Heyyyyyy guuuuyyysss!
It's just gone 1:30am and I finally finished this chapter. Today was my last day off in a little line of days off to myself, and in the last two, writing finally happened after months of NOTHING. And not from lack of trying T.T
But finally maaaddeeee iiiiittt!
Sorry for a long wait for this to be updated. And my other stories if you happen to read any others. Work has been terrible and just had things going on.
Thank you so much to anyone who left me a comment on the last chapter. Oh man, I was so happy to read what you thought about the contest. I was nervous as hell posting it thinking it was gonna flop. So thanks for the kind words!
This chapter was also a bit of a challenge, since it's something that has been a long time coming. I hope it does it justice!
Without further ado...
The First Exclusive Hang Out.
Rei blew out a breath as he fiddled with his braid for the millionth time in the mirror. A breath that was a weird mixture of frustrated, nervous and excited.
Last night, after what was already an incredibly tense, nerve racking and emotional day for everyone, Kai Hiwatari, aka his boyfriend (HA!) did the most magical thing to top it all off.
He asked him on a date...
In the reflection of the mirror, a fang subtly slipped out as he smiled at the recent memory.
It had been so sweet...
He didn't realise just how long winded and awkward a proposal for a first date could be.
Not to mention he avoided the actual word 'date' so well it was almost impressive.
He let go of his hair, giving it another look over.
...Eh. Was all right.
Luckily for him, he knew how much Kai fetishised over his hair. Even though by his own standards he thought this braid was mediocre at best, he knew Kai would get a kick since he couldn't recall ever wearing it like this in front of him.
He had bigger problems than his hair right now...
His clothes.
It wasn't like he packed a huge variety to come work at the school. Just a few of his every day outfits.
He hadn't imagined he would need anything nicer. How was he supposed to know the sulky, moody, mysterious, hot, perfect object of his desires and everlasting affection would end up kissing him and asking him on a d-...
Sorry, 'to hang out privately' as he put it.
Too cool for the D word...Pff.
That boy was definitely was another D word...
Dork with a capital D!
...Annnnd depending on his mood and actions. Dick.
But he digressed.
How the hell did he make himself look nicer?!
Meanwhile, Kai let blew out a breath as he looked through his small closet for the millionth time.
The metal hooks of the hangers scraped along the cramped railing as he scanned, hoping something would jump out of him.
This was all garbage!
He kicked himself.
He was so stupid!
Why did he ask Rei on an...exclusive hang out...before he'd really had a chance to plan every last detail!?
He got irritated and slammed the two doors shut in a huff.
Congratulations! You are the first inanimate objects to make the LIST!
He paced the room to try and calm himself.
He felt like he could cry. And put his fist through a wall. And puke.
He settled for walking over to his wall and knocking his forehead on it a few times
Stupid...stupid...asshole...
H-he'd gotten so swept up in winning the contest!
Gotten an even bigger emotional high after Dan told him he'd stay with him and be his guardian...
Hisssss! You shut your filthy mouth, brain!
Wasn't a big deal...winning the contest alongside his newfound school frie- person he tolerated or his dopey music teacher going out of his way to be part of his life.
He digressed!
Rei. Leaving the school grounds together to do things. Focus!
He felt bad that everything had been on hold and stuff cause of him. Was just too busy!
Well, it was over now. Until his exams at least...which was soon. So that didn't leave much of a window.
He couldn't exactly leave Ray waiting for another month.
...Could he?
No! Because someone opened their big stupid mouth and asked him to...go out with him.
He let out a long groan.
Think Kai, think!
This was paramount to their relationship. A bad first daaaaaaaaaa-y out together would surely tarnish the entire thing and lead to a painful, agonising demise.
The groan turned in to a pitiful whine.
He couldn't let that happen!
Maybe he should have asked Dan...
He somehow managed to get a human female to stay with him and put up with his bullshit for years.
...That was actually admirable. How'd he do that!?
Probably because his first date with her was sparkling!
…
Next thing he knew, the dial tone was ringing.
"...N'yeellloooo?" a bemused voice answered.
Kai's face paled.
Had he lost his damn mind?!
"Kaaaaaaaaai? You okay? Or did you just ass dial me?" Dan's voice came through after a very long gap of silence.
Kai let out a sigh of relief.
God bless that man! He had a way out of his insanity!
He stayed perfectly silent, listening to Dan sing his name down the receiver in various tones and pitches, probably for his own amusement more than anything, a few more times before he hung up.
Kai blew out his millionth and first breath.
Right...now to ask who he should have asked all along...
The one who had been there to guide him in this from the start.
He opened his internet browser on his phone.
WikiHow...
First date...
'How to Succeed on a First Date (with pictures)'
Perfect.
He scanned through the list of suggestions and raised a brow.
Getting Ready for Your Date.
1. Clean yourself up.
Uh. Check.
2. Dress to impress.
Fuck you.
3. Make yourself smell good.
Ooooh...
He did have some cologne somewhere. Picked it up at the airport at their last world tour.
Rei was in the bathroom though, he'd do that later.
First Date Activities.
Here we go...
1. Go to dinner. Dinner is a time-honored first date...
Dinner? It was morning now...would be afternoon when they went.
Was lunch okay!?
I-it didn't say...it was probably fine though, right?
'If you have a particular restaurant in mind, don't forget to make a reservation.'
DAMNIT.
Not that he had a specific restaurant in mind anyway...
OH! Wait! Yes, he did!
He'd call 'em in a minute. What else?! What else did the wise sage suggest?!
Go on a nice walk together and really get to know each other.
Go ice skating.
Go on a picnic if the weather is nice.
Get creative! Go bowling, play pool or darts, or hit an arcade...
Kai shuddered.
After last time at an arcade, no way.
Bowling, pool and darts? He'd never played. He'd look an asshole.
And really!? Walks, ice skating and picnics? That was the suggestions?!
Come ooonnnn...there had to be something better than that!
Hitting it off with Your Date.
Bingo! Now we were talking...
1. Be yourself.
LIST!
He put his phone down in another huff.
This was horrible! Way to drop the ball, genius!
He thought it would just come to him! He didn't imagine planning a date would be this hard!
Yes, he had last night! But Rei's tongue was in his mouth!
His hands were tied!
He checked the time.
Shit...he needed an outfit...needed a reservation!
He slipped out, finding the place he had in mind online before slipping out to call them...
He managed to call, get a table and land on something to wear by the time the bathroom door clicked.
He'd been in there forever. What on earth was taking him so...
His mouth went dry.
He'd never seen his hair like that before...
Rei smirked, pleased and proud of himself for calling it as he enjoyed the dumb look on Kai's face.
"What do you think? Am I dressed appropriately?"
Kai nodded like a bobble head.
"Perfect..."
Rei finally took the opportunity to look his date over.
Ooooh...he'd never seen that sweater before. Charcoal grey. Suited him.
Or that jacket.
Or those jeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaans, hello there, iddy-biddy waist...
"You look nice..."
Kai shifted at the compliment.
Thank god...
"Thanks...so do you..."
They both stood awkwardly for a few moments.
"So...are we leaving now or...?" Rei asked with a nervous smile.
Kai checked his watch.
"Yeh! We can go now...uh...Gonna have to take the bus in to town. Hope that's okay?"
Rei hid his snort.
How else did he think they'd get there?
"Of course it is...come on."
Kai nodded and made steps to the door, until his last item on the applicable and useful tip list from WikiHow popped in his mind.
"OH! Just...one second!" he flapped before he dived in to the bathroom and slammed the door shut, leaving Rei stood.
He threw himself at the little cabinet on the side of the wall.
Please say he still had it!
Pleasepleaseplease!
Yeeeesssss!
Claude Maurice – Noir.
Thank you, long layover in Singapore!
He never really wore anything scented. Just his body soap, which didn't have a strong smell.
But one sniff of this and he was at the checkout.
Complete impulse buy.
Had never worn it once.
He sure as hell hoped it was still good...did cologne go bad?
He popped the black, glass, decorative bottle and spritzed some in the air near him, sniffing the air and letting it process.
Ooooooooohhhhh yes. It was still good.
Hell, he'd marry himself if he could wearing this!
…
How did men put this on?
In movies they slapped it on their cheeks after shaving and then screamed.
He didn't wanna do that...
Plus it was a spray...
Skin or clothes?
…
Google.
'Spraying cologne on the skin makes it meld with the skins natural oils, which makes the scent unique...'
That was probably the way to go, right?
Put some...pheromones in there?
He shrugged, rolling up his shirt sleeve.
One spray on the left wrist.
One spray on the right wrist...
He shook his hands, letting it waft.
While he waited, he looked at his phone to see the rest.
'The ideal place to apply cologne is the area between your chest and neck...'
Oh...
Well, if that was the best place for it...
He grabbed the bottle again and gave a generous spritz on his neck.
While he waited for that to settle, he read on.
'A lot of men tend not to think about where they apply their cologne, but it does matter.. Applying to somewhere warm heats up and dissipates the oil's smell throughout the day. Too warm and the scent could dissipate too quickly. Too cold (like your wrist) and the smells won't really travel as you'd want it to.'
Oh...
He really should have read the whole thing before starting.
He couldn't have the smell not travel...
Whatever the hell that meant.
Better top his wrists up...
With another generous spritz on each, he flapped to waft and settle before deciding he'd been here a bit too long.
Rei might think he was poopin'...
As the bathroom door clicked, it was Rei's turn to turn and look as the door opened, putting a smile on read-
Oh GOD what the hell was that!?
His nose was drowning in sandalwood and...and...
There was too much to really know!
Kai walked to him and smiled.
"Sorry. Ready to go?"
Rei forced a smile while trying to hold his breath.
Thank god they were going outside...
"Mmmhmm!"
Kai's smile stretched a tiny bit more as he lead the way, opening the door for him and leading him out.
Rei tried to hold his breath as long as he could. He took small top up breaths, but it didn't stop the overpowering scent from burning his nose.
He resorted to slowing his pace to let him walk a few steps ahead of him. Put some distance.
Should...should he tell him?!
He couldn't tell him...it'd upset him!
Never once in the time he'd known Kai had he ever worn any kind of scent. So the fact that he was today just meant he was making an effort for him, which was endearing and sweet but...
Did he have to bathe in it?!
M-maybe it was just him though?! His nose was sensitive after all...maybe to normal people it was just the right amount!
Thankfully, they finally were outside. In open, fresh air.
Maybe airing him out would tone it down...
Oblivious to it all, Kai kept on walking, mood having changed with the wind and now feeling on top of the world and invincible.
Thank you WikiHow! Thank you Bao Bao Cafe! Thank you Claude Maurice!
What a beautiful late autumn day! Look at these school grounds! The trees still had orange leaves!
They wandered out the school gates, walking down the wooded road that suddenly seemed the middle of nowhere until they came to the school bus stop.
Kai checked the time.
Ah. Good. Bus was due in a few more minutes. Impeccable timing.
"Be here any minute..." he verbalised to his company, who was stood a little way away from him.
"Okay, cool..."
Rei paled as a thought hit him.
Ooohhhh shiiiit...was gonna be sat on a cramped bus seat right beside him.
Which would have been a dream come true if he didn't make his eyes burn...
They waited...
And waited...
Kai frowned. It had been more than four minutes. This was Japan! The land of punctuality!
He checked the time again. Three minutes late.
Since it was quiet between them anyway, he stood up to go look at the schedule. The same schedule he always used.
On the hour. On the half hour. Had been since he got here.
But as he got to the poster on the metal post, his eye twitched.
'Due to road works, the 84B and 86 bus will not be stopping at this stop between October 1st and November 1st. We apologise for any inconvenience caused...'
"Problem?" Rei asked, sensing something was up.
"Um..." Kai's voice cracked.
Farewell, love...
"...So...The bus isn't going due to road works..."
He turned just in time to see Rei sink.
OoooooHhhhhh NooOoooOoooo! Not a sad Rei!
"H-hang on! It's fine! I'll just call a cab or something!"
"Isn't that expensive? It's a little way in to town." Rei countered.
"It's fine!"
It wasn't fine!
He stabbed at his phone. Being away from the school made the Wi-Fi virtually non existent...
Come ooon...load...he was nothing without Google!
How else would he get a taxi number?!
The delay made him hot in the face, feeling as though he was keeping Rei waiting too long and ruining it all.
Still a spinning loading circle of torment on the screen...
What if it never loaded?! How would they get there?!
"Ahhhhoooooyyyy there!"
A shudder went down his back.
Ah yes...when one enters a certain rung of hell, Satan himself shall arise...
"Hey Mr. Harris." Rei smiled back as the car stopped beside them.
He leaned down to catch auburn hair sitting beside him.
"And Charlotte! Hey!"
Her eyes glittered as she waved back overly excitedly.
"Hey Rei and Kaiiiii!"
"You realise you ass dialled me earlier? What you guys doin'? Waiting on a bus?" Dan grinned at them.
Kai scowled as he mentally urged the stupid phone to load.
"Nooo! Just thought we'd come stand here!" he bit, annoyed.
Dan smirked harder.
"You'll be waiting a long time. They're doing something to the main road back there so the buses haven't been coming through for a few weeks now..."
"You don't say..." he hissed, getting redder in the face and stabbing at his screen.
Dan shook his head.
"Yooooou boys going in to town?"
"That was the plan..." Rei sighed.
"Want a lift?" Dan finally asked, having dragged it out long enough.
Kai snapped his head up.
Dan Frickin' Harris! You beautiful individual!
"Hn..."
Rei rolled his eyes.
"He means yes, thank you, we'd appreciate it..."
"Yeh, no problem! Get in behind Charlotte, Rei! Kai, there's something on your seat, hang on..."
He undid his seatbelt and got himself out the car, taking himself to the passenger door while Rei went around to the other side to get in.
He lifted out a heavy cardboard box, shifting to get a good hold on it.
Kai moved, deadpan face, around to the back to open the trunk for him.
"Ah! A gentleman! Thank you!" Dan grinned as he carried the heavy box around to set it in there.
As he did so, his grin faded.
He frowned.
He sniffed the air before throwing a glance at his Fireball and subtly leaning in closer to sniff around him.
He made a face like he'd just taken in the juice of a thousand lemons.
Jeeeeeessssus!
That was...pungent!
He really would be a Fireball if he went near a naked flame...
Glancing at the back of the preened head that belonged to his boy's infatuation, he felt his stomach drop for him.
For...both of them really.
One for being oblivious.
One for having to deal with that.
He painted his grin back on, taking the good sense to close the trunk before throwing an arm around Kai's shoulder and turning them away from the view of the two waiting in the car.
"Kaaaaaaai..." he said quietly through his toothy grin like a ventriloquist, "Did you by any chance spray something on yourself?"
Kai cocked a brow as he turned his head.
"Yeh...why?" he asked just as quietly, just actually bothering to move his mouth.
Dan took a deep breath. And regretted it instantly.
"...Laid it on a little thick, buddddyyyy..."
Kai's face dropped.
"...Hn!?"
No he hadn't! He could barely smell anything! And he did what Google told him!
He lifted his wrists to his nose in panic and inhaled.
...Okay, it was a little strong close up...but Google said it would fade quickly on the wrists. It wasn't that bad right!? Rei hadn't said anything!
His pupils shrank.
...Was that why he was a few paces behind the whole way?! And then stood away from him at the bus stop?!
"Shit, shit, shit! What do I do!?" he whispered/shrieked/panicked.
At the drastic change in his tone and demeanour, Dan put on his game face, mentally running in to the phone box in his head, ripping his shirt open to show a big red S.
He was needed...
And he knew just what to do.
For he had once also been a young moron who bathed in aftershave thinking it would help him with the ladies...and his father had passed down great wisdom to help him not smell like a rent boy's purse that he would now pass down to him.
The second he thought that, he felt the urgency of the situation fade and instead felt a pang in the chest.
He turned to look over his little Fireball again, taking in his horrified face and the other pungent smell of nerves, embarrassment, insecurity and desperation to impress that oozed out of him.
All that teenage goodness...
Aw...shucks...
He couldn't believe he took this long to click.
Both made efforts with their appearance...and smells.
Both going in to town together. Just the two of them. Right after he caught them locking lips the day before.
With how packed his schedule had been leading up to yesterday, they wouldn't have had a chance before.
This was the first date...
Aw...a big day in a young man's life...a milestone.
...Oh, shut up Harris, you pansy! You're gonna make yourself blub thinking like that!
Yes, it was adorable! But head in the game!
He squeezed his shoulder supportively and gave him a little shake.
"Don't worry buddy, I got you! Just follow my lead, okay?"
Before he had a chance to ask what he meant, Dan had let him go and turned to look at the back of the car, mustering every ounce of acting skill he had to frown and look confused.
"The hell is that?"
He leaned down to look at...somethin' on the back of the car.
He stood back up, walking his way to the car door and opening it up.
He leaned himself in.
"Sorry, boys and girls. Just checkin' something on the back of the car, won't be a tick!" he explained as he quickly opened the glove compartment and fumbled clumsily in it, shooting Charlotte a big grin as she frowned at him in question.
Her eyes narrowed at the hand in the glove compartment as he saw him fish out the pack of alcohol wipes they kept in there and disappear.
Dan hurried back, going back around to the trunk and grabbing Kai to pull him down so he was no longer in sight through the rear window.
"Neat little tip...if you overdo the spray, alcohol helps tone it down. So this should do the trick..." he told him as he held out the pack of wipes.
Kai took them and looked at him in pure awe.
...He loved him.
Was the best person in the world.
Would never say a bad thing about him again!
Ripping it open, he pulled out a wipe and scrubbed the shit out of his wrists, pulling out a few more and going at his neck.
Dan tried his hardest not to laugh...
"And next time, remember that less is more..."
"Yes!" he hissed, "I know that now! I honestly couldn't smell it!"
"...Probably fried your olfactory system, that's why."
"Oh har har!" he bit as he scrubbed.
Dan snorted.
"C'mere. Let me check..." he said as he grabbed his wrist and brought it nearer his face.
"Yup! Muuuuchhhh better! Can still smell it but isn't overpowering! What is that? It's actually really nice now it isn't burning my eyes."
Kai's whole body sighed out in relief.
"Claude Maurice..."
"Oooh, nice! Charlotte bought me one of his too for special occasions! Not this one though...anyway, time to get up! Go get him!" he encouraged with a clap on the shoulder.
Their heads both shot up through the rear window like two suspicious meerkats, making their way to their car doors, quickly and quietly getting in.
"Sorry about that! Looks like I dented my bumper somehow. But anyway! Away we goooo!"
Charlotte eyed him before checking on Kai over his shoulder.
Red faced, quiet and traumatised looking...
Dan side glanced her back and gave her a wink.
Oh there was soooo much to tell her over lunch!
Rei put his phone back in his pocket, brows lowering as he sniffed the air.
He subtly glanced over at Kai.
Huh...seemed like he'd aired out a little.
Thank god for that.
"You boys doing anything nice in town?" she smiled over her shoulder.
Rei blushed and looked at Kai.
Kai went four shades deeper.
Dan's grin got bigger.
Now the emergency was over, he could go back to doing what he did best...
"Yeh...where you two goin' alllll dolled up?" he asked in a sweet and sickly voice.
He cackled inside his head.
He was worried that he'd have nothing to rib him for now that he'd sacked up and made a move on him.
What a fool he was!
Charlotte thwacked his arm and looked back at them again.
Make that six shades deeper...
Poor baby...he needed saving.
"Well, Dan and I are going to the recycle shop to get rid of some old junk. Make it easier to move..."
Kai looked up gratefully.
Thank god for her...
Once they'd arrived and parked up down town, they arranged a time to meet back for a ride back before Kai quickly made his escape with Rei.
Rei looked at him as they walked.
He still hadn't said a word since he got in the car.
"Everything all right?" he asked.
"Yep! Fine! You hungry?! Made a reservation for 12:30! We still have like twenty minutes!"
"O-oh! Yeh, sure! I'm getting hungry. Where are we going?"
Kai felt the flock of bats in his stomach run wild.
On second thoughts, taking a native Chinese person to a Chinese restaurant that wasn't in China was maybe a mistake...
What if it was nothing like real Chinese food?!
The reviews raved about the authenticity and the friendly Chinese chefs and staff...
"You'll see! But if you don't like the look of it, we can go somewhere else!"
Rei smirked at him. He was cute when he was all flustered.
Eventually, after meandering in and around some familiar and unfamiliar parts of down town, Kai stopped and threw a hand out to gesture at the building.
"Here!"
Rei looked up and lit up.
"Ooooooh! I've heard of this place!" he beamed, excited.
Kai let out the breath he was holding in.
"Good things, I hope. I figured maybe you missed the taste of home..."
Rei smiled at him, grabbing his wrist and pulling him in. As Kai jerked forward and got dragged, he assumed that was a 'yes'.
They walked in, the place small and cosy decorated with the typical trinkets and wall hangings one would find in a Chinese restaurant.
A small older waitress shuffled her way towards them.
"Table for two?" she asked, accent apparent.
Kai cleared his throat.
"I uh, I made a reservation..."
"Oooh! Name?" she asked as she brought the glasses that were hanging round her neck to her nose to check the list.
"Hiwatari..."
He glanced around.
There weren't that many people in...
Was that a bad sign?
"Follow me please..." she waved with a smile as she shuffled her way through a small archway in to a bigger dining room.
She got them seated, luckily for them in a table that was tucked away and blocked from view by a big potted tree.
With menus given, she scuttled off.
Kai shifted in his seat and cleared his throat as he opened up the menu.
"See anything you'd like?"
Rei smirked and tilted his head.
"Literally haven't even opened the menu yet."
"Oh...s-sorry..."
He bit his lip as not to laugh, and actually opened up his menu.
"You see anything?" he asked back.
He glanced up to see Kai's violet eyes locked on the menu intensely. Focus at an all time high.
"A few."
"Oh? Which ones?"
"Broccoli beef...mapo tofu...or the Taiwanese beef noodle soup."
Rei gave a slow nod. And Kai caught it.
"Or not! If you don't think those are good!"
Rei lifted his menu higher to cover his face a little.
He was so easy to mess with...
"Order what you want, Kai." he giggled back, "I was eyeing the mapo tofu myself. Why don't I get that and you get one of the other ones and we'll share?"
Kai set down his menu, sitting up straight.
"All right..."
Rei mimicked his formal posture playfully and nodded.
"Very well..."
He waved over the little old waitress, who flipped her yellow order pad open.
"What can I get you?" she asked in her heavy accent.
Both she and Kai startled a little when Rei suddenly broke in to fluid Mandarin.
It took a moment for it to sink in, but the little lady burst happily and started rapid firing at him as well, leaving Kai to look between them completely lost.
He sat patiently, hands folded neatly on the table while he let them talk about...whatever they were talking about.
Maybe he just missed speaking his native tongue with someone.
Which was all well and good, but suddenly Rei gestured at Kai and the old lady turned to him, clicking her pen and saying...something...to him.
They both waiting and looked at him expectantly.
...Oh Christ...
Had that been Japanese?! Was he just not paying attention!?
"Uh...I'm sorry?"
She gave him a big smile and said...something...again, just slower.
Kai's now wide, bewildered eyes snapped to Rei, silently begging for help.
"She's asking you what you'd like. We just studied this in class, remember?"
Kai went paler for the hundredth time.
Nooo...Rei nooo...don't do this to him.
Yes. They had studied it. Now he'd said it, that piece of information checked out in his head.
But could he remember a single Chinese word now this old lady was looking at him?
No. No he could not...
At the look of panic on his boyfriend's (HA!) face, Rei felt terrible...
He hadn't thought he'd go all deer in the headlights.
It was Kai. Any opportunity to show off...
He thought he'd jump on the chance.
Apparently not...
"Wǒ yào..." he prompted slowly, hoping the slight spoon feeding would jog his memory.
Kai gave him the 'please make it stop' eyes until his head slowly turned to the old, patiently waiting lady.
He cleared his dry throat while his face cooked.
Come on...this was a chance to show Rei his linguistic prowess! Impress him with beautiful pronunciation of his mother tongue and show him he was making an effort to connect with his culture and roots!
"Uh...w-wǒ yào..." he stuttered feeling his scorching face get even worse.
Rei brightened, heart fluttering.
Yeh! That's it! Just try!
Kai held his breath.
Wǒ yào what?!
The lady looked at him for too long. He couldn't take the pressure!
This was worse than the contest!
He slammed the menu on the table and stabbed a finger on the picture of the soup.
"Wǒ yào this please!" he burned.
The little old lady burst in to a cackle, needing a second before she wrote it down.
"Sure thing, lah! Nice try..."
Rei told her his order...in flawless Chinese, naturally and felt even more like a failure.
He set his eyes on the table.
He couldn't look his sensei in the face now...
Rei chuckled.
"I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that. I just thought it might be good to try out some of the stuff you've been learning."
Kai's eyes snapped up.
"I am studying! Honest!"
Rei smirked.
"I know you are. You just panicked is all. But sorry for doing that to you."
Kai tilted his head.
"No problem..."
Except for the bruise to his ego...
But it was whatever. His ego didn't matter right now.
He had to salvage this already turbulent...excursion.
Make conversation. Ask them about themselves. That's what WikiHow said...
"So. How is the teaching going?"
Rei relaxed, taking that as forgiveness. Albeit a random question to pull out of thin air.
"Yeh, it's good! I'm really enjoying it."
"Good working conditions?"
Rei blinked.
"Uh. Yes?"
"Good...good...a-and what are your plans for the future?"
Rei stared a moment.
"You mean...like near future or?"
"Where do you see the next five years taking you?"
Rei looked him over.
He was sat straight with his hands folded on the table looking intense.
...Felt like a job interview.
"I...I haven't given it too much thought? I know I'm really enjoying this job. It hasn't been long but I feel like I'm getting better at it. Which is good considering I'm not trained in any way. I don't know how long I'll have this position for, but if I do have to leave perhaps I'll try continuing somewhere else? Learn through experience..."
Kai gave a nod.
Annnnd had no idea what to say back to that. Apparently he couldn't remember a word of Japanese either.
So he just...
"Hn..."
Rei tilted his head again.
What did that 'hn' mean? Did he not approve?
He was about to ask, but watched him sit looking like he was facing some deep inner turmoil.
...He was fun to mess with, but at the same time...
"Kai..." he said gently as he reached his hands out to cover his, still folded on the table.
His hanging face told him he had his attention.
"Relax..."
Kai scoffed uncomfortably.
"I am relaxed!"
Rei smirked cheekily and shook his head.
"You're really not...but I don't understand why. I know its the first one since we got together. But you're acting like it's a first time meeting period. You know me. I know you. You've picked a great looking place. So let's just enjoy it, hm? We're just having lunch together. A more special one."
Kai stared at him a moment more until to Rei's relief, he saw his face relax.
He listened to him for once...
"You're right...sorry."
Verbally admitting it? Wow...it was a big day.
"It's fine...So. How about you? Where do you see yourself in five years?"
"Well...with any luck getting ready to graduate college."
"...Holy crap...that's right! You will be...that's weird to think about..."
By the time the little old lady came along with their orders, the mood seemed a lot calmer.
"Here we are boys...one mapo tofu...one beef soup..."
Kai gave her a sheepish look.
"Xièxiè..."
Rei's lip curled up in to a smile.
In a move that no one anticipated, she let out a delighted cry with her old arms flying out to hug him and ruffle his hair.
"You're too much...Nice boy..." she smiled, shaking her head as she toddled off.
Rei laughed while Kai blindly fixed his hair.
"Good job..." he praised.
"Does that count towards my grade?"
"Pff. Does it shit...you said 'thank you'. That was the second class!"
"Which was ages ago and I remember it!"
"Oh please! You knew that before you even signed up!"
Kai smirked.
"Yeh...guilty."
Rei smirked back.
"Why did you sign up?" he asked out of interest, "Why Chinese?"
He saw him squirm.
"Maannn this smells good!" he diverted, picking up his chopsticks, "Don't let yours go cold either..."
Rei narrowed his eyes at him playfully.
He'd get him...but for now, he was enjoying the more light hearted atmosphere.
And he was right. Did smell good...
Now that Kai's cologne had calmed down, so did he...
To Kai's great relief, Rei sang his praises about the food. Even went as far as to say he would come again.
Eventually they both felt they'd sat there taking up space for long enough, Kai paying for them both.
The little old lady pat his cheek.
Him saying thank you seemed to have made her day...
But after they came out the restaurant, another blip made itself known.
Dan and Charlotte were running late. Something to do with the real estate agent dealing with their new house.
They had an extra hour and a half odd to kill.
...Fine by them. But what to do?
Rei brushed his floppy bangs back and tucked it behind his ear.
He was enjoying just sitting and talking with him...
Felt very...boyfriend-y.
"You uh...want to go get some coffee?"
Kai shrugged.
As if he'd ever say no to coffee.
"Sure...you know anywhere good?"
Rei nodded.
"One or two places...the Thai tea place is a bit far out, but I know somewhere that does great bubble tea. And coffee, of course..."
"Fine by me, lead the way..."
They set off walking down the alley, leaving the restaurant behind and on to the next.
They walked in a silence, but not an uncomfortable one.
Kai glanced over at Rei.
From the little he did know about being in a relationship, and movies and stuff, it was moments like this that it was acceptable to hold the other's hand.
But...they'd never done it before...
Was there some kind of etiquette?
Was a first date too soon?
They'd had their tongues in each other's mouths...surely hand holding was less than that.
The difference was, it wasn't in private...
Which was exactly why he was a little shocked at himself that he felt an urge to do it.
He tried to psych himself up, feeling as though Rei's hand was sending waves of some kind of energy to taunt his as they walked side by side.
His hand felt stiff for whatever reason, opening and shutting it to stretch it.
Rei averted his eyes to hide the smile.
His Tige-y senses were tingling.
He could do it...
But...perhaps he could help him along. Like the Chinese...
He accidentally moved his arm as he walked so that it knocked against his on purpose...
But this time, his spoon feeding paid off.
Fingers timidly seized the opportunity to latch on, moving like a warm and gentle spider to try and get the right position.
Rei helped him out again, slotting their hands together and glancing over.
Kai wouldn't look him in the face, but he could see the smile in his eyes.
They enjoyed the small level up in their relationship until they reached the cafe, finding a seat once again, tucked out the way to have a little privacy.
Rei insisted on paying for the drinks since Kai bought lunch, and soon was sat with him again armed with a hot cup of coffee and his favorite, bubble tea.
"So..." he started, having felt the atmosphere go a little awkward again.
"Tell me something about yourself."
Kai frowned, cup stopping midway to his face.
"...What?"
Rei shrugged.
"Tell me somethin' about yourself. Something I don't know about you already."
The cogs worked over time.
"Well...I don't think there's anything worth knowing that you don't already know." he shrugged back.
"Oh, please! Don't give me that! I only just found out when your birthday is!"
Kai's shrug lifted higher.
"And now you know it?"
He got a scoff back.
"Some things never change..."
Kai lifted a brow.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, I mean you've always kept your cards so close to your chest...a little less recently, I'll admit, which I love." Rei smiled softly, "But still, you are the epitome of a closed book."
He pat himself on the back.
Epitome was another word he'd learned, alongside plethora.
Kai blinked over he rim of his cup, saying quiet for a moment before a small smirk graced his lips and set it back down on the table.
"All right then..." his husky voice said in a light tone, sliding his cup to the side to give enough space to rest his folding arms on the table.
"Cards on the table. Ask me anything."
Rei blushed a little at the glint in his violet eyes.
Ah, he wanted to just reach over, drag him over the table and kiss his stupid, sexy face...
But instead, he lifted an amused brow.
"Anything?"
Kai gave a curt nod.
"Anything..."
Rei slid his glass of bubble tea to the side, mirroring Kai's pose.
Ooooo. His very own interview.
Over the years of being hopelessly infatuated with Kai, he could only have dreamed of a moment like this. An open invitation to ask his mysterious crush anything he wanted.
...Correction, his now boyfriend! HA! That still hadn't sunk in properly!
But anyway.
How did he play this?
Kai's intentions were clearly good, and it was sweet that someone who was so reserved and private so quickly offered.
Contrary to what he'd just said, he had changed a lot in the short time he'd been at his school...
However, he doubted Kai would be able to handle any big questions off the bat.
So, he'd start simple, warm him up...
"Um. Okay..."
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd just like Kai had with the lady in the restaurant, his head went completely blank.
Shit. He was waiting...
"What's your favorite color?"
The second it rolled out his mouth, he cringed.
Really Rei!?
That was SHIT!
Oh nooo...Kai's raised brow meant he thought so too.
"Um. Don't really have one? But if I have to pick one, blue is good?" he chuckled in response.
Rei nodded, scrambling to think of something better.
"Okay..."
OH! He had something.
"Since when have you been such a classical music nerd?" he blurted out.
Kai's flirtatious, challenging look vanished and left behind his familiar scowl.
"I am not a nerd!"
Rei's humiliation at the inadequate question before was forgotten and replaced with a belting laugh.
So easy...
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I meant since when have you been such a classical music enthusiast?"
Kai gave him a disapproving look. But that was better...
Didn't want to have to put him on the list on their first date.
"Uh..."
Annnnnnnnnnnd once again, he clammed up.
Shit. He was waiting...
Fuck it. Rei wanted to know? He'd just say everything.
"There's actually sort of a long story there, so it's a bit hard to answer." he said with a slight awkward chuckle, "Because I think it's been something that's been around me for most of my life, but I just can't remember it."
Rei sank.
Crap...that was supposed to be a warm up question. Something easy for him to nerd ou-, enthuse over for a while to get him relaxed and then hit him with the big guns.
Buuuuuuuuuuut he ended up just bringing up his weird memory loss and fucked up upbringing...
Good job, Rei...
"See, every now and then tiny little things come back to me. Weird little things. Nothing of real significance a lot of the time, I guess. But while trying to remember other stuff, or sometimes out of nowhere, small little images just appear in my head like blurry photographs." he made an attempt to explain as his eyes scrunched shut and he tapped his head.
"I can see the piano in the library...and there was a record player, I'm sure of it, and I can hear Rachmaninoff...pretty sure its piano concerto two...but again, it isn't clear! It's there, but it isn't!" he exclaimed in almost a laugh as he seemed to get more animated telling his story, "its just bizarre and I can't even explain what its like..."
Weirdly though, it felt good to try. That was new...
Rei tilted his head as he took it in bit by bit.
A What-inoff?
Something piano-y he figured. But that wasn't the important part.
His face saddened a little as he tried to picture what it was like in Kai's head from what he described.
"I'm only telling you that because I know at some point I would take lessons in that library. I can't remember the face of the guy who taught me, but I do remember getting barked at a lot. It was definitely a guy. He'd always clap his hands really loud right in my ear and go nuts at the slightest mistake."
And a wooden ruler to the back. But he wouldn't tell Rei that.
Rei made another face.
"Sounds awful...that would surely put anyone off of it though?" he questioned. Wasn't he asking how he came to like it?
"Well sure. Looking back now, that might be why I never went in the library during my time at that estate. The time I can remember from, I mean."
"So you didn't have lessons any more after that? Didn't study in there?" Rei asked, finding himself incredibly interested.
It was sad. Of course. But couldn't deny it wasn't fascinating...
Kai shook his head.
"Nah. My tutors always taught me in another room. The books in the library were all his. Never had a piano lesson in that time. Was all study and beyblades, study and beyblades by that point. But, I didn't even remember I could play until I got put in to an actual school, in Whitney Prep. In the music classroom, there was a piano. First time I walked in I remember just looking at it and like, knowing I could play it. Which is a really weird feeling. Like, imagine I gave you a book in Arabic or something and you just could read it...despite never have knowingly learned it... I remember just looking at it thinking 'why the hell would I know how to play that?' and then bam!" he said as he clicked his fingers, "I remembered the library, the Rachmaninoff record... hell, until that moment I didn't know who that as...consciously anyway..."
Rei nodded.
That made two of em...
In his case, subconsciously as well.
"I remembered the asshole teacher. It like someone installed something in to my head, I just sort of knew I had been taught. Even if I didn't really remember it vividly. But I also remembered the spiel from Voltaire as to why I was doing it. Not as in him actually telling me, but I also just sort of knew that I wasn't taking piano lessons because he was a music lover or wanted to nurture anything creative in me. It was because playing the piano requires using the left and right hands simultaneously, doing different things and sometimes working in opposite directions." he explained, demonstrating with his hands on the table.
"Which is quite the neural workout..." he added as his mood seemed to drop. "Was alllllll about training me up...part of making me in to the best machine I could be, naturally."
Rei's mood dropped with him.
"Kai...I'm sorry..."
Kai finally caught himself bringing down the mood of the date he'd waited years for.
"Oh! No! It's fine! Sorry..." he stuttered, "Kind of went off! But a-anyway, like you said. All that hardly motivates a person to pursue the piano further. I had no interest in the piano. Or music, really. All I gave a shit about was blading, even though I'd 'quit' at that point. Before the Saint Shields rocked up. But we were required to play something. Annnnd as you know, I picked a violin and went on to have a...good while of absolutely horrific sounding lessons. It was hard, but I'd made my choice. I had to pass the class. Practised all the time since I'd retired from blading and once I got a little better at it, really started to like it. Became my new thing. The more I looked in to techniques and stuff, the more music I heard. The more I wanted to learn." He paused for a breath, tracing a circle around the rim of his cup.
"I listened to other genres, still do. But I don't know..." he shrugged a little bashfully, "I guess the appeal is that it doesn't have someone else's words in it. Like, I know you there's a bunch of songs that feel like they relate to you or whatever. But for me at least, I always find it's never perfect. Never just right. It's all going well until they mention some woman who broke his heart or some shit and then it's lost on me." he chuckled, "Which doesn't mean I don't like the song any more. Still a good song...just...you know, in classical, there's only instruments..." he stumbled, struggling to say exactly what it was he was trying to say.
Rei smirked at him over his cup, enjoying watching him struggle just a tad. It was cute. And he couldn't recall ever hearing Kai ramble like this before.
He could get used to it. Even if he didn't know what a Rach...thinganoff was.
This was probably how Kai felt when he rambled on about Thor...
"So what you're trying to say is that you, a guy who isn't good with words, finds music with no words the most expressive and relatable?" he attempted to help.
Kai let out a sigh of relief.
"Well yeh, something like that..." he smirked back, finding himself enjoying this conversation. No one had every asked him that before...
"It can be soft, it can be powerful, it can be sad, can super intense and kill ya...in a good way, of course. I could easily give you pieces of music at any point and it'll explain how I feel way better than any words of mine can."
He caught himself, sinking back in his seat and going a little pink as he laughed awkwardly.
"S-sorry...that sounded a bit lame, huh?"
Rei on the other hand, rest his chin on his hand with a stupid look on his face.
If any one else had said it? Maybe...
But Kai had said it.
Which made it deep, profound and...just hnnnnnnnnnnn! Oh so Kai-esque...
Which meant he was glad he was sitting down since his legs were currently jelly as teenage infatuation flared up.
"Not at all..." he drooled out, fighting the urge to play with his hair, "I'll have to challenge you on that. Ask you to tell me how you are with a song."
"Piece..." he corrected.
Some things really never did change...
"And I'd be glad too. Maybe I can play them for you myself, if you catch me in the right mood."
Hnnnnnn!
The table went quiet again, until Kai cleared his throat.
He hadn't meant to get quite so carried away...
But then again, it felt nice sharing it?
"Was there anything else?" he asked almost hopefully.
Rei's amber eyes glinted as a cheeky smirk coming to his face.
"There is actually..."
"Oh?" he asked back as he lifted his coffee cup to his lips again.
"Yeh..." Rei's smirk stretched, pupils thinning a little as he got ready to pounce.
"...Why did you sign up for Chinese?"
He had a feeling in his gut as to why he had.
And it just made him love him more for it.
...But not as much as he loved watching him splutter on his coffee and making him squirm.
End of Chapter 28!
Ahhhhhhh I really hope you enjoyed this! Was a lot of fun to write!
You ever met someone who stinks to high hell of perfume/cologne?! How do they not smell it!?
Anyway, thank you, pungent people, for giving me inspiration for that scene, cause I had so much fun doing it XD.
Would love to know what you thought about it!
I'll do my best to get something out quicker next time!
(Personal announcement if I may, I got married this month :D Hopefully will be able to have a wedding next year...if corona stops ruining everything. But, the papers are signed and I'm officially hitched! )
Annnnnnnnnnnnnd on that note, until next time, my beautiful readers, take care! Stay safe!
Roy xxxx