiled. Then looking at his phone he saw the time. "Shit," he scowled, then seeing his mother's face, "sorry, but I have to go or I'm going to be late for class. What are you going to do while I'm lecturing?"

Hiroki's mother decided to venture a bold request. "Well, if it wouldn't be too disruptive, I'd really like to come and watch you teach." She said this almost shyly. "I promise to sit quietly and not be a bother."

Hiroki considered his next class.

Previously, his parents had both only shown the most superficial interest in his professional work and despite the anxiety it caused him, the professor was also secretly pleased by his mother's expression of interest. He was also feeling buoyed by the fact he would be seeing Nowaki in a few hours and would not have to spend the entire evening alone with his matchmaking mother.

"Alright," he conceded, being sure not to sound too amenable. He surprised his mother further by offering her his hand. "Let's go."