A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.
Disclaimer: the usual… I don't own the song "Insensitive". Anne Loree does.
P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, italics for flashbacks and italics are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in bold. And the scenes from the video tape will be in italics and those in bold italics are for duets.
And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).
More A/N: the following four chapters will not be ChouRyo centric. I just realized, I never gave time for some of the supporting characters to grow. The following four chapters will be centered first on Fuji/Tez, next is Kiri/Syl, then one-sided Yuki/Ryo and last on James/and someone. All four chapters are written on juxtaposition.
THIS IS NOT THE END OF TMTYM!!!!!! I REPEAT THIS IS NOT THE END!!!!!!!!!! If ever I wasn't able to polish this chapter thoroughly, gomen! it's kinda hard to do when at the same time I'm memorizing amino acids, proteins and lipids. I'll try harder next chapter
potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot
Friday afternoon…
Sylvan ditched James that afternoon to meet with someone. Of course he knew that it is important to get acquainted with their future employees but Kirihara had asked him to meet him up at the bus station.
'If Ryo hadn't been that hard-headed we'll probably be having the time of our lives now.' Soft gentle wind blew his wavy blue hair off his face, exposing the feminine look of the young boy. People around him couldn't help but stare at him and his regal beauty. Soon he felt a pair of strong arms encircled him.
"There you are." Kirihara whispered into his ear.
Sylvan felt a sudden chill ran down his spine so his basic reflex was to break away from Kirihara's embrace. The boy noted the hurt expression on his boyfriend's face.
"Uh Syl, are you alright?" Kirihara asked. 'Why did he break away?'
The boy shook his head. "Yes I'm fine." Then he turned around and started to walk.
Kirihara waived off the twinge of pain that he felt as he tried to catch up with the bespectacled boy. "Is Ryoma doing fine?"
Sylvan nodded but kept his eyes glued to the ground.
'Hmmm…something's not right.' Kirihara mused as he studied the profile of his boyfriend. It is a known fact that the boy could rival Yukimura's looks and Tezuka's attitude but he's seen more emotions on Sylvan than the Seigaku buchou. 'I want to know what's going on!'
Sylvan's mind was busy as well. 'Will I soften up just like Ryoma if I entrust my whole self to this boy? I have seen how love nearly destroyed my friend's life…shall I take the same plunge or shall I keep a good space between Aya and me?' the freshman stole a glance at his boyfriend. 'How can I protect myself?'
The two walked in silence for quite a while until they've reached a small secluded park. Kirihara bought then takoyaki before they settled on a bench underneath a sakura tree.
"Yukimura-buchou made us train so hard today." Kirihara said while poking at his food.
"Unn…"
"I never thought I'd be able to walk out of the courts."
"Souka…"
Kirihara took a deep breath and set down his food. 'He's turning Tezuka or rather Kabaji on me.' he eyed the boy beside him who was quietly eating his takoyaki while his yes are eternally glued to the bushes across the pavement. 'But I still can't believe how lucky I am to have him by my side.'
Sylvan knew that Kirihara has been staring at him the whole time. However, the young boy was afraid of staring right back. He wasn't able to retaliate though when the sophomore placed a hand around his shoulders and pulled him closer to lean on his shoulders.
"I'm really glad that you've decided to stay here in Japan for good." Kirihara muttered to his ear. Sylvan keep his mouth shut and let his boyfriend to the talking. He's not that much of a conversationalist to start off. Gentle hands started to massage his scalp and soon the boy was starting to feel sleepy.
"Aishiteru Syl…"
Those two words made Sylvan's gray eyes snap open and gaze into those alluring green ones as well.
Kirihara was expecting the boy to say those words back but what he didn't expect were Sylvan's arms snaking around his neck, pulling his down for a searing kiss. His mind reeled into overdrive when Sylvan opened his mouth and met Kirihara's tongue in a tentative duel until it evolved into a battle to subdue the fire the ignited inside them.
Kirihara's arms wound around Sylvan's waist and pulled him closer until the freshman was straddling his hips. As the kiss deepened, Sylvan reached up and took off his glasses and laid it on the space beside his boyfriend. With that gone, Kirihara was free to give Sylvan butterfly kisses on his eyes, his cheeks, his nose then back to his delectable red lips.
The young boy couldn't help but moan when the sophomore's kisses landed on his neck. He held on to Kirihara's uniform as tingles of pleasure coursed down to his fingertips while his boyfriend kept on nipping at his pulsating artery. Just when Kirihara's hands started to creep up his torso, Sylvan's cell phone rang. This made the boy pushed his boyfriend and climbed down his lap.
Kirihara was still in a daze when Sylvan started to fix his self.
"I gotta go." These three words slapped the Rikkai Ace awake.
"As in now?" Kirihara asked. Sylvan's face was unreadable when he put on his glasses. "Ok, tell me what it is exactly." He crossed his arms across his chest.
"Nothing. I just had to go." Sylvan replied.
Kirihara gritted his teeth. "Then why the cold treatment Syl? I thought everything about us is ok."
Sylvan sighed. His mind was still clouded from what happened earlier but then again, his fixed jaw and cold grey eyes got better of him. "Everything's ok. It's just that I need to go." He gave Kirihara a curt nod. "Ja."
Kirihara slumped back on the bench, hurt and furious. "I didn't do anything wrong!" he muttered in outrage before he buried his face into his hands. He thought everything was going smoothly. This is the kind of set-back that he didn't expect. 'I think this is the price for loving a person like him.'
potpotpot
Sylvan was in a deadly mood when he got on the bus and what's worse is that he could find an explanation to rationalize his actions earlier. He took out his ipod hoping that his frustration might simmer down.
"I don't understand myself anymore." He muttered before sticking the phones into his ears.
potpotpot
Kirihara took out his ipod. 'Maybe music will help me simmer down.' He mused as he turned it on. He just remembered that Sylvan configured both their ipods so that every time they turn it on, they will be listening to the same song.
How do you cool your lips after a summer' kiss?
How do you rid the sweat after the body bliss?
'How can you be so cold after what had happened?' Kirihara felt like tearing his hair off. 'And while I'm at it, I can't help but notice that you keep leaving me hanging most of the time. Why?'
How do you turn your eyes from the romantic glare?
How do you block the sound of a voice you'll know anywhere?
potpotpot
Sylvan bit his lip as the words of the song stabbed deeper into his small voluntary pumping muscle. 'I've been like this even before I met him. Does this mean I need to change every thing that I am just to satisfy the needs of my partner?' Sylvan saw a couple sitting not far from him. 'The closest experience I had of love was that fling I had with James a year ago.'
Oh I really should have known
By the time you drove me home
By the vagueness in your eyes
Your casual goodbyes
By the chill in your embrace
The expression on your face
That told me maybe you might have
Some advice to give
On how to be
Insensitive...
'Come to think of it, I can't even call it a relationship. But with Aya…" sylvan groaned inwardly upon remembering his exit earlier. 'Damn it! Why am I so inexperienced at things like this?!'
potpotpot
Realizing that the freshman will not be coming back, Kirihara grumpily left the park and headed home.
'I'm living in Kanagawa damn it! How am I suppose to know the real reason if I live miles away from him?' the sophomore stumbled upon an empty soda can and in his anger, he kicked the can with all his might.
How do you numb your skin after the warmest touch?
How do you slow your blood after the body rush?
"How would I be able to melt that granite heart of yours completely?" Kirihara asked out loud but met only wind as an answer.
How do you free your soul after you've found a friend?
How do you teach your heart it's a crime to fall in love again?
A thought came into his mind that made him stop for a while. "Ryoma. Maybe he'll have some idea how to solve our problem." The idea seemed appealing to him but then a little voice in his head told him otherwise. 'Ryoma's dealing with a far greater problem with Ohtori right now. It wouldn't help if I come to him for advice.' Kirihara groaned inwardly.
"Argh! What am I gonna do with you, Sylvan Beauclaire?!"
Oh you probably don't remember me
It's probably ancient history
I'm one of the chosen few
Who went ahead and fell for you
"Maybe you're still not ready yet to commit into a relationship like this. Heck! Maybe I'm coming on him too strong that he wanted some space…"
potpotpot
'No…I don't want any space from him.' Sylvan was currently in a middle of a mind-battle between the good-natured Van and the bad-ass Syl. 'but you're scared. You're trying to keep your head up above the waters by being unfeeling and insensitive. You're scared that what happened to Ryo's three failed relationships will happen to you too once you've let your guard down.' Sylvan shuddered involuntarily at that thought.
I'm out of vogue, I'm out of touch
I fell too fast, I feel too much
I thought that you might have
Some advice to give
On how to be
Insensitive
'FYI, Ryo's relationship with Ohtori is not entirely a goner. They're trying to pick up the pieces and putting them together to start anew.'
'Oh really…but that still doesn't change the fact that you're pushing your own boyfriend away in anticipation that you two might end up just like them.'
Oh I really should have known
By the time you drove me home
By the vagueness in your eyes
Your casual goodbyes
'Oh shut up! Remember you're just an id.' Sylvan blinked back the tears in his eyes. 'Stupid alter egos! They really know how to make one crack up.'
potpotpot
Kirihara sighed in his seat as the bus started moving towards home. 'Tomorrow's the take over…maybe there I could get more answers.'
By the chill in your embrace
The expression on your face
That told me maybe you might have
Some advice to give
On how to be
Insensitive
potpotpot
Insensitive
Sylvan reluctantly stepped down from the bus. 'James will surely be pissed off right now.' He shoved his hands inside his pocket and started treading towards RJ. 'Maybe Ryoma will be able to help me.'
potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot
The next morning…
"Don't underestimate us." Sylvan snapped at the older blonde.
Dominic sighed. "We're just warning you, Sylvan." He kept on tapping his chin with his pen. "Especially for your case, you need to master the ins and outs of hotel and restaurant management." Jade eyes gazed at him sympathetically. "Given that Uncle Renz is already hell-bent in making you the future CEO of Clariel Shibuya. Bear in mind that that was one of the main reasons why he allowed you to stay here."
Sylvan did his best to suppress a snort. 'Yeah right.'
"I think the person whom you really need to talk to is this kid here." Nanako eyed her cousin. "Besides, he's the one who had stepped up as the leader of this small, young group of entrepreneurs. Ne Ryoma, tell us how you'll manage a store like this especially that you're in school."
The grey-eyed boy stared at his friend who seemed to ne in a daze. 'Che! So much for asking him for relationship advice.'
"Aherm." Still no reply. James crumpled a piece of paper then threw it at the brunette. Bull's eye!
"Wha-what?" Ryoma snapped out of his daze. The people around him sighed in exasperation.
"I asked how you are going to manage RJ while in school." Nanako said in a clipped tone.
Ryoma scanned the expectant faces around him. "Promote Tsubame to become manager?"
Sylvan shook his head. He knew that this was going to be the reply of his best friend.
"What? I'm boss." Ryoma scoffed. He stood up and took a peek at the door which was ajar. "You don't question your boss." He's eyes drifted at four familiar figures who are sitting together.
"What do you see out there?" Rayver came up behind the brunette.
Ryoma scoffed. "Funny, I thought I new them all…every last one of them." his eyes were glued at Fuji's sad face. "I always wanted to know what will make them loose their cool, these calm reserved people."
"Now you know," they heard Dominic spoke up. "Love."
Sylvan felt a painful tug in his heart. Somehow he knew where this conversation will lead. 'Aya is outside. Nanako invited him.' and all the time Sylvan didn't find the courage to walk up to him.
"Is there something that you guys know that I need to know?" Ryoma crossed his arms on his chest. Silence reigned in the office. "Ok, you older people get out; face the customers while I have a talk with my dear best friends."
potpotpot
Kirihara sighed for the nth time. he's missing the action and the tension and most of all, not that he would admit this one out loud, the giddy feeling in his stomach whenever Sylvan's amazing grey eyes look up to him.
"I wonder where Fuji and Tezuka went." Yukimura calmly muttered while eating his cheese cake.
Kirihara wondered too, given that the tensai and Ryoma's stoic ex-boyfriend are still out. While scanning the place, he too noticed the bruise forming on Yuuta's cheek. 'Now who's stupid or rather brave enough to hurt Fuji Syuusuke's little brother?' his attention was diverted though when Nanako and others came out of the office. He's heart started pounding.
"Syl…"
potpotpot
"So let me get this straight," Ryoma muttered while paced back and forth in of the bespectacled boy. " you're pushing Akaya-senpai away because you're afraid that the two of you might end up just like Choutarou and me?" Golden orbs stared accusingly into cold grey one.
"Now that's stupid." James snorted.
Sylvan glared at him. "Shut up! How would you know of things like this when all you've had were one-night stands and flings?" he noticed that the blonde visibly flinched at his comment.
"Well there's one thing that I know of, you cold-hearted moron," James stood up abruptly, pain emanating from his blue eyes. "I'm in a better position than you are because at least I know what human warmth is all about." With this, the blonde stormed out of the office.
"James!" Ryoma cried in dismay. The brunette's eyes glared back at Sylvan who still wore the same stoic expression he had since they started their conversation. "You were way out of line there, Syl."
The latter just took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry."
Ryoma sighed and sat beside the distressed boy. "No, I should be the one who should apologize." He placed a hand over Sylvan's cold ones and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I know that my relationship with Choutarou is greatly affecting your insight on your own relationship Sylvan but I think you better stop over-calculating everything and start letting your own feelings go."
Sylvan started deep into those hypnotic golden orbs. "You know that it'll never be easy for me, Ryo. Among the four of us, I'm the most socially isolated. I don't know the ins and outs of human relations."
Ryoma was rather alarmed by the amount of emotion the wavy-haired boy was showing. "I know but that's the reason why you should start now. If you could only explain things to Akaya in a manner in which he would understand best, everything will be alright." He pulled Sylvan close for hug. "Ok?"
Sylvan couldn't help but smile at the affectionate gesture Ryoma's showing him. "Ok."
"Now go inside the storage room and get the ingredients for our cake."
potpotpot
Kirihara jolted upright when a hand tapped his shoulders. He looked up and saw James standing behind him. There was something different with the handsome blonde boy. 'Maybe it's his frown. I'm not used to seeing him frown like this.'
'Ryoma told me that you were the last person who stored the Chinese spices." Even the tone of his voice was dull. "He needs them right now."
Kirihara sighed. "Ok, I'll get them." he left his seat and went into the storage room.
potpotpot
Sylvan was busy locating the ingredients for their custard cake when he heard the door opened and closed. It was not long after Kirihara appeared before him looking very confused.
"Hi." Sylvan muttered.
"Uh hi." Kirihara replied.
'CLICK!' their heard jerked towards the direction of the door.
"They locked us in." Kirihara mumbled. Before Sylvan could react, his boyfriend darted towards the door and started fumbling with the knob. Sylvan sighed at Kirihara's failed attempts to open the door.
"It's no use." He called out.
Kirihara sighed in frustration. He reluctantly approached the freshman. "They tricked us."
Sylvan didn't respond until after a few seconds. "It's ok. We need to talk anyway." His steely-grey eyes stared directly into Kirihara's green ones.
Kirihara's heart raced faster when the freshman's eyes fell on him. "O-ok."
Sylvan took a deep breath and gentle held the sophomore's hands. "About yesterday…" cold grey eyes softened to brown ones. " I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you so abruptly."
Kirihara blinked a couple of times before finally getting what Sylvan was talking about. "Oh that?" he chuckled in attempt to hide the pain he felt while reminiscing. "It was nothing—"
Sylvan's grip on his hands grew tighter. "No!" he stressed out. "Don't say such things." Sylvan averted his gaze now, feeling embarrassed. "I left because I chickened out."
Kirihara felt the fluttering of his stomach grew stronger. "Chickened out? What are you talking about?"
Sylvan sighed before he suddenly wrapped his arms around Kirihara's waist. "I got scared. I was afraid of the fact that we might end up just like Ryo and Ohtori when we come to that same point of complete abandon. I-I wasn't ready to face the consequences similar to what I've seen with Ryoma. Then add the fact that I'm no people person or social butterfly."
Kirihara could help but smile at his cute, impetuous boyfriend. "So you mean?"
Sylvan groaned in frustration. "Damn it Aya! Stop making fun of me. I'm trying to express what I feel here and this is a thing that I don't do every so often!"
"Kidding!" Kirihara chuckled and embraced the bespectacled boy tighter. "It's ok. I understand. I could only imagine how hard it is for you to break the walls that you've surrounded yourself with." He placed a chaste kiss on Sylvan's forehead. "If you'd let me, I'll personally carry the mace so that it'd be easier for you."
Sylvan's stoic face broke into a smile. "Can clean up after me as well?"
Kirihara couldn't help but laugh. "You little spoiled brat!" the two dissolved into fits of laughter.
potpotpot
"You think they made up?" Nanako asked with her ears pressed to the storage room door.
"Sounds like they did." Ryoma muttered. He stepped away from the door and scoffed. "Do I always have to look after those two?" he scanned the room and noticed someone missing.
"Wait, where the hell is James?"
potpotpotomakepotpotpot
"Uh…how are we gonna get out of here?" Kirihara asked. Sylvan fished something out of his pocket and held it to his boyfriend's face.
"You had that inside your pocket all the time?"
Sylvan's eyebrow arched. "What? Do you have any complaints?" he twirled the key holder in his finger.
"None at all."
potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot
A/N: I feel so bad…people are quite confused. Gomen nasai minna-san!!!!!
I patterned Sylvan's behavior after Tezuka, giving him a bit of disadvantage when it comes to relationships. Don't hate Sylvan ok? I like him!
To those asking about Yuuta's bruise… patience my little children.
Next up will be a one-sided YukiRyo, will add a ChouRyo to intensify the one-sidedness. Lastly…
MAKE ME HAPPY AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!