I have kept this in the back of my mind - oops?
But now that I'm back and free, I'm going to finish it! It's a loooooong way, but I'll make it nevertheless. It's just that sometimes I get a bit carried away with my Yami No Matsuei fics that I forget about the rest that are unfinished.
A Note to all readers: Remember that Weiss boys are florists by day and assassins by night. Also keep in mind that they deal with crimes anywhere and anytime. Also, Mitsui and the other SD boys know them as florists, not as assassins. So, there might be a few surprises, which may affect the lives of our SD boys. I've also decided to write a few scenes from out Weiss boys POV, when they are with Mitsui or any other SD bishounen.
Anyway, on with the story.
TO HOLD ON 7
Mitsui took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, wincing, trying to shoo away the headache that was slowly eating away at his head. The apartment had been extremely quiet for the past seven months since university started. Mitsui felt as if he had been run over by a truck, as if an iceberg was just placed on his back, as if he just drowned in water, as if he just banged his head several times on the wall all in one time.
He opened his eyes and stared at the pile of books that he had to finish reading by that night. He still had round about two hundred fifty pages in total to read, his final exams were nearing. He had round about five days till his finals. University life had been all right at the beginning, until their winter break ended. From that point on, everything had gone haywire - for Mitsui at least. He had to quit all his part time jobs, because there simply wasn't enough time anymore.
Mitsui's current condition was really bad. The Japan Electrical Association (JEA) was threatening to cut off his electricity if he did not pay his bill, which he had not paid in four months. His apartment was a mess, as if a tornado had just swept past it. There were papers in ever corner, books and encyclopedias, pens that had long-ago ran out of ink, research material, and the occasional wrappers of cereal bars. The kitchen was empty, save for the growing pile of used dishes and his laundry pile was growing taller and taller.
Mitsui himself looked as if he just got out of the Sahara desert. His hair fell below his shoulders - much longer than the hairdo he used to wear during his gangster days. He had a dirty beard growing, since had not shaved for some time now, making him look more rugged. He had bags under his eyes, and his body - oh listen to that one! All his clothes literally hang from his body. He now rivaled any anorexic's body frame. He looked so thin, that his bones stuck out for the naked eye to see. He no longer was the healthy and athletic boy he was nearly a year ago. He was now a walking bag of bones. The reason behind it was quite simple. He had one pattern to follow nowadays, and that is, wake up, shower, go to university, study, come home, study, take a shower, study, do homework, study, study, study, sleep. Then the chain itself repeats again, and again, and again. Even his weekends had no time for social affairs. Eating was out of the question. He now survived on instant coffee and breakfast cereal bars. He knew it was a bad thing, but he did not have any other choice.
Sighing again, he picked up the mug beside him and took a long drink of the scalding hot black coffee that burned his throat and shook him awake again. His taste buds were now a bit numb to anything beyond coffee and apple breakfast cereal bars. Pushing away the cup, he picked up another textbook and began to read the black and white prints.
It was now two in the morning.
*
Mitsui woke up at the loud knocking in his front door. He rubbed his eyes groggily and shakily got to his feet, nearly tripping on a folder on the floor of his living room. He opened the door to find Aya, his redhead neighbor standing before him with his arms folded across his chest.
"Yes, Aya-san?" He asked, yawning.
"Were you up late last night?" Aya asked. Mitsui yawned, and rubbed his eyes again, before nodding at Aya's direction. "Tokyo University is closed for the next forty-eight hours." Mitsui stared at him as if he had gone slowly insane. "Don't give me that look, Mitsui! You should be thankful! Look at your state!"
"My state?" Mitsui looked down at himself to find that he was wearing jeans that were threatening to fall off his hips, and his shirt had ink blotches on them. "What about my state? I look fine!"
"Any normal person with a functioning brain would say otherwise." Aya said in his deep baritone voice. "You're a mess. I suggest you pull yourself together and make use of these two days off to get your apartment to look like a normal apartment."
"Yes Aya-san." Mitsui replied. For some odd reason, Aya was more of like an older brother to him. For seven months, the redhead, although cold, was always supporting him in a very indirect manner.
Aya would pick him up from university or drop him off in his spare time. He helps him with his homework, helps him study for exams, buys him school supplies when he ran out, and sometimes even gets him a few clothes when he couldn't go and buy himself - either he did not really care or he was just too broke. Aya, unlike Yoji was responsible. He was actually very paternal in a withdrawn manner. Yoji is a good friend, the type to talk your personal troubles with, to ask advice about relationships, and sometimes he too can be a bit paternal. But Aya was different. Aya stood out. He may be cold, but he was delicate and kind too. Mitsui found himself listening to Aya, as if he was his real older brother. He didn't mind. Aya pushed him to work hard. Encouraged him in a not-so-nice manner. 'In the end, you only have yourself, and no one else' was something he said a long time ago, after the winter holidays. Every time Mitsui remembered those words, he pushed himself to the limit to work hard.
"Take a shower, change and come to the flower shop. It's closed today. I'll wait for you downstairs." Aya turned to leave, and Mitsui stepped back in to his apartment.
He padded like a zombie towards the bathroom and took a hot shower. He stepped out and stood in front of the sink, blindly looking for his toothbrush. He squeezed some fluoride toothpaste that was running out, and began to brush his teeth, his eyes not meeting the mirror once. Gargling, he wiped his mouth with his towel, before wrapping it around his waist.
Only then did he meet his reflection. He blinked at the stranger in the mirror. His hair hung like strips of leather from his head, his eyes were sunken and the bags under them were very visible. He reached out for the electric shaver that he never really used for quite some time now and began to get rid of the facial hair that was not supposed to be there in the first place. With that done, he ran his fingers through his dripping hair and took note that he looked like he was a gangster again. He never knew that. He lifted his skinny arms, and saw his ribs protruding from his flesh - if he had any. He grimaced at the bones he saw. He poked himself hard to see if he had any resistance and gave out a painful scream when he did. He hardly had any resistance at all. He watched as a bruise began to form in the area he just poked. He cursed and walked out of the bathroom, and in to his messy room.
He threw open his closet and looked about for what to wear. He noticed that his closet was next to being empty, save for the pair of black low waist jeans he used when clubbing back in his gangster days and a body hugging v- necked top, he had nothing else. He took them out, and pulled them on, and cursed again when the pants hung loose and the shirt looked three sizes too big for him.
"I'm that skinny?" He mumbled and searched for a belt. He had to punch in new holes in order to wear it. He put on his shoes, grabbed a cereal bar and headed for the door. He passed by the hallway mirror and stopped. He did not like the way his hair looked like. He searched for a rubber band and tied his hair up in a ponytail, the shorter locks in the front falling at the sides of his face. Satisfied, he left his apartment and headed for the flowershop. He used the backdoor, and found Aya sitting in the backroom, a cup of coffee in hand. It was only ten in the morning after all.
Aya turned to look at him and eyed his clothes. He then saw the breakfast cereal that was making its way to Mitsui's mouth and in lightning speed, he rushed forward and jerked it off his hand. "No more of these!" Mitsui blinked. "You've grown dangerously too thin for your own good. Your under weight for your height." He gestured him to follow. They headed outside and climbed up the apartment's staircase. "When was the last time you ate a proper meal?"
"Christmas." Mitsui replied honestly. He could never lie to Aya, and he never understood why.
"Christmas. December. It's June now. You realize how many months have passed?" Mitsui gulped. Aya unlocked the apartment he, Omi, Yoji and Ken shared and lead Mitsui to the kitchen. He gestured towards the stool. "Sit down Mitsui."
Mitsui sat, and watched with sleepy eyes how Aya moved around the kitchen. He didn't really know what Aya was on about. He didn't even know what was going on around him. He folded his arms on the kitchen table and dropped his head on them, closing his eyes. He was so tired.
A short time passed, and he felt a hand shake him lightly. The smell of food filled his nostrils. He looked up to find omelets, sausages, star fruit, toast and a glass of milk in front of him. "You see all that Mitsui?" Aya asked. Mitsui nodded. "You're going to eat all of them." Mitsui nodded. "You know what happens if you don't?" Mitsui shook his head. "I'll kill you." Mitsui gulped. "Eat."
Mitsui picked up the toast and took a bite. It tasted weird, foreign for sometime. He took another bite and suddenly it tasted wonderful. Just the right amount of buttery flavor. He took the fork and lifted a sausage. He took a bite and felt its juiciness melt in his mouth. He suddenly felt so ignorant, like a street child who just had the opportunity to eat a proper meal. Aya was beside him, drinking coffee again, as he continued eating. He cleaned up everything in front of him.
"How do you feel?" Aya asked.
One word came to Mitsui's mind. "Alive."
*
Mitsui lied curled in the couch in the apartment of his neighbors. He was deep in slumber, while Aya sat opposite him, a book on his lap. Outside, there was the roar of the vacuum cleaner and the shuffling of feet. Aya had called a cleaning agency to come over and do Mitsui's apartment. One look at Mitsui, and one would feel sorry for him.
Mitsui is a survivor, and Aya found it courageous and patient for a young guy like him to face the things he was facing now. He had been in the young man's apartment and saw the warnings sent by JEA regarding his electricity payment. Without thinking, Aya had phoned Yoji who happened to be near one of the offices of JEA and asked him to pay the bill, putting it on his tab. He also asked Yoji to get some clothes for the boy, along with a few groceries. He stayed with Mitsui, who fell asleep on their couch right after having a good breakfast.
Now, as Mitsui lay asleep, he looked like a little lost boy, who just came off the streets. Aya sighed and stood up, going to his room and taking out a blanket. He wrapped it around the sleeping boy and pulled the blinders closed. He then went to the kitchen and prepared himself another cup of coffee.
*
Mitsui felt a shake on his shoulders. He winced a bit and groaned, shooing the hand that was shaking him awake. He grabbed hold of the blanket covering him and pulled it over his head.
"Mitsui! Mitsui, wake up."
Mitsui groaned again and began to mumble. "Leave me alone, I want to sleep."
"Wake up! Now!"
Mitsui pulled the blanket down and blinked his way to reality. He found Aya towering above him and he sat up, rubbing his eyes. He felt refreshed, as if he was born a new man. "How long have I been asleep?" Mitsui asked.
"About eight hours." Aya replied and turned the lights on. "You missed lunch."
"I did?" Mitsui asked, rubbing his eyes again. He looked up and found Yoji sitting opposite him, a glass of wine in hand.
"Yo Mit-chan!" He greeted, raising his glass filled with red liquid. Mitsui titled his head a bit to the right, simply watching Yoji. "Good morning to you too, sleepyhead."
"Here." Aya handed Mitsui a set of folded clothes. Mitsui in return simply stared at it. "Those should fit you just fine. Go and change. We're going out to dinner."
"We are?" Yoji asked, turning towards Aya.
"I'm taking Mitsui to dinner. You can come if you want." Aya replied, and pointed to the bathroom down the hall. "Change."
Mitsui stood up shakily and made his way to the bathroom. He realized that the apartment was much bigger than his own. It had four bedrooms instead of three. He shrugged and entered the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, just to rub the sleep off and dried his face with the towel on the rack. He began to strip his loose clothes off and pulled on the pair of baggy jeans Aya gave him. It was loose by an inch on the waist. He pulled on a black t-shirt with No Fear written at the back in red. He combed his hair with the comb by the mirror and tied it up in a ponytail again. He took note that his clothes did not make him look too thin. They actually made him look normal. He also realized that the clothes weren't his at all.
He left the bathroom and went back to the living room. "Anou, Aya-san. These are not mine." Yoji was in the balcony, the glass closed. He was leaning against the railing and smoking a cigarette.
"Yes they are." Aya said. "I got them for you."
Instantly, Mitsui's pride kicked in. "Aya-san, I don't need pity."
"It's not pity, Mitsui. It's called help." Aya replied.
"Whatever." Mitsui snapped.
"Mitsui, look at yourself!" Aya snapped, instantly making Mitsui jump. "You call yourself okay? You were okay before Christmas, but now, you wouldn't even pass for alive." Mitsui looked at his toes. "Look, Mitsui. I like you! You're a great kid! I have no one else to look after as younger sibling. My only sister died last year in her coma, and she was like you. Hard working, kind, tough when she wants to be, and sincere. That's why I help you Mitsui. Because I know you will succeed, and if doing things like these will make the path easier, and I can provide it - I will! It's not pity Mitsui! I'm doing this because I want too! Understand?"
Mitsui felt remorse. He felt terrible. His vision was getting a bit blurry. All the stress, all the problems, all the loneliness, all the pain and the fatigue - he finally lost control and in front of the one man that spoke so little, yet so passionately.
"I'm sorry." Mitsui choked out. Where did all his gangster pride go? He was wondering himself. He began to think what made him so soft. What made him so kind and vulnerable. "I didn't mean to be rude." His shoulders trembled a bit, as he felt tears rolling down his cheeks. The last time he cried was when he begged Anzai to allow him to play basketball again. Warm arms circled him and hands began to stroke his hair. "I'm sorry, Aya-san."
"Forget it Mitsui." He said, and continued to hold the younger boy. "It's all right."
Mitsui broke down completely, his cries becoming muffled sobs.
*
They had not gone to dinner after all. Mitsui had fallen asleep for an hour after he cried his heart out. Aya had been right there beside him. When he woke up, Aya had called for pizzas. Mitsui ate an entire box himself, and a plate of salad. He was so hungry. Pizza had never tasted that great before.
"Oh yeah, Mitsui?" Yoji said, taking a drag from his can of beer. "Koshino called while you were asleep. Classes in Kannagawa just ended. He's coming over in the weekend." Mitsui felt a smile tug at his lips. He quickly dipped his head to hide the blush and smile. He missed Koshino. They had exchanged brief conversations in the middle of the school year, both being busy and all with their own work. But now that summer holidays were coming, Mitsui was happy. He'll get to see Koshino again. "See? I told you! You like him!" Yoji teased.
"Yoji-san, I do not! He's my friend! And I'll get to see him again after such a long time!" Mitsui blinked at his surroundings. "Where are Omi and Ken?"
"They're both in Hokkaido. They won't be back till the summer ends." Yoji answered. Aya said nothing. "So, lover boy gets to see his love?"
"Will you quit with the love thing?" Mitsui said, and blushed again. "Koshino is -"
"Your friend. And will forever be one. Yada, yada, yada!" Yoji mimicked. "Yeah, yeah. So what else is new?"
Yoji and Mitsui began to argue again over Mitsui's little love affair. Although behind it all, Mitsui admitted that he did love Koshino.
He was so happy that Koshino was coming to Tokyo that he forgot all his fatigue.
*
Finals were hectic. If Mitsui looked dead then, he looked worst now. He had been fasting 24/7 for two weeks, living on water. It was his last day, and he had the entire three units of Economics to get in to his head. He was panicking because he couldn't even sit and stay still. His entire being depended on these exams, and if he flunked one subject, he'd be a kick out. He didn't want to be a kick out. He grabbed his text book and rushed next door.
He rang the doorbell once, and Aya came to open it. "Mitsui? You're a mess! What's wrong?"
"Aya-san, help me! I can't get a thing in to my head! What do I do? I have an exam tomorrow, and I don't want to fail. I've been trying to revise for the past three hours and nothing is going in! Is something wrong with me? What's wrong with me?" Mitsui babbled, panic etched in his features, his glasses sliding off the bridge of his nose.
"Mitsui, listen to yourself." Aya said coolly, opening the door wider and letting Mitsui in to the neat apartment. A week after Mitsui's apartment had been cleaned, it returned to its normal messy state. "You're babbling." Aya plucked the book off Mitsui's hand and began to skim through it. "Have a seat Mitsui, relax."
"Relax? What do you mean by 'relax'?" Mitsui gasped. His long hair wild, which was now till his waist. His hair grows really fast. "I have less than twelve hours to get three units in to my head! I mean I've studied them before, but - but - but still!"
"Listen to yourself, Mitsui." Aya merely replied, eyes not leaving the textbook. "Yoji! Mitsui's here. Give him a can of beer."
Just then, Yoji's head popped out from the kitchen doorway. "Yo Mit-chan! One beer comin' right up!"
"I have no time for beer!" Mitsui mumbled. Yoji approached him and handed him the can, before pushing him down on the couch and standing behind him. "Look, Yoji-san, you are being very kind, but - " He was cut off when Yoji's fingers began to massage his shoulders and neck. It felt good, for Yoji's hands were skilled and knew where to rub and where not to.
"Now what is your problem?" Aya asked, looking up from the textbook, seeing that Mitsui had finally shut his mouth.
"Everything." Mitsui said, and began to lean in to Yoji's fingers once again, the blonde man having a very satisfying smirk on his handsome face.
"Okay, unit one." Aya began to explain every unit to Mitsui.
By the time they were finished, it was already two in the morning and Mitsui had never been this prepared in all his life.
*
Mitsui staggered home from university, his long waist-length hair looking a lot more sloppier than usual. He had passed by Dunkin Donuts and treated himself to one donut, since it was the only thing he could afford at the moment. Summer began the moment he stepped out of the examination hall, and now he will need to find some jobs to earn money. He's running low on a lot of things.
He took a bite off his donut and went through the back door of the flower shop. He was surprised to find it closed, especially at twelve in the afternoon. He knocked twice and pushed the door open, and found Yoji and Aya in a lip lock.
"Sorry!" He yelped and choked on his donut. He shut the door behind him and staggered by the wall, thumping at his chest and trying to catch his breath. He felt a hard slap on his back, and choking feeling was gone, but his bones were not grateful. He still needed to put on weight.
"So how did your exam go?" Aya asked, rubbing his back in gentle circles. Yoji appeared from behind him, a cigarette lit, and watching him above the rim of his sunglasses.
Mitsui nodded slowly. "It was fine. I answered all of them, and I know I'm going to pass." Mitsui got an image in his mind of Yoji and Aya kissing each other again and blushed red.
Yoji burst out laughing, before looping an arm around Mitsui's shoulders. "Guess what Mit-chan? Lover boy Koshy called while you were in the exam hall and asked me to pass a message to you." Mitsui scowled at the nicknames, as Yoji led him in to the backroom of the flower shop. He sat on the stool while Yoji began to massage his back again. "He won't be able to come to Tokyo as planned." Mitsui stiffened at that. Suddenly, he felt alone. "But, he said that there is a party going on in Kannagawa because of the new graduated batch. He's asking you to show up, since many of the seniors last year are showing up as well."
Mitsui turned to find Aya having a ghost of a smile on his face. "Really?"
"Here's your train ticket, and a few cash. Your train leaves tomorrow night at seven." Aya took out an envelope and pushed it towards Mitsui. "Pay me back by working here in the flower shop during the summer." Mitsui smiled so much and looked up at the two men in front of him with respect.
"Now that's settled, let's all go out for lunch!" Yoji said, hugging Mitsui from behind and kissing his cheek. "My treat Mit-chan!"
Mitsui threw all his pride and hugged Yoji and Aya.
TBC
Yoji and Aya are one of the few important people to Mitsui in this chapter. They're more of the older brother sort to him. Sendoh, Miyagi, Koshino and Tetsuo are important too, since they make Mitsui the person he is. Tetsuo - especially him.
Oh well, that's Mitsui's university life. He does not want to get kicked out now does he? And him with waist length hair, hmmm . think of Gojyo from Gensomaden Saiyuki only with his hair till his waist. HA HA HA HA HA
Okay, be nice. Eye candy?
But now that I'm back and free, I'm going to finish it! It's a loooooong way, but I'll make it nevertheless. It's just that sometimes I get a bit carried away with my Yami No Matsuei fics that I forget about the rest that are unfinished.
A Note to all readers: Remember that Weiss boys are florists by day and assassins by night. Also keep in mind that they deal with crimes anywhere and anytime. Also, Mitsui and the other SD boys know them as florists, not as assassins. So, there might be a few surprises, which may affect the lives of our SD boys. I've also decided to write a few scenes from out Weiss boys POV, when they are with Mitsui or any other SD bishounen.
Anyway, on with the story.
TO HOLD ON 7
Mitsui took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, wincing, trying to shoo away the headache that was slowly eating away at his head. The apartment had been extremely quiet for the past seven months since university started. Mitsui felt as if he had been run over by a truck, as if an iceberg was just placed on his back, as if he just drowned in water, as if he just banged his head several times on the wall all in one time.
He opened his eyes and stared at the pile of books that he had to finish reading by that night. He still had round about two hundred fifty pages in total to read, his final exams were nearing. He had round about five days till his finals. University life had been all right at the beginning, until their winter break ended. From that point on, everything had gone haywire - for Mitsui at least. He had to quit all his part time jobs, because there simply wasn't enough time anymore.
Mitsui's current condition was really bad. The Japan Electrical Association (JEA) was threatening to cut off his electricity if he did not pay his bill, which he had not paid in four months. His apartment was a mess, as if a tornado had just swept past it. There were papers in ever corner, books and encyclopedias, pens that had long-ago ran out of ink, research material, and the occasional wrappers of cereal bars. The kitchen was empty, save for the growing pile of used dishes and his laundry pile was growing taller and taller.
Mitsui himself looked as if he just got out of the Sahara desert. His hair fell below his shoulders - much longer than the hairdo he used to wear during his gangster days. He had a dirty beard growing, since had not shaved for some time now, making him look more rugged. He had bags under his eyes, and his body - oh listen to that one! All his clothes literally hang from his body. He now rivaled any anorexic's body frame. He looked so thin, that his bones stuck out for the naked eye to see. He no longer was the healthy and athletic boy he was nearly a year ago. He was now a walking bag of bones. The reason behind it was quite simple. He had one pattern to follow nowadays, and that is, wake up, shower, go to university, study, come home, study, take a shower, study, do homework, study, study, study, sleep. Then the chain itself repeats again, and again, and again. Even his weekends had no time for social affairs. Eating was out of the question. He now survived on instant coffee and breakfast cereal bars. He knew it was a bad thing, but he did not have any other choice.
Sighing again, he picked up the mug beside him and took a long drink of the scalding hot black coffee that burned his throat and shook him awake again. His taste buds were now a bit numb to anything beyond coffee and apple breakfast cereal bars. Pushing away the cup, he picked up another textbook and began to read the black and white prints.
It was now two in the morning.
*
Mitsui woke up at the loud knocking in his front door. He rubbed his eyes groggily and shakily got to his feet, nearly tripping on a folder on the floor of his living room. He opened the door to find Aya, his redhead neighbor standing before him with his arms folded across his chest.
"Yes, Aya-san?" He asked, yawning.
"Were you up late last night?" Aya asked. Mitsui yawned, and rubbed his eyes again, before nodding at Aya's direction. "Tokyo University is closed for the next forty-eight hours." Mitsui stared at him as if he had gone slowly insane. "Don't give me that look, Mitsui! You should be thankful! Look at your state!"
"My state?" Mitsui looked down at himself to find that he was wearing jeans that were threatening to fall off his hips, and his shirt had ink blotches on them. "What about my state? I look fine!"
"Any normal person with a functioning brain would say otherwise." Aya said in his deep baritone voice. "You're a mess. I suggest you pull yourself together and make use of these two days off to get your apartment to look like a normal apartment."
"Yes Aya-san." Mitsui replied. For some odd reason, Aya was more of like an older brother to him. For seven months, the redhead, although cold, was always supporting him in a very indirect manner.
Aya would pick him up from university or drop him off in his spare time. He helps him with his homework, helps him study for exams, buys him school supplies when he ran out, and sometimes even gets him a few clothes when he couldn't go and buy himself - either he did not really care or he was just too broke. Aya, unlike Yoji was responsible. He was actually very paternal in a withdrawn manner. Yoji is a good friend, the type to talk your personal troubles with, to ask advice about relationships, and sometimes he too can be a bit paternal. But Aya was different. Aya stood out. He may be cold, but he was delicate and kind too. Mitsui found himself listening to Aya, as if he was his real older brother. He didn't mind. Aya pushed him to work hard. Encouraged him in a not-so-nice manner. 'In the end, you only have yourself, and no one else' was something he said a long time ago, after the winter holidays. Every time Mitsui remembered those words, he pushed himself to the limit to work hard.
"Take a shower, change and come to the flower shop. It's closed today. I'll wait for you downstairs." Aya turned to leave, and Mitsui stepped back in to his apartment.
He padded like a zombie towards the bathroom and took a hot shower. He stepped out and stood in front of the sink, blindly looking for his toothbrush. He squeezed some fluoride toothpaste that was running out, and began to brush his teeth, his eyes not meeting the mirror once. Gargling, he wiped his mouth with his towel, before wrapping it around his waist.
Only then did he meet his reflection. He blinked at the stranger in the mirror. His hair hung like strips of leather from his head, his eyes were sunken and the bags under them were very visible. He reached out for the electric shaver that he never really used for quite some time now and began to get rid of the facial hair that was not supposed to be there in the first place. With that done, he ran his fingers through his dripping hair and took note that he looked like he was a gangster again. He never knew that. He lifted his skinny arms, and saw his ribs protruding from his flesh - if he had any. He grimaced at the bones he saw. He poked himself hard to see if he had any resistance and gave out a painful scream when he did. He hardly had any resistance at all. He watched as a bruise began to form in the area he just poked. He cursed and walked out of the bathroom, and in to his messy room.
He threw open his closet and looked about for what to wear. He noticed that his closet was next to being empty, save for the pair of black low waist jeans he used when clubbing back in his gangster days and a body hugging v- necked top, he had nothing else. He took them out, and pulled them on, and cursed again when the pants hung loose and the shirt looked three sizes too big for him.
"I'm that skinny?" He mumbled and searched for a belt. He had to punch in new holes in order to wear it. He put on his shoes, grabbed a cereal bar and headed for the door. He passed by the hallway mirror and stopped. He did not like the way his hair looked like. He searched for a rubber band and tied his hair up in a ponytail, the shorter locks in the front falling at the sides of his face. Satisfied, he left his apartment and headed for the flowershop. He used the backdoor, and found Aya sitting in the backroom, a cup of coffee in hand. It was only ten in the morning after all.
Aya turned to look at him and eyed his clothes. He then saw the breakfast cereal that was making its way to Mitsui's mouth and in lightning speed, he rushed forward and jerked it off his hand. "No more of these!" Mitsui blinked. "You've grown dangerously too thin for your own good. Your under weight for your height." He gestured him to follow. They headed outside and climbed up the apartment's staircase. "When was the last time you ate a proper meal?"
"Christmas." Mitsui replied honestly. He could never lie to Aya, and he never understood why.
"Christmas. December. It's June now. You realize how many months have passed?" Mitsui gulped. Aya unlocked the apartment he, Omi, Yoji and Ken shared and lead Mitsui to the kitchen. He gestured towards the stool. "Sit down Mitsui."
Mitsui sat, and watched with sleepy eyes how Aya moved around the kitchen. He didn't really know what Aya was on about. He didn't even know what was going on around him. He folded his arms on the kitchen table and dropped his head on them, closing his eyes. He was so tired.
A short time passed, and he felt a hand shake him lightly. The smell of food filled his nostrils. He looked up to find omelets, sausages, star fruit, toast and a glass of milk in front of him. "You see all that Mitsui?" Aya asked. Mitsui nodded. "You're going to eat all of them." Mitsui nodded. "You know what happens if you don't?" Mitsui shook his head. "I'll kill you." Mitsui gulped. "Eat."
Mitsui picked up the toast and took a bite. It tasted weird, foreign for sometime. He took another bite and suddenly it tasted wonderful. Just the right amount of buttery flavor. He took the fork and lifted a sausage. He took a bite and felt its juiciness melt in his mouth. He suddenly felt so ignorant, like a street child who just had the opportunity to eat a proper meal. Aya was beside him, drinking coffee again, as he continued eating. He cleaned up everything in front of him.
"How do you feel?" Aya asked.
One word came to Mitsui's mind. "Alive."
*
Mitsui lied curled in the couch in the apartment of his neighbors. He was deep in slumber, while Aya sat opposite him, a book on his lap. Outside, there was the roar of the vacuum cleaner and the shuffling of feet. Aya had called a cleaning agency to come over and do Mitsui's apartment. One look at Mitsui, and one would feel sorry for him.
Mitsui is a survivor, and Aya found it courageous and patient for a young guy like him to face the things he was facing now. He had been in the young man's apartment and saw the warnings sent by JEA regarding his electricity payment. Without thinking, Aya had phoned Yoji who happened to be near one of the offices of JEA and asked him to pay the bill, putting it on his tab. He also asked Yoji to get some clothes for the boy, along with a few groceries. He stayed with Mitsui, who fell asleep on their couch right after having a good breakfast.
Now, as Mitsui lay asleep, he looked like a little lost boy, who just came off the streets. Aya sighed and stood up, going to his room and taking out a blanket. He wrapped it around the sleeping boy and pulled the blinders closed. He then went to the kitchen and prepared himself another cup of coffee.
*
Mitsui felt a shake on his shoulders. He winced a bit and groaned, shooing the hand that was shaking him awake. He grabbed hold of the blanket covering him and pulled it over his head.
"Mitsui! Mitsui, wake up."
Mitsui groaned again and began to mumble. "Leave me alone, I want to sleep."
"Wake up! Now!"
Mitsui pulled the blanket down and blinked his way to reality. He found Aya towering above him and he sat up, rubbing his eyes. He felt refreshed, as if he was born a new man. "How long have I been asleep?" Mitsui asked.
"About eight hours." Aya replied and turned the lights on. "You missed lunch."
"I did?" Mitsui asked, rubbing his eyes again. He looked up and found Yoji sitting opposite him, a glass of wine in hand.
"Yo Mit-chan!" He greeted, raising his glass filled with red liquid. Mitsui titled his head a bit to the right, simply watching Yoji. "Good morning to you too, sleepyhead."
"Here." Aya handed Mitsui a set of folded clothes. Mitsui in return simply stared at it. "Those should fit you just fine. Go and change. We're going out to dinner."
"We are?" Yoji asked, turning towards Aya.
"I'm taking Mitsui to dinner. You can come if you want." Aya replied, and pointed to the bathroom down the hall. "Change."
Mitsui stood up shakily and made his way to the bathroom. He realized that the apartment was much bigger than his own. It had four bedrooms instead of three. He shrugged and entered the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, just to rub the sleep off and dried his face with the towel on the rack. He began to strip his loose clothes off and pulled on the pair of baggy jeans Aya gave him. It was loose by an inch on the waist. He pulled on a black t-shirt with No Fear written at the back in red. He combed his hair with the comb by the mirror and tied it up in a ponytail again. He took note that his clothes did not make him look too thin. They actually made him look normal. He also realized that the clothes weren't his at all.
He left the bathroom and went back to the living room. "Anou, Aya-san. These are not mine." Yoji was in the balcony, the glass closed. He was leaning against the railing and smoking a cigarette.
"Yes they are." Aya said. "I got them for you."
Instantly, Mitsui's pride kicked in. "Aya-san, I don't need pity."
"It's not pity, Mitsui. It's called help." Aya replied.
"Whatever." Mitsui snapped.
"Mitsui, look at yourself!" Aya snapped, instantly making Mitsui jump. "You call yourself okay? You were okay before Christmas, but now, you wouldn't even pass for alive." Mitsui looked at his toes. "Look, Mitsui. I like you! You're a great kid! I have no one else to look after as younger sibling. My only sister died last year in her coma, and she was like you. Hard working, kind, tough when she wants to be, and sincere. That's why I help you Mitsui. Because I know you will succeed, and if doing things like these will make the path easier, and I can provide it - I will! It's not pity Mitsui! I'm doing this because I want too! Understand?"
Mitsui felt remorse. He felt terrible. His vision was getting a bit blurry. All the stress, all the problems, all the loneliness, all the pain and the fatigue - he finally lost control and in front of the one man that spoke so little, yet so passionately.
"I'm sorry." Mitsui choked out. Where did all his gangster pride go? He was wondering himself. He began to think what made him so soft. What made him so kind and vulnerable. "I didn't mean to be rude." His shoulders trembled a bit, as he felt tears rolling down his cheeks. The last time he cried was when he begged Anzai to allow him to play basketball again. Warm arms circled him and hands began to stroke his hair. "I'm sorry, Aya-san."
"Forget it Mitsui." He said, and continued to hold the younger boy. "It's all right."
Mitsui broke down completely, his cries becoming muffled sobs.
*
They had not gone to dinner after all. Mitsui had fallen asleep for an hour after he cried his heart out. Aya had been right there beside him. When he woke up, Aya had called for pizzas. Mitsui ate an entire box himself, and a plate of salad. He was so hungry. Pizza had never tasted that great before.
"Oh yeah, Mitsui?" Yoji said, taking a drag from his can of beer. "Koshino called while you were asleep. Classes in Kannagawa just ended. He's coming over in the weekend." Mitsui felt a smile tug at his lips. He quickly dipped his head to hide the blush and smile. He missed Koshino. They had exchanged brief conversations in the middle of the school year, both being busy and all with their own work. But now that summer holidays were coming, Mitsui was happy. He'll get to see Koshino again. "See? I told you! You like him!" Yoji teased.
"Yoji-san, I do not! He's my friend! And I'll get to see him again after such a long time!" Mitsui blinked at his surroundings. "Where are Omi and Ken?"
"They're both in Hokkaido. They won't be back till the summer ends." Yoji answered. Aya said nothing. "So, lover boy gets to see his love?"
"Will you quit with the love thing?" Mitsui said, and blushed again. "Koshino is -"
"Your friend. And will forever be one. Yada, yada, yada!" Yoji mimicked. "Yeah, yeah. So what else is new?"
Yoji and Mitsui began to argue again over Mitsui's little love affair. Although behind it all, Mitsui admitted that he did love Koshino.
He was so happy that Koshino was coming to Tokyo that he forgot all his fatigue.
*
Finals were hectic. If Mitsui looked dead then, he looked worst now. He had been fasting 24/7 for two weeks, living on water. It was his last day, and he had the entire three units of Economics to get in to his head. He was panicking because he couldn't even sit and stay still. His entire being depended on these exams, and if he flunked one subject, he'd be a kick out. He didn't want to be a kick out. He grabbed his text book and rushed next door.
He rang the doorbell once, and Aya came to open it. "Mitsui? You're a mess! What's wrong?"
"Aya-san, help me! I can't get a thing in to my head! What do I do? I have an exam tomorrow, and I don't want to fail. I've been trying to revise for the past three hours and nothing is going in! Is something wrong with me? What's wrong with me?" Mitsui babbled, panic etched in his features, his glasses sliding off the bridge of his nose.
"Mitsui, listen to yourself." Aya said coolly, opening the door wider and letting Mitsui in to the neat apartment. A week after Mitsui's apartment had been cleaned, it returned to its normal messy state. "You're babbling." Aya plucked the book off Mitsui's hand and began to skim through it. "Have a seat Mitsui, relax."
"Relax? What do you mean by 'relax'?" Mitsui gasped. His long hair wild, which was now till his waist. His hair grows really fast. "I have less than twelve hours to get three units in to my head! I mean I've studied them before, but - but - but still!"
"Listen to yourself, Mitsui." Aya merely replied, eyes not leaving the textbook. "Yoji! Mitsui's here. Give him a can of beer."
Just then, Yoji's head popped out from the kitchen doorway. "Yo Mit-chan! One beer comin' right up!"
"I have no time for beer!" Mitsui mumbled. Yoji approached him and handed him the can, before pushing him down on the couch and standing behind him. "Look, Yoji-san, you are being very kind, but - " He was cut off when Yoji's fingers began to massage his shoulders and neck. It felt good, for Yoji's hands were skilled and knew where to rub and where not to.
"Now what is your problem?" Aya asked, looking up from the textbook, seeing that Mitsui had finally shut his mouth.
"Everything." Mitsui said, and began to lean in to Yoji's fingers once again, the blonde man having a very satisfying smirk on his handsome face.
"Okay, unit one." Aya began to explain every unit to Mitsui.
By the time they were finished, it was already two in the morning and Mitsui had never been this prepared in all his life.
*
Mitsui staggered home from university, his long waist-length hair looking a lot more sloppier than usual. He had passed by Dunkin Donuts and treated himself to one donut, since it was the only thing he could afford at the moment. Summer began the moment he stepped out of the examination hall, and now he will need to find some jobs to earn money. He's running low on a lot of things.
He took a bite off his donut and went through the back door of the flower shop. He was surprised to find it closed, especially at twelve in the afternoon. He knocked twice and pushed the door open, and found Yoji and Aya in a lip lock.
"Sorry!" He yelped and choked on his donut. He shut the door behind him and staggered by the wall, thumping at his chest and trying to catch his breath. He felt a hard slap on his back, and choking feeling was gone, but his bones were not grateful. He still needed to put on weight.
"So how did your exam go?" Aya asked, rubbing his back in gentle circles. Yoji appeared from behind him, a cigarette lit, and watching him above the rim of his sunglasses.
Mitsui nodded slowly. "It was fine. I answered all of them, and I know I'm going to pass." Mitsui got an image in his mind of Yoji and Aya kissing each other again and blushed red.
Yoji burst out laughing, before looping an arm around Mitsui's shoulders. "Guess what Mit-chan? Lover boy Koshy called while you were in the exam hall and asked me to pass a message to you." Mitsui scowled at the nicknames, as Yoji led him in to the backroom of the flower shop. He sat on the stool while Yoji began to massage his back again. "He won't be able to come to Tokyo as planned." Mitsui stiffened at that. Suddenly, he felt alone. "But, he said that there is a party going on in Kannagawa because of the new graduated batch. He's asking you to show up, since many of the seniors last year are showing up as well."
Mitsui turned to find Aya having a ghost of a smile on his face. "Really?"
"Here's your train ticket, and a few cash. Your train leaves tomorrow night at seven." Aya took out an envelope and pushed it towards Mitsui. "Pay me back by working here in the flower shop during the summer." Mitsui smiled so much and looked up at the two men in front of him with respect.
"Now that's settled, let's all go out for lunch!" Yoji said, hugging Mitsui from behind and kissing his cheek. "My treat Mit-chan!"
Mitsui threw all his pride and hugged Yoji and Aya.
TBC
Yoji and Aya are one of the few important people to Mitsui in this chapter. They're more of the older brother sort to him. Sendoh, Miyagi, Koshino and Tetsuo are important too, since they make Mitsui the person he is. Tetsuo - especially him.
Oh well, that's Mitsui's university life. He does not want to get kicked out now does he? And him with waist length hair, hmmm . think of Gojyo from Gensomaden Saiyuki only with his hair till his waist. HA HA HA HA HA
Okay, be nice. Eye candy?