Two
Kamitani Hayato has no idea why he has joined the babysitting club.
At first he thought the reason was simple, because he got dragged away in the middle of the baseball practice, by the little kid who is his classmate, Kashima Ryuuichi's brother. Usaida told him that Kotaro was trying to "invite" him to join the club. He didn't think much and he decided to hand in the form and become a member.
Later on, Hayato finds out other underlying reasons.
One: His annoying brother is in the daycare. It doesn't feel right to let Kashima alone to do all the troublesome work.
Two: All Usaida does is sleep, sleep, sleep and sleep. Hayato needs to make sure that that guy doesn't push all the work to Kashima. He knows the well-tempered boy will just let Usaida slack and instead Ryuu will do everything by himself. No, Usaida is paid for the job! Hayato needs to be there and kick the lazy guy awake.
Three: Kashima has a tendency to agree to help anyone in need. If Hayato isn't there to watch over him, everyone is going to push some troublesome work to him. For god's sake! He has a little brother and a bunch of toddlers to take care of!
Before Hayato manages to count to the fourth reason, he stops his train of thoughts...
Come to think of it... Kashima seems to be the main reason that he joins the club.
Well, he shrugs, whatever the reasons are, he just feels that he has to stay near Kashima and ensure that he is fine.
Because he is a soft-hearted idiot
Sliding open the door of the daycare room, Hayato raises an eyebrow. Something strange is happening; Ryuu is feeding Kotaro with a milk bottle. For some reason, the toddler just keeps drinking the milk happily without any doubt. Ryuu is looking outside the window with a distant expression, obviously paying no attention on what he is doing.
'I thought Kotaro has quit drinking milk from a bottle long ago?' he asks, picking up Takuma, who is clinging to his leg. He is still worshipping Kamitani. The cheerful kid rushes and pounds on him whenever he enters the room.
As if got snapped, Ryuu turns and glimpses at Hayato, then at his little brother in his arm.
'Eh?!' he gasps, taking away the bottle at once 'Why's Kotaro here?'
His little brother giggles and points at the bottle, 'Milk, tasty!'
Hayato sighs. If it was Taka, he would definitely scream and tell Ryuu that he isn't a little baby anymore. Actually Kotaro should have said something. But he is just a sweet good little kid who is so well-behaved that he won't complain at all even if something is wrong.
Just like his big brother.
'Is something bothering you?' Hayato asks while lifting up Taka, who is getting jealous of Takuma, yelling that it isn't fair and 'that's my aniki' .
Well, just use these two guys as weights.
'Huh?' replies Ryuu. He is busy making a new bottle of milk for Midori '… nothing.'
Hayato could guess the reply before he got one from Ryuu.
'Whatever,' he shrugs, a bit annoyed 'Tell me when you want to.'
Hayato knows that it's no use asking if Ryuu doesn't want to talk. Maybe he can get the answer if he insists. But he doesn't want to. There is no point at all if Ryuu isn't willing to share his problems.
That's the only thing he hates about Ryuu. He just doesn't rely on anyone, keeps trying to deal with all the problems and sadness by himself.
Yet, Hayato has no right to complain, since he's the same type of person.
What he can do now is to stay near him and wait.
'Thanks, Kamitani,' again, Ryuu forces a smile on his face ' but I'm fine.'
Instead of replying, Hayato just narrows his eyes and sends him a skeptical look. Then he walks to the side and starts doing his usual muscle training with his two 'weights'.
'You're still doing this, aren't you?' Ryuu asks, sweat-dropped. He doesn't stop Hayato though as he knows the kids won't get hurt in the cool-looking teen's hands.
Kataro opens his mouth and starts clapping while he is watching.
It is already seven o'clock when Hayato reaches home. The baseball practice is getting late today.
Taka is using some cardboards to make a shield. He has been doing that for a while. Hayato quickly walks to his room before the toddler starts bugging him and tries to talk him into making the toy together.
Sometimes Hayato wonders where all Ryuu's patience comes from. Little kids are so, sooooo annoying and troublesome. He puts down his schoolbag on the floor and sits down, flips through a baseball magazine but isn't really reading.
Kotaro is a different case though. He rarely asks for attention. The little kid just holds back and sits quietly at the side.
If Kataro was his brother, maybe he would play with him all the time. It just makes his heart ache seeing the kid's behaviour. He is just a little older than a baby!
Then Ryuu comes to his mind. He is not much better than his little brother.
Kashima is going to suffer alone quietly again if I don't do something…
He sighs for the countless time. It would be much easier if Ryuu just relies a bit more on him.
The door of his room opens, Shizuka's head appears behind it "Hey, Hayato, you're home,' she says, opening the door wider 'Dinner is ready.'
'Okay, I'll be there soon,' he answers, looking back at the magazine.
'Alright then,' she turns to leave but stops ' Oh! I almost forgot. Where is your reply slip?'
This time, he looks up 'What slip?'
'The one about the parents' day next month. You have lost it again, haven't you? I don't care. You look for it after dinner, understand?' she leaves before he can say anything.
Hayato thinks he knows what's bothering Ryuu now.
It takes him some time before he knows exactly when the chairman will be in her office. It turns out that she has meetings until the evening. He manages to make an appointment with Saikawa though. He promised to let the chairman know Hayato wants to meet her.
The only thing left to do is to talk to Kashima about it
He has a feeling that it's not going to be easy. Ryuu can be very stubborn if he wants to be.
He waits until most of the kids got picked up by their parents. Saikawa enters the daycare room just after the twins have left.
'Saikawa-san? Why are you here?' Ryuu asks, puzzled.
'Could you please take care of our brothers for a while?' Hayato requests, grabbing Ryuu's arm at the same time ' I have to talk to Kashima alone for a while.'
The butler is gracious as usual, 'That would be my pleasure, Hayato-sama.'
'Wait, Kamitani…' ignoring the shorter teen's protest, Hayato drags him out of the room and walks into an empty classroom nearby.
Once they are alone, the atmosphere becomes a bit awkward. It looks like a scene that would appear in a shoujo manga.
'Er… What's going on?' Ryuu asks, fidgeting a bit, visibly nervous.
'Don't look as if I'm going to beat you up,' Hayato says, scratching his hair 'You haven't told the chairman about the parents' day, right?'
Ryuu's eyes widen but look away the next moment 'I… Obaasan is busy. She wouldn't have time,'
Hayato just knew it, 'Have you talked to her?'
He shakes his head
The taller teen lets out a long breath, ' Why not? You have to tell her. She is your guardian now.'
'I know I should,' he agrees and smiles bitterly ' but I don't know why… I just can't…'
'You're having those negative thoughts again, aren't you?'
Ryuu looks at him right in the eyes, dark, misty orbs reflect his image for a moment. Then, he smiles again, this time less sadly. ' I guess I am.'
'Spill it out.'
'Then I'm going to get smack on my head right?'
'Do I really hit people that often?' Hayato clicks his tongue 'I won't hit you. Now talk.'
It takes a few moments before Ryuu replies.
' Obaasan just sprained her back recently. When I saw her lying on the floor, I panicked. My hands were shaking so much that I couldn't even use my phone to call an ambulance…'
Hayato stays quiet and listens.
'Luckily she was fine. But then, I tried to think about what I can do for her and realized how little I can help. Saikawa-san takes care of her well. He does all the housework and helps her with her work. All I do is to trouble her with the responsibility of being my guardian… Baasan is getting old and she's so busying as the chairman of this academy…'
Ryuu's voice is shaking from the middle of the conversation, tears silently sliding down his face.
Still keeping quiet, Hayato frowns slightly and lets him finish talking.
'I feel so useless…When she agreed to let Kotaro and I stay with her, I was so relieved and glad. I want to do something for her… I don't want to be her burden.'
Hayato feels really annoyed now. If he didn't promise not to hit him, he will smack his over-thinking head. 'Where do these crappy thoughts come from?' he chides angrily, pinches Ryuu's cheek hard.
'Awwww… it hurts!' Ryuu yells, more tears falling off
That doesn't count as hitting. Hayato smirks, his mood improves a bit.
'That's for you being stupid,' he announces ' Who says you are being a burden? Of course you've helped her! You're taking care of the kids at the daycare for free right? You keep her company during festivals, have dinner with her, chat with her every day. Most importantly…'
Hayato pauses, glances at Ryuu and makes sure that he is listening, which he is.
'You lessen her pain of losing her son,'
Ryuu's eyes widen. He hasn't realized any of these until Hayato has talked to him.
'Do I really…?' he hesitates ' so I'm not baasan's burden?'
Hayato doesn't understand. Ryuu is the same age as him but he is the exact opposite of him. He never considers himself, hates to impose on or bother others, willing to sacrifice himself, agree to help anyone even if he will be in trouble.
Ryuy is too gentle, too considerate. Hayato begins to feel the familiar ache in his heart. He feels hurt because of all the pain that Ryuu has to bear.
Without thinking, Hayato pulls him into his arm, just like the way when it was Ryuu's birthday. 'The next time you call yourself a burden, I will hit your head until you get some sense into your thick head.'
This threat-like declaration doesn't sound like what someone would say while they're hugging someone.
But it sounds extremely like what Kamitani would do
Ryuu thinks fondly, hugging back a little. He couldn't help but laughs.
Hayato may look really intimidating sometimes but he is a very gentle person. He has known it from the first time they met.
'What's so funny?' Hayato grumbles, feeling embarrassed suddenly
'Nothing,' he says ' Thanks Kamitani. You are always the one who saves me in the end.' Ryuu steps back a bit, wipes away his tears and smiles at the taller teen.
'That's nothing,' Hayato mutters, not immune to his overly warm smile at all 'I think we should go to see the chairman now. She is expecting to see us soon.'
'Okay,' Ryuu grins, looking much better now 'But I mean it! Thanks for staying by my side all the time. I'm not sure what to do without you.'
Not used to being thanked so genuinely, Hayato says, ' You don't need to thank me every time I do something because…'
Hayato stopped at the mid-sentence. He wants to say because we are friends. But somehow it doesn't feel right. Why not? Of course they are friends. Last time Ryuu said so too.
'Kamitani?' seeing his scowling face, Ryuu gets a bit worried.
'Let's go,' Hayato says, grabbing his arm. This time he has a strange feeling in his heart. It feels like it's beating harder than usual.
He doesn't know what's wrong with him.
Whatever, now I have to deal with Kashima's problem first.
He thinks, ignoring the feeling and walks towards the chairman's office with long strides.
To be continued