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Coffee Shops and Cameras
Chapter 12
"Left!"
"Right!"
"Up!"
"Left!"
My feet slammed against the LED lights of the DDR machine, Kaoru beside me looking almost as serious about the battle as I was. His eyes were wide and unblinking, as if he were afraid he'd miss a move.
"Down! Down!" The machine sang out over the electronic beat and my feet fought to recline backwards whilst keeping my balance. As the song drew to an end Kaoru began to cheer with premature victory, as his points went up and up and up alongside mine.
"Still the king!" He pumped the air, "Don't feel bad Haru-chan" he winked as the final scores appeared on screen.
I was panting with exhaustion as I leaned back against the railing, smiling in Kaoru's direction, "Best...*pant pant* 4 out of 7?"
"If I have to watch you guys butcher another J-Pop song I'm going to blow my brains out" Hikaru spoke up from behind us.
"You didn't have to watch you know? You could have had a turn" I said, lowering down to my knees and resting my arms and chin on the rail.
"Seeing Kaoru dance gave me an unwelcome insight into what I'd look like. Even though he's not me I still feel like a moron"
"Hey!" Kaoru gasped, "You used to love DDR"
"When I was like 14" Hikaru replied.
"So? You're only 28, you're not dead yet" the younger twin hopped down off the platform, and extended his hand to help me off my own.
"Today is about fun" I said, "Letting go of everything and just enjoying yourself. You know? Downtown sundown, highway don't care, fight for your right to party?"
"Are those song references?"
"Maybe"
"I have a reputation" Hikaru crossed his arms, "it's bad enough I let you drag me to this...commoner arcade..."
"Your reputation is appalling" I raised an eyebrow, "Maybe if people see you having fun like us /commoners/ they'll see you in a different way. A better way"
Hikaru rolled his eyes, "Can we at least do something I find fun?"
"Sure. As long as it doesn't involve overindulgent drinking, strippers, lap dances or throwing rocks at the homeless"
"Well there goes my plans"
"How about an evening out?" Kaoru suggested, "Commoner style"
"Can we please stop referring to me as a commoner?" I furrowed my brows.
"Like what exactly?" Hikaru questioned, ignoring me completely.
"Well like Haru-chan said, if you're seen out relating to normal people they might not think you're the asshole you really are" Kaoru explained, "We could go for dinner? For drinks? Oh it's so exciting! Commoner party!"
"Hey!" I frowned.
"So what does that mean? An evening at a dive bar followed by a cheeseburger at a drive through?" Hikaru scoffed.
"You know, us "poor" people, aren't as terrible and boring as you think" I crossed my arms defiantly, "call your friends" I said, "we may as well make a night of it"
"Hell yeah!" Kaoru clapped his hands in celebration. In that moment he and Hikaru didn't even look related, let alone twins. Kaoru's expression verses Hikaru's were the polar opposites of each other. Hikaru's frown seemed to age him, making him look more like a grumpy middle aged man rather than the young model he was. I could see his teeth grinding against his cheek.
Without thinking I reached out to place a finger on the swell of his lower lip. The moment I touched him he froze, the chewing of his teeth stopping.
"You'll hurt yourself if you do that" I mumbled, "...wouldn't want to do anything that would make complaining difficult would we?"
He raised an eyebrow in reply, but I noticed some of the resignation fade away as I slowly withdrew my hand.
Kaoru summoned the troops a few hours later, and by late afternoon they showed up one by one at my Dad's apartment (much to my dissatisfaction) thankfully Dad was at work and luckily wouldn't be witness to a group of rich boys squeezing into our tiny little home. Kaoru said it was to help immerse us into the "commoner" mind-frame. At that comment I could only roll my eyes.
"It's even more depressing than I remember" Hikaru grumbled as he and his brother took seats at the breakfast table.
"I think it's...charming" Kaoru smiled.
I could tell he was lying, but thanked him for the compliment regardless. I passed out coffee as the men filtered in, pulling up outside in their flashy cars that gained many curious looks from the neighbours. Even Mrs Ushi knocked on the door and asked me if I was in some kind of trouble. In this area expensive cars could only mean Yukuza. No one important came to this part of Bunkyō unless something sketchy was going on.
"So this is where you grew up Haru-chan?" Honey asked with a smile as he scooped his 6th sugar into his cup.
"Pretty much" I said, "Dad and I moved here when I was 8"
"It's cute! Like a little doll's house!" He beamed brightly.
"Do you have a kotatsu?" Tamaki asked excitedly, "I went to a small apartment once and they had a kotatsu in the middle of the room!"
I furrowed my eyebrows, "Well...we do but we only really get it out in the winter..."
"Could we use it for lunch?" He grinned.
"Leave her alone" Kyoya interjected, nudging the tall blonde with his elbow, "Ignore him. He's had a fascination with those things since he moved to Japan"
I gave him a confused look, "You're not from Japan?" I questioned.
Tamaki shook his head, "Not originally. My mother is French"
"So you were born in France?"
"Oui mademoiselle" he winked.
I sipped my coffee, "Très intéressant"
Tamaki grinned back in delight.
"So what's the plan?" Hikaru cleared his throat, "Because I'd really rather not spend all day drinking this dirty water you call coffee"
"It can't be that bad, you're already on your second cup" I teased.
"I have a feeling I'm going to need my energy to make it through the day" he replied.
I rolled my eyes, "Well, I know this place we can go for dinner. It's nothing special but it does the best seafood in town"
"Just because it says that on the laminated menus doesn't mean it's true" Hikaru murmured.
"And just because the magazines say you're an /eligible/ bachelor doesn't make that true either" I quipped back, emphasis on the poorly selected word - eligible.
"Claws away children" Kaoru spoke up, "We're in Haruhi's world tonight Hika, so show some respect"
The older twin took a deep breath, but said nothing.
"Anyway" I continued, "Then after dinner I thought we could go to one of my favourite bars. We can get Hikaru to talk to some /normal/ people"
Hikaru quirked an eyebrow,"And by normal you mean...?"
"I mean people who won't put up with your spoilt rich boy shit and won't hesitate to punch that pretty face of yours if you do anything to piss them off or insult them" I replied.
"You think I'm pretty?" He smirked.
I rolled my eyes again, "Unless you guys have any ideas of what we could do?"
"That all sounds good to me" Kaoru smiled. The other men murmured in approval, and Kyoya extended a thumbs up gesture without even looking up from his phone.
I then studied them all one by one, taking in the bespoke suits and Rolex watches. They would attract far too much attention dressed like that. Where we were going no one could even afford the items they were wearing, let alone wore them in public. I frowned, "First things first" I said, "You all need to change"
"Even me?" Hikaru replied, looking down at his t shirt that literally had a magazine cover photo of him on it.
"Especially you"
HIKARU
2 hours and several outfit changes later, the group rejoined outside of a small sushi restaurant not too far from the Fujioka apartment. It was located around the back of a row of stores and seemed to be pretty hidden down a dark looking alleyway. The second Hikaru saw it, he turned to escape, but the other men were awestruck with curiosity.
"This is...horrifying" Hikaru grumbled, staring at the wooden door. The outside of the restaurant was actually kind of pretty, the window was old and elegant, and the comforting glow inside was homey and warm. But it was in an alleyway. A dark, damp alleyway. Like a setting where you'd abandon a corpse wrapped in a rug.
"Give it a chance" Haruhi nudged him, "I think you'll be surprised"
Hikaru was doubtful.
The group walked inside and were met by soft music, and greeted by a tall man dressed in casual jeans and an orange t shirt with the restaurant's name on the front. He opened his arms and grinned, then surprised them all when he pulled Haruhi in for a bear hug.
Who the fuck is this clown?
"Haru" he laughed, "There's my favourite girl"
"Hey Arai" Haruhi beamed in reply, "I've brought you some business"
"I can see that" the man named Arai replied, withdrawing from the petite brunette who practically disappeared between his large arms. Hikaru took a moment to study him, he must have been in his late 20's similar to the rest of the group, his hair was short and a dusty blonde colour, and his build showed off an obvious love of sport and exercise. And that cheery shit-eating grin on his face told Hikaru that he was far too happy about Haruhi being there.
"I want them to have the full Kuze Sushi experience" Haruhi grinned at the group.
"Not a problem, I've got the perfect table" Arai waved for them to follow, flashing Haruhi a wink as he lead them towards a table in the corner of the restaurant.
"This place is so adorable!" Honey said as everyone took their seats in the curved booth.
"It's tiny" Hikaru mumbled.
"It's cozy" Haruhi replied, "You're being rude"
"I'm being honest"
"I like it" Kaoru smiled, "When did you find this place?"
"Arai's family opened it decades ago, they gave me a job when Arai and I were at the same school" Haruhi replied, "He runs the place now"
"He's nice" Honey beamed, "He seems to really like you"
"We're good friends" Haruhi shrugged, "We have been since we were like...10"
For some reason that comment didn't sit right with Hikaru. He watched from across the room as Arai spoke to a guy next to one of the back doors, he shot glance after glance Haruhi's way. The way he looked at her made Hikaru's fists clench. 16 years of friendship? Didn't look like friendship to him.
Wait, what did he care again?
Oh yeah.
Haruhi was his toy.
Not Arai's.
He could fuck right off if he thought he could get a good lasting look at her.
"Everything looks so good" Honey beamed, "Haru-chan you should choose your favourites!"
"Can't be that good" Hikaru scoffed, "it's so cheap" he didn't even have to look at the menu to prove his point, plus he was too busy sizing up Arai to even notice that there was a menu in front of him.
"Arai will choose us a selection" Haruhi replied confidently, "You guys can order anything else you think looks good" she looked to Hikaru beside her, who finally lowered his eyes to the menu in disdain.
She gave him a nudge and rested her han on his leg, "Come on" she said quietly, "We're trying remember?"
Hikaru shifted in his seat. He could feel every individual digit of her hand gripping the top of his thigh. His pants seemed to tighten at the sensation as he imagined her hand trailing higher, under his jeans, her soft slender fingers touching his bare skin...
"Okay" he hissed out.
Haruhi smiled to herself before withdrawing her hand. Hikaru would have been lying if he'd said he wasn't disappointed that she hadn't left her palm lying there against him. The meal would have been a lot more bearable feeling her touch so close to his stiffening manhood.
Arai delivered 2 trays worth of interesting looking sushi after handing out everyone's drinks. Hikaru was once again interested to see Haruhi ordering herself a straight whiskey, same tastes as him, although the whiskey they stocked in this place was no where near what he would call acceptable. It was gutter water compared to the stuff Hikaru kept at home. He swigged back a large gulp of water as he hesitantly took a bite out of a tuna makizushi, trying to wash it down like a pill as fast as he could.
'Goddammit' he thought to himself as his mouth exploded into flavour. He held back a groan as his back teeth ached from how good it tasted. Haruhi hummed happily beside him, snapping open crab leg after crab leg with a look of pure joy on her face. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying their food too.
Without making it obvious, Hikaru managed to sneak some more rolls and makizushi, but Haruhi won for putting away the most, with Tamaki coming up a close second.
"Oh my god that was amazing" Kaoru murmured through a full mouth of rice, "Can we take the chef home with us?"
"I don't think Olivier would be too pleased with that" Haruhi chuckled.
"Wow" Arai whistled and crossed his arms as he approached the table, nodding his head in approval as he assessed the damage, "you guys can sure eat. Everything good?"
Haruhi grinned brightly, "It was delicious, as always"
"Room for dessert?"
A chorus of full bellied "Not me" sung out around the table.
Arai laughed, "If you're sure, I'll get this cleared up for you"
In record time the table was cleared, cleaned and a check was laid out in front of them, small biscuits left beside it on a small silver tray. Although probably not real silver - Hikaru concluded.
Overall, the meal was one of the nicest (not that he would admit it) and cheapest meals he'd ever had. He'd bought socks more expensive, and that was no exaggeration.
"So where are you guys headed now?" Arai asked as he processed everyone's cards.
All eyes met Haruhi. She was, after all, in charge.
"I was thinking of taking everyone down to UNIT" she smiled.
"UNIT huh? Giving them the full experience I see..."
"Thought I would throw them right in at the deep end" Haruhi's face lit up with a smirk, "Hey, when do you finish?"
"I'm the owner, I finish when I want"
"Do you maybe want to tag along?"
Hikaru's eyes practically burst from their sockets, and his stomach dropped to the floor, "I think there's enough of us"
"Nonsense" Haruhi waved off his comment, "the more the merrier"
"Yeah! A friend of Haru-Chan's is a friend of ours!" Honey beamed.
"I was under the impression that this evening was for just the 7 of us" Hikaru grumbled, not attempting to hide the snide tone of his voice. He was then hit by a hard kick from under the table, "Ow" he hissed.
"Be nice" Kaoru scolded.
Arai furrowed his eyebrows, "If...there's a problem then-"
"No" Haruhi cut him off, "Not a problem. I could do with some help keeping these rich boys in line"
Hikaru couldn't help but feel like that comment was mostly directed at him.
Arai shrugged, "Sure, sounds like fun"
Fuck - was all that went through Hikaru's mind. Suddenly he was overcome with a possessive urge to caveman carry Haruhi out of there, clubbing Arai on the way with a heavy log. He hated the way she looked at him, and he hated the way he looked back at her. The last week had been about Hikaru and Haruhi, who the hell did this guy think he was barging in on that? They had a great frenemies thing going. They went back and forth at each other like a cat and a rabid dog. There was no room for another interfering asshole. That role was already taken.
"Hika?" Kaoru spoke up. Hikaru shook himself out of his inner ramblings and looked up, seeing that everyone else had gotten up from the table and were waiting for him by the door.
"You're not chickening out are you?" Haruhi smirked.
Hikaru met her challenging stare, then panned to see Arai, who flashed him the cockiest knowing smirk possible. A smirk that clearly said - I've got this in the bag.
"Wouldn't dream of it" Hikaru replied. Then glared back at Arai. A glare that responded to that smirk with the words -
Touch my toy, and you're dead.