Chapter 5. Wow, I'm doing okay for a beginner in romance. Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: Not mine

WARNING: AU, later OOC, shounen-ai

PAIRINGS: Oshitari/Mukahi

Chapter 5- Return

Mukahi was surprised when Oshitari had finally come back to classes. For the past week, he hadn't been attending classes, ever since that night he rescued him. The silent tensai was a mess. He looked as though he hadn't slept a wink. There were bags forming under his eyes and his hair wasn't brushed. Something was bothering Oshitari, but whatever it was, no one knew.

Mukahi had tried to recall if anything at Oshitari's apartment might have had to do with his absence, but he always came up with the same thing. After running away from Oshitari's apartment, Mukahi had gotten lost because he didn't know the way back to school from the apartment building. Cursing himself for not taking up Oshitari's offer, he had to ask several people in order to get back to the dorms. That was the end of that day.

The first few days that Oshitari had missed, rumors were flying around trying to explain the reason. Some claimed that he was playing hooky, while others suggested that he was transferring. The most notable one, however, came from one of the professors' children. It claimed that Oshitari's mother had died, and he was missing school because of that, although, to Mukahi, the possibility of that was highly impossible. Oshitari's mom was probably too young to die, right?

The redhead felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Oshitari holding out a bag to him. He seemed to be fine, despite his puffy eyes. "Oshitari?" The silent tensai pointed to the redhead and then indicated his own clothes. "Eh?"

This time, Oshitari mouthed out the words, "Your clothes."

"Oh." Taking the bag, he said, "Thanks." As, Oshitari turned to leave, Mukahi suddenly remembered about the clothes he had borrowed from Oshitari and quickly grabbed him by the arm and said, "Wait, what about your clothes?"

The silent tensai shook his head indicating that the redhead didn't have to return his clothes before continuing on his way. Suddenly, Mukahi had the urge to ask Oshitari why he left for a week. The day after the incident, he somehow found his way back to Oshitari's apartment to try getting his clothes, but when he checked the door, no one was there. He asked the neighbors, but they didn't know where he was either. Somehow, it kept on nagging him, but whether it was about his clothes, or something else, he didn't know.

Making up his mind, Mukahi caught up with Oshitari and touched him on the shoulder to get his attention. Once he was sure the silent tensai was looking at him, he asked what was bugging him the whole week. "Where were you last week?"

Oshitari gave him a look of mild surprise and then made a sign while mouthing, "Why?"

Why do you think I'm asking, stupid? "You're a mess, that's why," Mukahi replied bluntly indicating Oshitari's current state.

"Oi Oshitari-kun!"

Mukahi turned to see a bouncy student run up to the silent tensai. Everyone knew him as Akutagawa Jirou, medical major, and normally, a sleepyhead. Like Oshitari, Mukahi couldn't get how he passed everything, despite the fact that Jirou slept in class all the time. Still, it didn't mean that Jirou wasn't lovable. When he was awake, Jirou was incredibly bouncy and carefree.

Suddenly, to Mukahi's surprise, Jirou began talking while using sign language. "Where have you been?" he asked casually. Oshitari answered back in sign language, apparently unfazed by the fact that a normal person was using sign language out of the blue. He must have known that Jirou spoke sign language beforehand. "You went home? Really? Why?"

Mukahi, now confused, interrupted, "Wait, hold on a minute!" Turning to the normally sleepy boy, he asked, "How in the world do you know sign language?"

"What?" Jirou asked innocently. "My mom sometimes volunteers in helping the deaf." Then after getting Oshitari's attention, he asked, "Why were you in Osaka again?" Oshitari stuck up a pinky finger. "Your mom? What about your mom?"

The silent tensai glanced at Mukahi for a moment. It was then Mukahi noticed the sorrow in his eyes, something that he never saw in Oshitari before. Then turning back to Jirou, he slowly made a bunch of signs. Whatever he said made the talkative student speechless.

Shaking Jirou's shoulder, Mukahi asked, "What did he say?"

Uncertain, the short student turned to Oshitari. "Do you mind if I tell him?"

Mukahi felt Oshitari's eyes examine him closely. The redhead waited as the taller student decided whether he should allow Jirou to translate his sign language. He desperately wanted to know, but he could probably get the information out of someone else. Things like this travel fast around this college, anyway. He would probably know within a week.

Finally, for what seemed like an eternity, Oshitari nodded his head slowly. Turning to Mukahi, Jirou said in a grave voice, "His mother died in an accident last week."

The redhead couldn't stop the gasp escaping from his mouth, nor could he resist the shock that was written all over his face. So the rumor about Oshitari's mother was true. He wanted to pity the silent tensai. However, before he could get his thoughts together, he heard Jirou continue.

"'I attended her funeral and paid my respects the next day, but the day after that, I caught a fever and had to stay home. The police informed my professors already, so I'm going to catch up on the work I missed later on after my shift.'"

Yeah, as if he needed any help on the skeletal system…

"'Don't worry, I'm fine,'" Jirou translated.

"You could have at least went back to your apartment, so that I could give you back your clothes!" the redhead retorted.

"Clothes?" Jirou asked innocently. "What clothes?"

"Jirou!"

The said student turned to see a handsome student standing there with an aura surrounding him that showed that he thought he was above everyone. Jirou's eyes lit up.

"Hi Keigo!" he called waving madly. "I gotta go, Oshitari-kun, Mukahi-kun! Ja ne!" With that, he ran off to meet the other student. Around the student, Jirou seemed even more jumpy and childish than usual.

The redhead felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking up, Oshitari rubbed his knuckles with his thumb sticking up against lower jaw while mouthing the word, "Who?"

"'Who was that?'" Mukahi asked to confirm. Seeing the silent tensai nod his head, he answered, "That was Atobe Keigo, business major, and one arrogant pig. He started dating Jirou about two months ago. I personally don't take much interest in the 'Ice Emperor', but Jirou must think that he's a god."

Oshitari grinned goofily as if he wanted to laugh. The thought about Atobe acting arrogant must have sounded amusing. He made a motion with both of his hands that seemed to form a moustache while doing a poker face.

"'Distinguished'?" Mukahi guessed. "Yeah, he is, maybe a little too much."

Pulling out a notepad and pen, Oshitari wrote, "He seems softer when he's around Jirou."

"Softer? No way! 'Ore-sama' will always be arrogant no matter who's around."

"Well, his arrogant aura died down a little when Jirou came over," Oshitari wrote. "Doesn't that show that he at least has a soft spot for Jirou?"

"Che, as if!"

As the two of them continued to discuss things between Atobe and Jirou, Mukahi felt himself becoming more relaxed around Oshitari. Normally, he'd be all sarcastic and sometimes annoyed. He had noticed that during Oshitari's first week, he was somewhat tense, too. It seemed that maybe they could become friends, something that Mukahi hadn't had since…

The warning bell rang signaling for the first period. "Let's go!" Mukahi said quickly before grabbing his bag and running off with Oshitari close behind him.

-X-

Lunchtime came by quicker than normal. Still, that didn't mean that Mukahi wasn't glad. He was getting better at making his own lunch, but he still needed some help on making cone sushi. His mother had taught him before he left for college.

Suddenly, three 100-yen coins were dropped in front of him so quickly that he almost choked on his sushi. Looking up at the person, he saw Oshitari with a tray of food. Putting down the tray, he made a single sign.

"Eh? Try mouthing it."

The silent tensai took the advice and mouthed it slowly so that Mukahi could read his lips.

"'Thank you'?" he guessed. "For what?" Then he remembered last week, when he had lent Oshitari 300 yen for lunch. "Oh, you mean that, no problem." Then, an idea popped in his head. "Oi, Oshitari, how do you say 'You're welcome' in sign language?" Sitting down across from the redhead, he nodded his head while waving his hand in front of his face. "'You're welcome'?" he asked repeating the gesture, which received a nod from the silent tensai.

Deciding to change the subject, Mukahi looked over at the beef stew and rice on Oshitari's plate and remarked, "School lunch, huh?" When he received a nod, he added, "Bleh! I hate this school's lunch! What do they put in it, sawdust?"

Oshitari pulled out his notepad and pen and wrote, "I don't like the lunches here, either."

"Then how come you buy it?" Mukahi retorted. "You've got an apartment. You should be able to make your own food."

Sheepishly, Oshitari wrote, "I never learned to cook, nor did I ever bother trying."

"What do you eat, then?" the redhead asked stunned.

"I normally eat take-out or any left-over food," he wrote.

Suddenly, without thinking, Mukahi took a sushi roll out of his bento and handed it to Oshitari. Upon meeting a confused face, Mukahi remarked, "Take-out and left-over food is not healthy, you know, Oshitari. You need real food. Eat it." When it looked as though he was going to protest, Mukahi popped the roll into Oshitari's open mouth.

"Eat it," he ordered.

The silent tensai was caught off guard and almost choked on the roll, but he slowly chewed the food in his mouth. A look of surprise came over his face as he swallowed. He put his palm to his cheek.

"Eh?"

This time, instead of writing down his words, the silent tensai tried to speak what he wanted to say, but it came out as a croak. Mukahi read his lips as best as he could.

"Delicious? You think it's delicious?" Mukahi asked. When Oshitari nodded, the redhead said, "Anou, thank you." Remembering how to say 'thank you' in sign language, Mukahi made the sign.

The two continued to eat in silence. As Oshitari finished the horrible beef stew on his tray, Mukahi began to think over everything that happened before class started. He had never known that Jirou knew sign language, but then again, he mostly saw him sleeping. When they were discussing about Atobe and Jirou, they did it casually, as though they were friends instead of classmates and acquaintances. Maybe…

Mukahi got Oshitari's attention and asked, "Do you like what I make?" When he received a nod, he said, "All right then, let's strike a deal. I'll make you lunch…" At that, the silent tensai shook his head, but the last half of the proposal stopped him. "In exchange, you teach me sign language."

It seemed to have caught the silent tensai off guard because Mukahi received a shocked look from Oshitari. Silence followed as Oshitari thought over the proposal. Surprisingly, Mukahi found himself waiting patiently for Oshitari's answer. He busied himself by finishing up the remains of his bento that he made.

Finally, after a pregnant silence, Oshitari tapped the redhead on the arm and wrote, "I don't want to trouble you."

"You won't, Oshitari!" Mukahi retorted. "I told you I'll make you lunch, if you teach me sign language."

"Why?" he wrote

"'Why'? Because, well…"

Mukahi was never good with this mushy stuff. He hated cheesy lines that guys mostly said to girls when they were interested in them and avoided those for the most part. Still, he wanted to express what he wanted to do, somehow.

"Because… I want to be your friend," the redhead said slowly. Before he could give a chance for Oshitari to recover, he continued, "I never had friends before. Everyone always picked on me because I'm short. If I were close to anyone, it would only be mere acquaintances. I don't have any real friends over here either. I'm not being desperate or anything, Oshitari. I just thought that maybe I could have a friend."

The silent tensai seemed touched by his small story because after a pause, he nodded his head in agreement to the proposal.

-X-

Mukahi got a head start on his homework as he waited for Oshitari to come over. The redhead was going to start his sign language lessons today. After agreeing to Mukahi's proposal, they both arranged for them to meet at Mukahi's dorm after Oshitari's shift. The lesson would go on for a half hour, and then Oshitari would go back to his apartment to do his homework.

Someone knocked at the door. Oshitari. Mukahi went to the door and opened it to see the silent tensai in street clothes and carrying his bag on one shoulder. It was strange seeing him in street clothes when he acted like a gentleman.

"Good, you're here," the redhead said. "Come on in."

As Oshitari walked into the dorm, Mukahi began to clean things up a bit. He never bothered taking care of his dorm, since he rarely was there. The redhead threw away the leftover garbage from last night and stuffed some bowls into the cupboard. He felt a tap on his shoulder as he was clearing off the table. Turning around, he saw Oshitari holding a plastic bag.

Wait, that was…

"Give me that!" Mukahi yelled as he snatched away the bag and threw it into a drawer his face turning a slight pink. There was no way Oshitari should see that!

Mukahi was glad when Oshitari didn't push the matter further. The two took a seat on either side of the table and dumped their bags on the floor.

"So, where should we start?" Mukahi asked.

After thinking it over for a moment, Oshitari wrote on a piece of paper, "Introducing one another."

"Okay, so, how do I ask for someone's name?" The silent tensai did the sequence of signs in a fast pace. "Whoa, slow down, Oshitari! Okay, so, like this?" He did the sequence slowly. Oshitari nodded his head. "All right, so how do I respond to that?"

Oshitari wrote, "Same thing except no 'what' and 'your'. Spell your name out, too."

"How do I do that?" Mukahi asked. The silent tensai dug around in his bag until he found what he was looking for and handed it to Mukahi.

It was a book, a book on sign language. Flipping to the first page, Mukahi saw a chart for finger spelling. So that's what Oshitari meant. Looking up the characters in his name, he found that it was easy seeing as it went with the hiragana chart.

"So, Mu-ka-hi, Ga-ku-to?" the redhead tried as he signed the characters. The silent tensai shook his head and did the characters properly. "All right, Mu-ka-hi Ga-ku-to?"

Oshitari shook his head again. This time, he grabbed the redhead's smaller hand and maneuvered the fingers, so that it formed the character 'Mu' sending a tingle up Mukahi's spine. To him, it felt so weird, so wrong, and yet, so good. It felt almost… addicting.

Shaking off the feeling, Mukahi tried again. "Mu-ka-hi Ga-ku-to?" Oshitari nodded. Then he performed the entire sequence with graceful movements.

"So, 'my name is Mu-ka-hi Ga-ku-to'?"

A small smile graced Oshitari's face as he nodded his head.

Suddenly, the redhead heard his cell phone ring. Flipping it open, he stared in horror at the number of the caller. Scared about what was going to happen, he pressed the 'send' button and said, "Hello?"

"Hello, Gakuto."

The redhead shivered. It was him.

"I'll be back soon," was all the other person said before he hung up.

Shutting his phone, Mukahi became frantic. It was too dangerous for Oshitari to be around here now. Thinking quickly, he remembered the emergency stairs across the hall. Grabbing Oshitari's bag, he said, "Come on, you have to get out of here." Confused, Oshitari looked at the smaller redhead and quirked an eyebrow. "Come on!"

Grabbing the silent tensai by the wrist, Mukahi bolted out the door and across the hall until he reached the emergency stairs. Kicking the door open, Mukahi handed Oshitari back his bag and said, "Get away from here as fast as you can and don't come back tonight, got that?"

Oshitari still was confused, but Mukahi gave him a huge shove and shut the door. The redhead ran back to his dorm and tried to straighten things out as best as he could. He was shoving the sign language book under some clothes when the door opened. He froze.

"Hello, Gakuto."

TBC…

Phew! This was long. Anyway, review kudasai!