Sixteen
Gakuto closed his eyes as he turned on his MP3 player he got just recently. He was so tired and so confused all at once. He wished there weren't so many confusing whirl-winding thoughts going through his head at that moment. He didn't exactly like the real world but was forced out into it at a young age. He wasn't as bad a Jiroh but they both agreed to stay in their own worlds sometimes because the real world would always be something of a cry for help out. In the real world there was always some sort of tragedy or some sort of depressing moment happening.
For the first time in Gakuto's life he wondered if the real world could be a happy place too. In a way that's why he had fallen in love so quickly with the famous novelist Yuushi Oshitari. He knew it was a way to be in the world of reality without bad things happening. Plus, Oshitari lived in his own world too. His writing proved it. Listening to music he fell asleep with that last thought on his conscious.
--
"I knew quite well what happened but I didn't know my father and your mother bore a child into the world. It shocked me to know," said Atobe.
Otori looked down at the ground almost ashamed. He felt that way only because his birth was kept as one dirty secret. He was the impure one of this whole relationship. He felt a hand grasp his and he looked up at Shishido who didn't look at him but at Atobe who had a set stone look on his face looking hurt and emotionless in some ways. It was a hard thing to explain. His place showed nothing but his light blue grey eyes did.
"M-My mother died just last year," murmured Otori in a stuttered.
"I see. Mine has also passed away. It seems like our only living relative is the one who kept all this from us," said Atobe.
Otori blinked back tears but they came anyway as he clenched his fists into his hands probably tearing through a lay or two of skin in his palms. He was trembling and Shishido's eyes shifted to him.
"I'm so sorry Atobe-san; I shouldn't have even entered such a subject. I should've just known and left it alone," he said.
Atobe shook his head in protest and got up and hugged him from across the table.
"It's not your fault Otori, don't ever think that. I…I'm really thrilled that you came all the way from Japan to find me and was so patient with me. Especially when I've pushed you away so many times afraid of what was the truth. You're my little brother, I can't deny something like that," he whispered quietly.
Otori was shocked to find Atobe hugging him and saying such things.
"Half brother," he corrected.
"Still my brother. And I'll treat you like one."
"Thank you…"
--
Jiroh finished up cleaning for the afternoon only to have another customer come in. Atobe.
"Good evening," greeted Jiroh with a warm smile.
"Was it a bad time to come?" asked Atobe.
"No, not at all," answered Jiroh placing the broom into the backroom.
"Where's Mukahi?"
"Getting stuff to eat for us."
"I can talk to you right?" Atobe questioned hesitantly.
"Yeah sure. Is something happening?" replied Jiroh.
"I'm going to sound really crazy. I would talk to Oshitari, but it seems like he's busy at the moment," said Atobe grimly.
Jiroh laughed knowing what Oshitari was probably busy with.
"You've met Otori right? Shishido's boyfriend?" asked Atobe glancing at him.
"Yep, I've seen him. I didn't know that he was Shishido's boyfriend," answered Jiroh ushering them into backroom and closing and locking the shop knowing that Gakuto had a key. He took out a mat and started to make some tea from the stove.
"He's my brother. It ends up when I was about a couple months old that my father had an affair with another woman. I knew about that part but I didn't know that they bore a child," explained Atobe.
Jiroh sighed softly and sat down next to him.
"Isn't that a good thing though? I mean it means you have someone in your life other than your father. And yes I know about your mother; it was all over the news when the Multimillionaire Atobe family lost their mother and wife. But shouldn't it be a good thing Atobe?" he asked.
Atobe smiled and rolled his eyes.
"I wish I was as optimistic as you. It just seems odd at the moment to realize you have a brother that you thought you never had. Otori feels really bad about it. He thinks it's his fault and that he should be blamed when it's really my father's fault," he said.
"You did tell him it wasn't didn't you?"
"Of course I did! I told him that it wasn't his fault and that I was his brother and I'd take care of him. Matter of fact he's going to live with me. Shishido is living there too since Otori and him are together. Maybe I'll get to know him better," murmured Atobe.
Jiroh sat down tea on the table.
"And since you told me what was going on with you, I'll tell what's going on with Oshitari," he said.
Atobe blinked.
"Then tell away," he said.
"He's trying to get Gakuto. Right now it's a whole secret plan thing so you can't tell anybody. Not Oshitari. Not Gakuto. Nobody because I'm not even supposed to tell. So far Oshitari has been sending Gakuto love letters and texting him, thanks to me, but Gakuto had no clue who it is. But he already inwardly knows and is secretly hoping it's Oshitari when it really is him," explained Jiroh.
Atobe laughed at this.
"Oh wow! So the loveless novelist has finally made a move!" he exclaimed.
Jiroh grinned.
"I know. It's going to be great when Oshitari finally reveals himself. Gakuto will be so happy and so will Oshitari. They'll probably be so happy that they'll go back to Japan together to live," he said.
Atobe's smile turned into a frown.
"Wouldn't that leave you alone here to work?" he asked with concern in his voice.
Jiroh looked away and gave a half smile.
"I'm sure I'll be okay. I like it here. I honestly do, and I don't want to go back to Japan when I myself have no one to go back to. I'm better off here where I think everything is at," he answered quietly.
Atobe drank the rest of his tea.
"By the way, Christmas is in another week or so. I was wondering….what do you want me to get you?" he asked with a slight blush on his face.
"Don't get anything for me. I wouldn't be able to find anything for you then, you already have everything and anything I would get would be cheap," said Jiroh.
Atobe moved closer to Jiroh.
"I want to give you something anyway and if you don't tell me, then I already have something planned and I even would be able to give it to you right now," he said.
Jiroh's eyes went wide in shock.
"If it was something simple would you give it to me now?" he asked with a grin.
"Depends on how simple it is," Atobe answered.
Jiroh licked his lips slow and then bit them almost nervously and then looked up at Atobe with determined brown eyes.
"Kiss me Keigo," he purred.
Atobe went to that shocked look again but he didn't hesitate, with his lips trembling in nervousness or anticipation Jiroh wasn't sure, but they met his. It was soft and gentle kiss from someone that Jiroh ever imagined even getting such a gift from. They broke away from eachother when they heard keys go into the front door.
"Thank you Atobe," Jiroh murmured.
Atobe looked dazed but the look snapped when he saw Jiroh's friend walk into the backroom with bags in his hands curiously looking at the two of them.
"Ah, well I better not interrupt your dinner, I'll be seeing you later I suppose," said Atobe.
Jiroh looked at him almost pleadingly, "You promise?"
Atobe smiled softly, "I promise, Akutagawa." And with that he left.
--
Oshitari liked to muse. He helped him write and it helped him sort out his feelings without actually telling them to anyone. He current muse was on how he was going to confess to his beloved. Right now everything was one huge mystery game and it was thrilling both him and hopefully Gakuto. A beep on his cell phone interrupted his thoughts. It was official. Text messaging on a cell phone becomes addicting very easily.
'I'm so tired…and confused.-G'
Oshitari chuckled and replied back, 'Tired? What have you been doing to yourself to make you feel tired? And confused as well? It's a lovely mix if I do say so myself.-SA'
Oshitari tried to imagine what Gakuto would look like tired or how he'd act like. He couldn't exactly imagine it. Probably drowsy and all…
'I just got back from shopping is why I'm tired. Confused because my best friend is acting goofy right now, someone he'd had a crush on came over for a couple minutes and he has been all daydreamy since. He won't even tell me what happened!-G'
The writer's dark eyes lit up. Jiroh and Atobe, he knew it! Something happened. His heart leapt at such good news.
'Have you even tried asking him? What did you get at the store?-SA'
A reply came soon after.
'No, not exactly. It's my friend's business, and I got food.-G'
Grin.
'Ask him what happened. He'll eventually have to tell you.-SA'
There was no reply back but Oshitari left his phone on just in case there was a reply. He slid into the covers of his bed, removed his glasses, and let his eyes drift shut murmuring a quite, 'Night Gakuto, I love you…' under his breath.
(A/N: Sorry for delays, highschool and tennis have kept me busy! I'm almost finished with posting this story! Eek!)
