Something to Let Go Of

Something to Let Go Of

By Chash

In case any of you are wondering, Ken is based on a bishonen from Mint Na Bokura, who I just researched.  His name is Sasa.  For the picture I have and based his looks on, go to www.geocities.com/pretty_ramen/sasamint.jpg (love that pic... it's on my wall now ^__^)

            In reality, Ken decided, it was very unfair of Nao to ask him to come.  Mainly because when he looked up at him and said please, it really wasn't asking him, it was forcing him because Ken would do anything to avoid making Nao look sad. 

            Now he had been told that Nao had an extra ticket, and the lavender haired boy was looking at him with imploring eyes.

            "Will you come?"

            Stupid blind bishonen, Ken decided, looking sideways at Nao.  He didn't even know that Ken couldn't turn him down, couldn't have turned him down.  Damn, damn bishonen who were far too naïve for their own good.  Hadn't he figured out that straight boys just don't kiss their male friends for no reason?

            Well, Nao was straight and asked to be kissed by his male friend for no reason, but, Ken figured, Nao was a special case. 

            Ken had not been in love with Nao nearly as long as Nao had been in love with Sana.  He had first seen the other boy starring alongside Sana in the movie "Mizu No Yakata", but had thought little of it.  Ken had known that Kamura Naozumi was an attractive boy, but he was not prone to getting crushes on movie stars.

            It was a year later that he heard Kamura Naozumi was to be attending his school, he was mildly interested, but didn't care that much.  After all, he knew nothing about the guy.  Ken wasn't all that popular, and he assumed that he wouldn't have much contact with a movie star. 

            And then, the first day of the school year Kamura Naozumi, the famous star, would be attending the school, Ken got knocked over.  When he opened his eyes a second after the fall, he was presented with an apologetic movie star on top of him. 

            "I'm sorry, I tripped."

            "It's okay," said Ken, trying not to stare.  Kamura Naozumi, it would appear, was just as good looking in real life as he was in film. 

            "Could you help me, please?" he asked, apparently unaware of the crowds of people surrounding him who would have been happy to help.  "I'm looking for Yamanaka-sensei's Calculus class."

            "Yeah," said Ken with a smile, "I've got that class now, I can help you out."

            Kamura smiled widely.  "Thank you very much.  My name is Kamura Naozumi," he extended his hand, introducing himself as if he were anyone else who Ken had no reason to know the name of.

            "Nigahara Ken," replied Ken, shaking Naozumi's hand. 

            For the next four years, Naozumi had been at the school and remained friends with Ken for reasons Ken could not understand.  Now, having heard about Naozumi's love of being unrecognized, he wondered if that was the reason.  Ken had never spoken to him or treated him like anything other than another boy (albeit a boy he was very interested in).  A man in the press had seen Ken and offered him a bit part in a film.  Ken had accepted with a shrug and soon got larger roles.  There was nothing big, but some larger roles at least.  Naozumi had needed to leave the school, and Ken had found himself with a lot more heartache than with regular crushes.

            Then the movie in America had come up, and Ken had decided to go.  He hadn't known Kamura Naozumi would be in it until they met at the airport.  Naozumi had hugged him, and suddenly he'd realized he was in love.  He'd embraced Naozumi and hadn't let go.

            Now they'd been working together for six months.  Ken hadn't been able to put a name to what he'd been feeling before the movie, though.  Love was a very strange term to a seventeen year old boy.  Of course, Kurata Sana was getting married at eighteen, announcing it at seventeen, and breaking Nao's heart. 

            It hurt, of course, for Ken to know that Naozumi loved Sana.  When they had been friends, Naozumi had never said it, but Ken had known.  There was something in the way that Naozumi spoke about her, the way his eyes lit up whenever one of her commercials or shows was on.  Again, Ken had never thought of himself as in love, but he had known there was a sharp sting whenever he saw the way Naozumi watched the screen.  He had thought it would go away after awhile.

            He hadn't let go of Naozumi as they embraced, and he had been flooded with emotions so quickly he hadn't been able to examine half of them, or even name the rest.  All he knew was that he never wanted to let go.  All good things had to end, though, and the two pulled away from each other, not embarrassed, but merely over.

            And suddenly, Nigahara Ken was in love.

            So, of course, as Nao looked up at him with pleading eyes, he had no real choice.

            "Yes," said Ken, "I'll go."

           

            Sometimes Ken thought he should have let go.  He wondered if Naozumi knew that once one got something to hold on to, it was hell to let go.

Owari.