Chapter 11
'Confession'
Inoue Hanashiro is currently fearing for his life. The moment he reached his apartment, the guard at the entrance relayed a notes came from his best friend. Ogata Seiji is going to visit him tonight. The note says Ogata was worried and wondered about the reason why Inoue never answer the blonde pro's calls and even turn off his phone.
Crap! Inoue shivered. He was walking back and forth in his living room. Terrified.
He received a text messages from Akira yesterday that he and Ogata read the latest book, Kami no Itte. And the bobbed-hair teen asked if Inoue happened to be the cover's model.
He knew that Ogata will soon found out about the book, but not this soon. It's only been two weeks and he expected him to notice the book a month or two.
The silver-hair man dropped his exhausted body in the couch. He felt so drained during the trip and now he had to deal with his best friend. The sadistic creepy side of Ogata Seiiji he'd never wanted to deal with. It feels like facing your own death.
Inoue stood and went to his room. Perhaps he needed a warm bubble bath before he receive his punishments. He's been practicing a perfect excuses for a weeks, just to recite it for tonight.
It's six o'clock Still early for dinner. He sent a text messages to Shindo right after he received a text from Akira yesterday. The blonde bang teen happened to have a practice game against the other school and even canceled his dinner plan with the Touya's. Shindo will supposedly resting right now and never wanted to disturbed the teen.
He felt so helpless right now. But it's for he best, from what Shindo told him earlier Touya-sensei was his guardian so there's a huge possibilities that Ogata and the teen had already met.
And he doesn't wanted to ruined it. If ever Ogata already met Shindo, he wondered what would his best friend think.
Him, one of those few people knows what's Ogata been through after all these years. He may look not caring about anyone else, but Ogata was the most loving and caring person he'd ever known in his life.
Shindo's connection with Touya-sensei was still vague and he never dared to ask the teen nor his mentor. And as for Ogata, he really wanted to introduced Shindo without reminding him of someone else. It's all truly coincidence.
And heart-breaking.
"Are you sure it's okay for you to sleep while enjoying your bubble bath?" A husky voice echoed throughout the bathroom.
"Gyaah!" Inoue shrieked, totally out of character. He slowly sunked down the water filled with scented bubbles.
Ogata but his lower lip to suppressed his laughter towards the terrified silver-haired. 'Shit! That's hilarious. I wish I took a photo.' He thought, while he composed himself to act cold towards Inoue. "One of the rules in the art of war. If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in."
"So I'm your enemy now?"
"Yes you are. By keeping a secret from me." Ogata replied. "How about you finish your bath and meet me in the living room." He commanded with now an impassive voice.
Inoue covered his face, completely embarrased. "Mou, Seiji...but you shouldn't do that. What if I've die from heart attack?" He pouted without looking the blonde pro.
"I don't know care." Ogata replied firmly. He remembered that he should act angry at him. "Finish now."
"Eh but... I'm just started and besides..-"
"I said now." Ogata said, cutting off what Inoue was trying to say. The silver-hair guy slowly stood and approached the shower, as Ogata closed the bathroom door.
Ogata starts searching for something to cook inside the fridge. After he changed his suits into a casual clothes he kept at Inoue's guest room's drawer, he decided to cook for dinner.
As usual, the guy have nothing in the fridge aside from bottles of distilled water, mineral water, purified water, sparkling mineral water, and artesian well water. He will never understand Inoue's addiction to water.
Inoue often lectured him about the difference of bottled water. And to make sure not to be confused about the difference sparkling mineral water to sparkling spring water and to sparkling drinking water.
Aren't they all just water that sparkling? Wait...does water even sparkles?
He sighed at least there's one bottled of white wine and a carton of orange juice.
Seriously, he don't understand Inoue's obsessions towards water. Although it's really good to drink a lot of water, but where's the good with it if you eat nothing.
He found a not-so fresh coriander, probably left from few days ago but still fine. Four pieces of yellow and red bell pepper. And luckily he found a glove of almost-dry-to-death garlic. He always reminded the man there's no need to keep the garlic inside the fridge.
Ogata boiled a water with a drops of oil and salt. He took the linguine from the upper cupboard and starts washing and cutting the vegetables he managed to save from spoiling.
He boiled the pasta while sautéing the garlic with olive oil then add the bell peppers. Honestly, this is the only food he could do since there was nothing else to cook. And believed or not, he prefers home made meals than fastfood.
After a few minutes of boiling the pasta, he drained half of it. Inoue liked it al dente, while he preferred a bit soggy. So kept the other half to continued boiling.
Soon after, he divided the sautéed veggies and poured over the two plated pasta, pinch of salt and white pepper and garnished with coriander. He prepared the table and took out the white wine from the fridge.
It's time to dragged the drama queen out from his room. Although he was so sure that the man need to spent another hour just to dry his hair.
Inside the room Inoue could smelled the appetizing aroma of garlic. Damn, that guy really knows how to tortured him. He loves the smell of the garlic! And Ogata is going to feed him with something he loved before he punish him.
He still on his robe and drying his hair. Sooner or later, the man will come to his room to dragged him out. He couldn't find a proper way to start the confession without angering the man even more. He anticipated this scenario a hundred times. Yet, he wasn't mentally, physically, and spiritually prepared.
Kami save me please...
Inoue had been staring at the mirror in front of him with a very deep thought. He failed to noticed a figure slowly walking behind him.
"How long have you plan to stare at the mirror." Ogata asked. He's running out of patients at his best friend's drama.
Ogata grabbed Inoue's wrist and forcefully dragged him into bed and glowered on top of him. "So...you don't have any plans to explain why you did that?" He asked, looking at Inoue with his fiery brown eyes.
Inoue was stunned. He had no idea what happened second ago and now finding himself writhing beneath his best friend. "I... Seiji... I"
"Who is Raku Shin?" Ogata asked directly. He has no time to fool around.
"But..."
"Who is him?"
Inoue squirmed beneath him. This is why it's hard to deal with Ogata when it comes to Go related as the blonde pro had a tendency to get crazy over it. "The author of.."
"I know that..."
Inoue took a deep breath to relax. Soon, he will need to introduce Ogata to 'Raku Shin' as the owner of the publishing company so what's there to be scared of. He looked straight at Ogata, noticing that the man didn't wear his 'to-look-smart' eyeglass.
"Listen Seiji. This is exactly why I didn't introduce you to Shin-sensei. You're creepy."
"Hey! I am not!"
"Yes you are! Seiji he is our new author okay. If I introduce you to Shin-sensei, you'll probably going to harass him."
"Hey! I'm not-" Ogata protested but Inoue put his finger over his lips.
"I'm going to introduce you both. I swear. But it's kinda complicated. And Shin-sensei wasn't in the condition enough to have a long discussion."
Ogata gaped at him. "He's dying?"
"Haha." Inoue chuckled. Does he made it sound that Shindo is dying? "Far from that. It's your personality actually, not his."
"God damn it! Hana! Tell me everything. You know I don't like it when do that!" Ogata exclaimed. His both hands pinning Inoue's hands in each sides of his head.
"Fine fine... At least get off me first. I need to get dress."
"No. Tell me now."
"Tch. Fine." He snorted. He knew that there's no way he could let the man get off him. Ogata knew that he will run away or make things more complicated to explain. "Raku Shin is our new author."
"I already knew that."
"Well, Shin-sensei requested me to concealed his identity and of course I respected that. And as you know it's about Go so I hid from you. And I do told him to introduce you after the release of his book. Maybe tomorrow night?" He smiled nervously, hoping that would be enough to please and to calm down the fuming Seiji.
"Fine. Is he connected to Sai?"
"Sai?" He asked back but immediately recognized the name." Sai.. Of course they're related. His one of the main character in -"
"Not Sai the ghost. The Sai in the NetGo."
"Sai? In the Netgo? Who's that?"
"That's what I'm asking you. He's invincible go player online."
"Ohh.." Inoue sounded amazed. But he had an idea already. "I see, so someone actually used Sai's name to play online."
"You're wrong. Sai starts playing online three months ago. And the boy, Haru in the story is probably the NetGo Sai."
Inoue eyes widened. Trust Ogata to easily unveiled such things. From the time he plays against Shindo, he also sees the similarities of the boy's gamestyle in the story with the blonde bang teen.
When he carefully asked the teen about it, Shindo embarrassingly admitted that the boy in the story was based on him. The gamestyle was indeed his. A person he wanted to be if only he hadn't lost his voice.
He felt terrible to hear it from him. . Inoue regretted asking about the similarities. Although he only asked about the game style, Shindo sadly confessed to him that he dreamed to be Haru.
"Really?" He asked innocently, but his shaking voice gives him away.
"Don't lie. I know you're aware of that." He sighed. There's no used of intimidating Inoue anymore. "Fine. Tomorrow." He said, he leaned closer and nuzzled at Inoue's side. "I prepared dinner." His voice softened. How he missed the softness of Inoue's pale skins.
"Yea. I smelled the garlic." Inoue loosen up and felt relax a bit. He hated on how Ogata easily switches his mood. Too easily swayed his emotions. "Get off me now please." He asked.
"I want to play Sai."
"Sounds dirty coming from you." He chuckled.
"Why you..."
"I said tomorrow okay. Now get off, Seiji Ogata."
"Three minutes more." Ogata loosen his holds at Inoue's both hands and leaned a bit upward then played his silver-hair instead. "It's still a bit wet... and smells nice." He said teasingly while playfully smelling his hair.
"Pervert. Get off."
"Two minutes."
"Tch. Now."
"One minute..." He whispered, still gently stroking Inoue long silver hair. "You should shorten your hair..."
"Huh? Why?" 'I thought you like it long.' He almost added to ask.
"It made you more dense. Stupid." Inoue pouted, he wanted to object but Ogata's next words made him stopped. "I miss you so much, Hana..." He leaned down and closed his eyes.
Inoue shivered as the warm breath touches his sensitive ears. "I miss you too. Seiji." He whispered while his heart beats faster.. Really, he missed the soft-spoken and caring Seiji, not a grumpy sadist Seiji. "Get off-" he wanted to yelled but heard a soft snores coming from the blonde pro. The man was probably tired.
Well, they can just reheat the food later.
Inoue caressed Ogata's naturally soft blonde hair gently, while the other hand slowly rubbed the blonde pro's broad back.
He really missed those old days. The old days when they're still young, wild and free. Those days that both them have more time to spend together.
He loves Ogata as a best friend. Inoue admitted that, or perhaps more than that. They had their own girlfriends and relationships that didn't last and found themselves seeking each other presence instead.
Best of friends. Probably the kind relationships that well suited them both, siince they always fought every single little things. And yet they don't wanna lose each other.
"You're so cruel Seiji" He whispered. "You made me confused many times... You always given me a false hope...And you let me hold you like this..." Inoue was deeply hurt and in denial. Because he knew exactly what he felt for the man. But being a friend was more than enough for him. Since the man in his arms won't like him the way he liked Ogata..
Tears flows down his cheeks before he finally closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.
"You're just dense ...Hana." An unheard replied to Inoue's whispered came out into his lips. Ogata wiping off the hot tears on Inoue's cheek. Quietly, he snuggled deeper into Inoue's bare neck. "- but I love your hair longer..." Then he truly went to sleep.
Tomorrow is another day for them to face and challenge.
Together.
Touya Meijin was staring at the package sitting at top of the table in his study room. While he was in Akira's room, the delivery guy came and his wife accepted the package on his behalf.
It's strange and he wondered. Did Heihachi Shindou anticipated his death so he set the package to be delivered few months after he died. The packaged came from Hikaru Shindou's grandfather to be deliver to Meijin Touya in particular date.
He carefully opened the package and immediately picked up the white envelope on top of everything, with his name written on it. He cautiously looked at the things contained inside the small package. Aside from the white envelope, there's a small wooden box and a dark green photo album with young Shindou's name. Perhaps the older Shindou trusted him to give it to the younger Shindou.
He closed the box and just taking the white envelope with the letter obviously inside. He called Heihachi's lawyer earlier after they received the package and been told that the lawyer had no idea about it.
He kept the package inside the lower drawer of his table and slowly ripped the envelope. He took a deep breath. Something tells him that the letter containing probably important matters for the young Shindou's being.
'My confession.....
My heart is gravely suffering...grieving.
And they all said it was completely hopeless...'
The letter started. He raised an eyebrow at the introduction. There's wasn't any acknowledgement or somethings. It's hand written letters with three pages with no formal dedication or even dates. He sighed as he heard a small knock at the door. "Come in." And revealed his son Akira with still puffed eyes from crying. He folded the letter and returned it to the envelope. It can wait. And his son is definetely need his full attention right now.
"Forgive me Father... Did I interrupt you?" Akira asked.
"Absolutely not. Is there I can do for you?" He asked, it was rare for his only child to visited him in this room.
"Yes Father... I..." He stuttered. "I wonder if you can discuss my games with Sai..."
"Of course." He replied and hid the white envelope to the first drawer of his table.
A/N: Hello guys! Good news I updated early ^_^
Just like you guys, I've been itching to upload the chapter between Inoue and Ogata. Lol.
Thank you guys for wonderful reviews, follows and favorites! It boost my confidence and inspired me to keep on writing. I'm currently reconstructing this story since this chapter supposed to be shorter lol. (Special mention to Mrs. Zala- and I love u all guys-) And I should really wrote this part longer anyways.
Kei