Kunimitsu sat down, without realizing the weight of his words. The alcohol also didn't let him notice how upset Shuichirou was.
"What… what did you just say, Tezuka?" the young doctor asked again.
"You mean, about the college kid?" his voice and thinking were slow. "I just told him he was being a hassle to you and that he should leave."
"When did that happen?!"
"When I visited you when you were sick. You told me you were sick because of him. Not to mention all the other times we couldn't be together because you were too busy babysitting him."
Oishi could feel his blood boiling inside his veins. He stood up from the bed and started to collect his clothes on his small bag to get dress.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm leaving." He tried to talk to him calmly, after all he was drunk.
"Why? Because of that kid?" the condensent tone swiped away Shuichirou's patience.
"Did you have any idea of what you did?!" he looked at Kunimitsu again, the green eyes filled with anger. "I took Eiji-kun to my home on my own free will! I never wanted him to leave! He was my guest, it was my home, you had nothing to do with it!"
"He was troubling you." He said like appointing the most obvious thing.
"You know nothing about him! If you were jealous, you should've talk to me, not making him go away!"
"Jealous?" Tezuka scoffed. "Why would I be jealous?"
"Maybe because you were traumatized by all the times Fuji-san cheated on you or forgot about your existence." His voice was dead cold.
Oishi was about to leave, with his shoes on his hand, his bag on his shoulders, when Tezuka stood up and grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"You're overreacting." The dark eyes narrowed. "I will tell you the same thing I told him. He's nobody to you, you two have no bonds and he's just like a stray animal you picked up from the streets. I know having a pet could be comforting, but that kid has no place in your life."
Shuichirou released himself abruptly. He was never so angry before just imagining how bad Eiji must have felt with his words.
He took a last look at Tezuka before leaving the room and smashing the door close.
#############
"Thank you!" Eiji smiled happily, while giving away people's orders on the udon stall at the festival. Everything was so beautiful and colorful. He was wearing the shop's uniform. While he and Masayuki were dealing with the food, Chiho was receiving the money. Because of the noise, Haruki had stayed with a babysitter.
"Eiji we're almost without shrimp." Masayuki said, drying his forehead with a paper towel. They were selling just one type of udon on that night, the Nabeyaki Udon. It was a rich kind of udon, prepared with shrimp tempura, mushrooms, thin sliced carrots, spinach and fish cake. It was the most popular of the store and they had already sold almost 100 bowls since the festival had started. "Can you get home and get some more? There's a package ready on the fridge."
"Yes!" he smiled, removing his hat. "I'll be right back, Masa-nii!"
"Be careful on your way!"Chiho said, before he left.
Eiji was extremely happy everything was going well on the festival. He hoped he could have some time to enjoy the festival. He was imagining he should have shaved ice with syrup and some grilled squid as well.
"I wish Oishi-san could be here. He would really like the squid." He talked to himself, looking at the starry sky while walking down the road for his place.
When he was just one block away from the udon shop, he felt his cell phone vibrating on his pocket. He answered without looking at the caller.
"Hello?"
"Eiji-kun?" he stopped immediately when hearing the familiar voice.
"Oishi-san?!"
"Good evening. I'm sorry for calling so suddenly. You're probably busy, right?"
"Not at all! I'm just going home to pick up something."
"Ah, you're coming back? To Ono Udon?"
"Yes, why are you…"
Kikumaru's eyes were wide in absolute surprise when he arrived to his place and Oishi was there, in front of the shop's closed doors. He showed him a gentle smile.
"Eiji-kun. I found you."
"Oishi-san!" he ran to him and couldn't believe his eyes. "You're really here! How… why?!"
"I got rid of the other thing. I'm sorry for coming unannounced." Eiji had given him the address of the shop before.
"Don't worry about it!" he smiled widely. "I'm so happy you made it!"he noticed he had a small bag with him. "Come with me, we can put your bag on my room. I came to pick up some shrimps to the udon."
"How are things at the festival?"
"Great." He grinned, before opening his home. "Please, don't mind the mess. The last couple of days were busy."
"Don't worry about it. Thank you for having me." He said, removing his shoes.
Eiji's house was small but extremely cozy. It was, indeed, a family home. Shuichirou smiled seeing the different pictures on the living room.
"Would you like some water or anything else?"
"No, I'm okay. I'm just hungry. I didn't have the mind to eat anything before coming here. Can I eat something at your stall?"
"Sure." Eiji was a little worried when noticed the hint of sadness on the green eyes, before picking up his bag and placing on his room. "Are you okay?"
Oishi messed up his hair a little gently.
"I'll be just fine. Let's go? You're still working, right?"
"Yes, I'm going to pick up some shrimps, you can wait for me outside, I'll be right back."
############
"Nice to meet you, I'm Oishi Shuichirou." He made a polite reverence in front of Eiji's parents, after he introduced him.
"Oishi-sensei, you really came! I'm Ono Chiho, Eiji's mom." Chiho greeted him with a smile. She imagined Eiji's boss was a middle aged or older man but he was so young and handsome!
"I'm Masayuki!" his father smiled from inside the stall, while quickly putting together another bowl of udon. "I'm sorry I cannot talk to you properly now. Thank you for everything you did for our kid, Sensei. We apologize for the trouble."
"No trouble at all." He looked at Eiji gently. "Eiji-kun helped me a lot. I'm the one who's thankful. He's really hardworking and I'm sure you were the ones who shaped a lot of qualities he possess."
Kikumaru felt his face blushing with the compliments.
"The smell is great. Can I have one bowl? How much is it?"
"Don't even think about it, Sensei!" Masayuki smiled. "Your money is no good here! Eiji, make a beautiful bowl to your boss, so he can experience the best udon of his life!"
"Yes!" Eiji smiled. "Oishi-san, you can sit right there. I will bring it for you." He pointed to some wood tables across from the stall.
"Okay, I'll be waiting for you."
############
"What do you think?" Eiji asked, sitting across from Oishi on the table. He was watching him taste the udon with his chin on his both hands, looking at him with a smile.
"It's amazing!" he said, after eating some of it. "It's really the best I've had! Did you help on it?"
"Yes, I prepared the stock and the seasoning."
"It's incredible, Eiji-kun! You always surprise me with your food. Takumi and Haruka would love this too."
Eiji chuckled happily.
"Don't you have to come back to help your parents?"
"Masa-nii gave me a break. Things are calming down, so he said I could keep you company."
"Thank you so much, I really appreciate it." He said, before continuing to it.
Kikumaru was feeling happiness bubbles all over his chest like watching Oishi eating his food and being there just to spend time with him.
After he finished eating, Eiji took him to take a walk around the festival. It was crowded and everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves. Kikumaru paied Oishi a cone with shaved ice and gooseberry syrup and they went on while talking. They stopped under some trees in a distant stop and sat on a small bench there.
"It's such a lovely night." Shuichirou said, looking up to the sky. "I really needed one of these."
There it was again, Eiji noticed, the spark of sadness on the green eyes. Oishi took a deep breath, before looking at him.
"Eiji-kun, I'm really sorry."
"Why?" he was a little confused.
"I know the reason you left my home. Tezuka told me. I was with him before coming here, he had surprised me with a trip to an inn and… he told me what he had done to you. I'm really; really sorry I couldn't protect you. But you need to know, nothing of what he said is true. I do not see you as a hassle, you never troubled me."
"Oishi-san…"
"What didn't you tell me the terrible things he said to you? He had no right! I was very happy living together with you, Eiji-kun. Not only for the food, but for your company as well."
Eiji lowered his head.
"I didn't want you to have problems with him because of me. You seemed so happy, I… I didn't want to bother you."
"Eiji-kun… look at me." He held both of his hands and Eiji obeyed shyly. "I told you before. You're extremely important to me. If Tezuka had problems with you and me living together, it was because of his own issues. It had nothing to do with you. You did nothing wrong. You were not a hassle. I'm so sorry he made you feel like that."
The blue eyes were filled with tears and Oishi hugged Eiji tightly when he sobbed. Kikumaru's hands grabbed his shirt and he leaned his forehead on his chest.
"I'm sorry, Eiji-kun. I'm so sorry."
"He said… I was nothing but a stray cat." His grip was tighter. "That you and I had no real bonds."
"He's wrong. Terribly wrong." Oishi caressed his fluffy hair, wanting to confort him. "You're very precious to me, Eiji-kun. Never doubt of that, please."
"You really… didn't complain about me to him? Of how you had to take care of me?"
"Of course not." Shuichirou's chin was on Eiji's head. "I would never do that. I was glad I could help you. Did I ever lie to you?"
He moved his head negatively and Oishi finally smiled.
"Good. Thank you for believing in me." He said, gently, while still hugging him.
###########
"Oishi-san? Are you awake?" Eiji whispered. They were laying on different futons side by side on his room. After the festival ended, Shuichirou helped his parents with the stall and organizing things at the kitchen. Masayuki and Chiho insisted he would spend the night and return home with Eiji early in the morning.
"Yes?" Shuichirou turned around and looked at him.
"What will happen between you and Tezuka-san?" he asked, feeling a little hesitant by the question. Oishi took a deep breath before answering.
"I really don't know, Eiji-kun. It was really bad. I will need some days to cool my head and I will talk to him later. What he did was really serious. He had hurt someone very important to me, you had to move out in a hurry and it really troubled you too."
"I see." He hugged his pillow worried. Shuichirou looked so sad. He wished there was something he could do to make him feel better.
"Thank you for the incredible night, Eiji-kun." He said with a gentle smile. "I was really glad I came over and could spend this time with you. I should have done it from the beginning."
Eiji's hand went outside his blanket and touched some of Shuichirou's fingers.
"I'm happy you're here as well." The blue eyes were filled with tenderness and it soothed Oishi's heart a little.
"Let's go to sleep? We're leaving at 6 tomorrow."
"Yes. Good night, Oishi-san."
"You too, Eiji-kun. Sleep well."
They fell asleep and their hands continued to be joined, like recognizing each other's warmth.
