Time passed, nothing had changed much—that's what you think.
Mixture by Redvind
The certain brunette still worked hard...even harder than he should. This time he started the third job as a waiter in a restaurant near the train station during daytimes. Satoko also worked in a flower shop. Taichi didn't let her do the harder works, said she did need rests during the first three months but she refused so, backed up by saying she wasn't that weak to do nothing else than housework, besides, she really wanted to help him saving money—didn't want to let him work alone. Taichi couldn't argue more. That's what family meant, standing by each other through better or worse, right?
Days repeated like this; morning came, Taichi went to the restaurant, Satoko did the housework; afternoon, he came picking her up to the flower shop; evening, he walked her home before went to Moony Wings and night after he went to the convenient store then came home. The brunet didn't care he hardly got enough sleep, half just wanted to do his duty as best as he could, half just tried to make up his former behavior—nagging by guilt and mortal standard of his own.
There was one thing he noticed a little after, that the band was missing somewhat which he dismissed as they had some gigs...or just avoided him. The bartender did expect this happened before he told Yamato about his selfishness. He thought the band disapproved of him now, considering what he had done to the poor girl. She was only seventeen! For crying out loud!
Still, Taichi missed their company so much. Guess that was something he felt when he missed what he got used to.
Taichi put his jacket on, ready to leave to pick up his girlfriend from her work. He called over his shoulder to his workmates. "See ya later guys."
"Bye, Taichi."
"Later!"
"Taichi wait! Can you take my shift? I have a date today and I've forgotten all about that!" a guy exclaimed. The brunet rolled his eyes, grinning.
"Sorry but no. I have a date to pick up, too." Then hurried himself out of the door, didn't care about the disappointed groan behind him.
On the way to Satoko's workplace, Taichi looked up at the clear blue sky, no clouds, just pure blue...even it's getting dark. A small smile craved his face.
'Just so blue, the sky that is. Like Yamato's eyes...no, his eyes have more blue in them. I should compare with ocean...' he stopped walking abruptly, shaking his head to clear his mind. 'Come on, stop thinking about him. He probably hates you now...'
Brown eyes looked up again, as if praying. 'If there's a way, I want us to be friends like before...'
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He was almost at the flower shop. From where he stood he could see his girlfriend in the window display. Taichi was about to call her, but noticing the way her and a rather green haired guy looked like arguing changed his mind.
'What the hell?'
Concerned, but didn't want to rush into misconception, the teenager decided to eaves-drop in an alley beside the shop.
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"...Taichi, are you alright?"
"Wa? Ha? Um..." Taichi looked up urgently at his girl sitting next to him, feeling startled. He quickly covered his doom state up. "Ah, yeah, I'm fine! Why wouldn't I?"
"Well...I don't know. You've been staring at the food for 10 minutes and still haven't touched anything. You sure you're alright?" she asked with concerned in her small voice. The brunet shook his head furiously.
"I'm fine, I'm fine! Don't worry. Just thinking too hard for my own good, ne?" he gave her a little foolish grin which made he giggled.
"Alright, then. But Taichi, you have 25 minutes to get going or else you'd be late for work." She said calmly, pointing at the clock, Taichi, on the other hand, digging his food full speed.
"Okay, oone, I'm oing." He said with full mouth, chewing all the same time. He ran to the door, putting on his shoes. Satoko gave him a big glass of water. Taichi gulped down water and food at once. The brunet didn't do this often, only when he's in such a hurry. And running 20 minutes to Moony Wings surely called such a hurry.
"You don't have to pick me up or wait for me, 'kay? Just go to bed when you feel asleep." He was about to bent himself toward to kiss her forehead like usual when he's going out, but this time he paused mid-step. Satoko eyed him questioningly. He smiled slightly, reached out his hand to pat her soft hair instead.
"See you later, Satoko." He closed the door gently behind him. The girl stood still until he's gone.
Meanwhile outside the apartment, there was a shadow behind the street lamp.
"Sparky one speaking. The guy is already out. Our target is alone now." The figure spoke in mutter voice to his cell phone as if afraid of someone might hear him. Forgetting the fact that his sunglasses, long black coat, black cowboy hat and the way he's acting was enough to drive anyone who saw him away even though not many people were still out.
"Funny, Akira. What's Sparky one?" the other end of the line said amusingly.
"My nickname. Now shut up and hurry up here, will ya?"
"We're on the way." They hang up.
"Who was it, Yutaka?" his blonde friend asked from the corner of his mouth.
"Akira. He said Taichi was out now. We'd better hurry if we don't want Akira to have our heads."
"Great. Let's sneak out of here." He told his friends who sat both left and right of him. They nodded in agreeing.
The left trio was having a meeting with their manager who had been panicking about the absent of the band's guitarist in the company record building. The meeting itself was not a big deal, just talking about their plan and their schedule tour. It didn't need the whole band to sit and listen, but the manager thought they should anyway.
"Oh my...where's Akira-kun?... why isn't he here yet?" the blue haired man was pacing around the room, mumbling all sort why the guitar boy was missing. He was oblivious to the other two members crawled on the floor, on the way to the closing door.
"Calm down, Matsu-san. Akira must forget about our meeting, I see." Takashi glazed at the other two trumbing up at him outside, signaled him to get out, too.
"What if he has an accident? What if he gets hurt? Oh, God!" He tugged his hair with both hands. Takashi rolled his eyes. Their manager was always a panicky paranoid one. His freaky imagination had become the band secret joke long time ago. "What if...what if...humm? Where are Yutaka-kun and Yamato-kun? I'm sure they were here a moment ago...", with a few stand of hair in his fists, he turned to the only band member who shrugged playfully.
"I don't know. Toilet? Maybe."
Matsu blinked.
"But since they're not here. I guess our meeting has to cancel. Can I go now?"
The man nodded dumbfoundly.
"Good." The drummer exited the room, before he closed the door, he poked his head inside. "Don't worry, Matsu-san. I'm sure you can plan our schedule perfectly fine as always. You are the best manager we've ever had!" he got out pretty quick, didn't give time for the older man to get over. Thuth was, Matsu was the first and only one manager they had. Below on the street, a car took off.
The early thirty-age manager roared so loud that everyone in the building could hear.
"And they say I'm the luckiest person getting to be the famous Teenage-Wolves band's manager!"
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"...chi-kun...Taichi...Taichi!"
"AH!"
The brunet jumped, heart beating hard and fast. The glassed cup slid out of his hand. The brunet attempted to catch it alarmingly. Succeeded and reliefed, brown head turned to the direction that voice came from. "Aki-san! You startled me!"
The older guy chuckled. "Yeah, I see. I don't know what you found that cup so interesting. Maybe I want you to tell me."
"Cup? Oh?" he blused slightly, gazing at the beer cup he held. "Ah...nevermind..." he put it down. His eyes foused it, but there was not the cup in them. Something far away...so distant.
Aki looked concrened now. His mate didn't look like himself. "Are you sick, Taichi?"
"No! No, I'm fine!"
"Hmmm..."
"Really!" a sheepish grin appeared on his lips, hoping his sampai would buy it. But no such luck.
"Go home, Taichi-kun." When the cock made up his mind, nothing could change it. He said firmly.
"Wha?!"
"Go home. I will tell master Kano you're sick today." Aki put his hands on Taichi's shoulders, pushing him out the back door.
"But I'm not!" Aki tossed him out despite the younger's one protestion, anyway.
"Yes, you are. Now get out and go straight home and don't talk to the stranger." He winked, closing the door behind him. Taichi was left dumby in the dark alley for full minute. He blinked. Knowing his sampai wouldn't let him go inside until tomorrow, a heavy sigh sliped off his mouth, feet began to walk home. He didn't know what was happening there and unaware of a shadow following him.
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Two or three knocks on the door urged Satoko to pause doing the dishes and looked over at the closed door. She cleaned her hands with the blue apron Taichi owned, walking over.
"Who is it?" she asked a bit loudly through the door, still didn't open it.
"We're friends of Taichi!" A voice said almost childishly, followed by the wriggle sound as someone was gag.
The gril raised an eyebrow suspeciously. "Taichi didn't say he'd have visiters today. And he's not home right now."
"We want to talk to you. Can we come in? It's rather private." Another voice said more calmly. So there's not just one...
"I'm not letting strangers in just because they say they're Taichi's friends."
......"...The kid you're carring is not Taichi's." He muttered.
"What?!"
"You aren't pregnant with Taichi. He never slept with you as you lied to him." The emerald eyes girl sweated uneasily. How did they know...?
"Can we come in? I swear we will never harm you. I just want to talk to you before Taichi gets back. Please." He said softly, meaning every word.
Wavered, but decided to trust, she opened the door, reaveled four figures—one standing right in front of the door, must be the speaker, two holding and covering the fourth's mouth. When she took a good look, she gasped.
"Ishida Yamato and the Wolves!"
The singer smiled. "Can we come in?"
Satoko nodded, held the door wide. The band came in, nodding their thanks to her.
"What do you want?" the only girl asked as the door closed. Each band member tried to find himself a seat inconveniently. The managed finally.
"To find the best way to get everyone out of this mess."
"How do you know Taichi and I didn't sleep together?"
Yamato looked hasitated for a moment, choosing what to say. "We just did...he's not that type of guy who isn't careful enough to mistakenly make a girl pregnant." Satoko had a sad small smile on her lips.
"No, he's not..."
"Why didn't you tell him the thruth?"
"I...I couldn't...can't."
Takashi and Yataka held back the struggling Akira harder, Yamato eyed them, sweatdropped.
Tears formed her eyes, she sobbed, voice shaking. "It...I...at first I didn't know what to do when I found out I was...pregnant...I just wanted someone...needed someone to take care of me..." the girl sniffed, bended her face down, feeling ashame. The men just sat quietly.
"Then my friend told me about Taichi...she overheard...that he slept around once...and...and didn't remember who he slept with but it's a blonde...that he's looking for...I...thought it's a chance..." The dark-blonde haired girl poused, breathed in more air to her lungs to calm down. "He even blames himself for getting me pregnant—which he didn't do it! He doesn't doubt me once...never...always nice, always cares for me. But...the more he cares about me, the worse I felt..." she sobbed again.
Yamato gave her his handkerchief. "Why don't you tell him it's a mistake? That you remember the wrong man, maybe?"
Satoko laughed bitterly through her tears. "Yeah, I tried...don't know how many time I tried to tell him!...but every time I saw him smiling, telling me that we're going to be a family...a dad a mom a baby...especailly when he talked about kids! How he fancies them, how he wishes to have ones and I'm giving him one!" suddenly, she blew up. "God it hurts! It's killing me than anything possibly could! I don't want to see him sad. How can I tell him it's not his! 'Taichi, you know what? I'm pregnant, but it's not yours! Do you still want him?' ha...ha..."
"I know..."
"TAICHI!?" since when did he get home? None of them had heard the door opened.
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Back at when Taichi was on the way home. The brunet noticed someone stalked him a few meter away. When he poused, the footsteps stopped. He began running, the sound running still kept up with him. 'What the hell?'
Taichi ran to a corner, making up a plan. 'If you want to play, alright buddy!' he hid behind a street lamp, the shadow coming up. 'One...two...THREE!'
Taichi kicked the person hard, enough to suffocate. The body held his stomach, coughing.
"Why are you stalking me? Let me see your face." He pulled the other face up, frowning. "Hey...where have I seen you before...?"
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"But...when?...how?..." Satoko was trembling, shocked and afraid. Taichi walked to her, blandly putting arms around her, smiling sadly.
"Today, before I picked you up from work. I saw you talking with a green haired guy. I hid and listened to your talking." He explained, rubbing her back in circle to sooth her. The band was for now forgotten.
"Then...why didn't you tell me? You could just have thrown me out earlier!" she pulled out of his embrace hasty.
"I don't want to throw you out! Never! I didn't know how to talk to you about this. I mean I don't mind taking care of you and if you decide to stay with me, then I'd glad to have you here."
The dark-blonde stared at him with wide eyes. "You're kidding!"
"I'm not kidding. But the dicision is yours." He held a finger up on her lips. "Before you say anything, I want you to meet someone. Come in!" he shout over his shoulder.
A man in waterproof sport uniform walked in, looked sheepishly nervous. Satoko gasped.
"What are you doing here?!" she shot angrily, narrowed eyes, tears running on her cheeks.
"I come to pick you up. I'm sorry about what I've said before." He walked to her, never broke eyes contact. Taichi stepped aside. "I want you to give me a chance. I don't want to lose you, both of you. You're important to me."
The girlfriend smiled tearfully, "Baka!" she threw herself at the man who caught her just as happily.
Out in a corner... "Taichi..." Yamato whispered. "Who's that guy?"
"Hmmm? Oh, Satoko's boyfriend. It's like she thought he didn't want her and the baby, so she ran away without telling him she's carring his baby. Then he looked for her everywhere. He found her and wants her back but she said no. Because of not wanting to sadden me, I guess. He thought she had a new boyfriend so he has stalked me to fight her back. But I caught him first and told him about Satoko being pregnant. He's shocked at first but willing to take responsilbilities of them so I brought him here."
The band was stunned at the sope opera-alike story, but accepted. Satoko decided to go with her boyfriend which was a good thing for both side. The two lovers'd gone, hands in hands and all smiling, the brunet and the Wolves waved hands until they're out of sight. Taichi turned to the musicains. "Now tell me what you were doing here? I thought you avoided me."
"We didn't avoid you, Taichi! We were...you know, busy..." Yamato excused lamely.
"How did you know Satoko didn't sleep with me? I figured as much since you're here in the first place. I guess you knew right from the start?"
"Yamato, we'll be waiting in the car. Come when you finish." The singer gazed at his friends, alarmed. Taichi merely stared at him.
"Well...yeah."
"How?" Yamato sighed.
"Taichi, tell me how much you remember about that night." The brunet raised an eyebrow.
"Not much...except she has blonde hair."
"I don't think it's a 'she'." Taichi looked confused, the blonde hastited. "Anything else?"
.................."And I left a note with my number."
"Is it this note?" he brought a note from his wallet, held up a very familiar paper with familiar handwriting. Taichi was alarmed.
"It is! How on earth did you have it?"
"You gave me that morning." Taichi struggled for words, pointing at the blonde, mouth opened, shut, opened, shut...like a goldfish. Yamato grinned sheepishly.
"Taichi...look at my hair." The brunet couldn't, though.
He already fainted.