This is for pikeebo!
People are starting to hate Kazuki very badly. Don't worry; I'll clear all matters up, eventually. Just bear with me a bit longer, and I promise I'll deliver. Enjoy this latest installment!
By the way, the song at the ending (the one being played in Wataru's room) is the English translation of 1/3 no Junjou na Kanjou from Rurouni Kenshin. It was sung by Siam Shade.
Disclaimer: ONLY THE RING FINGER KNOWS does not belong to me. All elements below belong to Kannagi Satoru and its proper copyrights. The only things I do own are my original characters.
Note: These are not, I repeat, these are NOT the actual events of the fourth novel. This is what I guess you could call an alternate storyline. Please do not rely on this fic for information about the fourth novel or on any of the books, although I will be borrowing some scenes and events that took place there.
THE UNTOUCHED RING
Chapter Fifteen: Picking Up The Pieces
"This sucks," Kawamura said. "I know this is the last stretch for exams and stuff… but this is too much! I'm missing the prime of my youth!" Wataru shrugged and quietly continued to read his text book and jotting some notes. They were currently in his friend's room doing some serious studying before another barrage of exams was to sweep them over.
"Wataru," Kawamura called his attention. "How long do you think it'll take before your parents calm down or something?"
"Dunno," he answered honestly.
"Lucky your parents didn't murder you… If I was in your position, I seriously don't know how long I would've survived."
"Well… I seriously thought they would murder me. Karin was there, so the damage wasn't as great as expected. But it'll be a while before I can go home."
Though his parents weren't standing there too long, meaning they hadn't heard everything being talked about, they did however hear enough to know that their son was gay. And like any parent, they didn't take it lightly. Wataru had never seen his father so angry before. The last time he did, he was five or six years old and he had fallen from a cypress tree he had recklessly climbed. Although he only received minor injuries from that accident, his father's rage was unrelenting as it was now. Even his mother couldn't strike a word against her husband.
Seriously, Wataru thought he would be murdered. Luckily, though, Karin was there with him. She took up his defense, and it was probably because of her that he managed to get out of there unscathed. But he knew he couldn't stay in the same room as his folks—especially if they were still trying to absorb this newfound discovery about their son. He didn't wait for them to suggest it; he packed his bags and left home.
…Which brings him to staying with Kawamura's house, currently sprawled on the floor of his friend's messed up room with a textbook in hand. It had been three days since that incident. It was a miracle that he still found the urge to study especially after that violent turmoil. But studying was providing him with the perfect distraction to momentarily forget about all these jealousy games and rumors involving Kazuki Yuichi.
"Suzuki-sensei is horrible," Kawamura huffed, stretching his arms. "Sentence structures, fragments, clauses… it's all confusing! This is why he's called the Grammar Teacher from Hell!" As he was about to continue his ramble, the ring of his cell phone was heard. He glanced around, trying to find it, and opted to dig underneath the piles of books and paper scattered about. Finally finding it, he answered, "Hello? Ah, Mitsuki-san!"
Wataru perked up at the mention of the name. Although he would never really openly admit it, he was rather curious at the progression of the two's relationship. According to Kawamura, they had a connection—that was pretty much obvious. But they also weren't exactly together as in a relationship. They were still trying out dating, but nothing serious has developed. Wataru could tell, though, that Kawamura was doing his best to court her properly so as to earn her trust. It wasn't like how he and Kazuki got together. There was no courtship of flowers and candy, exchanging love letters, and going off to romantic dates. Their relationship came to rather quickly.
"Awesome," Kawamura squealed as he hung up. "She's coming over! This is so great!"
"Eh?" Wataru reacted. "She already knows your house?"
"Of course, silly. She's even met my family already. She gets along with them rather well. My old man keeps giving me the go-signal and stuff. Anyway, she'll be here in like twenty minutes."
"…Then I should leave…?"
"What're you talking about? Weren't you listening to what I said a while ago?"
Wataru flushed in embarrassment. He was absorbed in his thoughts regarding the two's relationship that he hardly paid attention to what was going on. "Study, Wataru, study!" Kawamura emphasized. "She's coming over to tutor. She's been helping me with my studies for some time now."
"Eh?? And when were you intending on telling me?"
"Sorry… It's just that… you always had either Kazuki or Asaka tutoring you. Both of them are A-grade students so I thought it wouldn't be a big deal if Mitsuki-san tutored me…"
"That's not the point… Anyway, I should still go."
"Wataru!"
"C'mon, it's your chance to be alone with her, Kawamura. I'll just go to the library and continue studying there."
"But Wataru…"
Wataru left no room for argument. He got his things together and left his friend's residence. In truth, he really thought it was best that he gave those two some space. He already felt bad for intruding on Kawamura and his family. They were very kind and hospitable. And since they had known each other since childhood, the guy's parents knew him well enough to allow him to spend a few nights at their house with no questions asked. In a portion of his mind, he truly wondered if he'd be able to go home soon.
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Wataru was at the intersection, waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green, when he heard a horn honking at him to catch his attention. Normal human reflex caused him to turn towards the sound, searching for the source. When he did, he was stunned to find a familiar silver station wagon parked near the curb. The driver was waving at him frantically.
"Asaka-san?" Wataru murmured, and approached the elder man. "What're you doing here?"
"Oh, just running a few small errands," Asaka replied, peeking from the window. "How about you? Off to do some studying?"
"I was on my way to the library. Although… there are some things that I still can't quite get…"
"I can help you study."
"Eh?" Wataru was quite startled by the brazen offer.
"I tutored you for the mock exam, didn't I? There's no problem for me if I do so again."
"Well, uh…" he hesitated.
"Come on. What could go wrong?"
"…Okay…" he got into the passenger seat of the car and waited for Asaka to drive off. This would be the third time that he's been in the man's car. During the earlier two times, he was having feelings of guilt wash over him because of the thought of betraying Kazuki. Even now he still felt that guilt… but there was no reason for him to feel guilty at all. They had already broken up after all. But that still did not rid the pang in his chest.
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The Atelier was a coffee shop known for fusing classic and modern styles together. The atmosphere of the place was very comfortable and gave off a homey feel. Wataru was never really picky about his tastes in setting and décor, as long as the coffee was good, that's all it mattered. According to Asaka, the Atelier is one of the coffee shops that he had come to adore. Since it was his dream to one day open a coffee shop of his own, he'd been scouring other cafes for more info. He's never been in the same coffee shop twice, except if he's really fond of that place. The old coffee shop run by the old couple remains his favorite, but at the moment, he didn't feel it was the right place to bring Wataru to.
With two cups of hot latte steaming on the side, the two boys quickly engaged themselves to studying. Asaka's gentle nature always helped Wataru put his mind at ease—allowing him to concentrate further. Looking at the older man, Wataru couldn't help think of him as cool and suave. Certainly Asaka is very attractive. Most women would definitely vie for his affection. But why he became the subject of Asaka's own affection still intrigued him. He couldn't remember doing anything of the sort that would make the elder man fall madly in love with him—aside from the fact he resembled the man's dead ex-girlfriend.
There really is a difference between Kazuki and Asaka, despite popular belief. Wataru can attest to that. But it's probably because he's the only one who's seen Kazuki's childish nature, something that the guy's fan club would certainly shed tears for if found out. He's also seen Kazuki lose his temper or go in a jealous rage. But it seems that Asaka, no matter the situation, maintains his composure. The only time Wataru's ever seen Asaka act upon impulse was when the man had confessed to him in broad daylight—in front of an entire crowd.
The love confession…
Suddenly remembering that incident, Wataru's cheeks flushed with color. How could he possibly forget something like that?! It was thanks to that, he's become the subject of rumor and gossip in school. Some of the rumors were nasty, saying that he "seduced" Kazuki's senpai. But unbelievably so, there were those who actually supported that newfound revelation of his sexuality, mainly the girls who were into gay romance novels and drama. But perhaps, it really isn't a good idea to spend time with Asaka just yet.
"This place isn't to your liking, Wataru-kun?" the elder man noticed his discomfort and posed the question. Wataru was taken back a bit, but recomposed himself and answered, "No… it's not that… It's just… I don't think it's a good idea to spend this much time with you…" Not only that, but the girls from the other tables were already staring at them, obviously marveling at Asaka's handsome face.
"We've had lots of time bonding, Wataru-kun. What's wrong in adding an extra hour or so?" the man added. "Besides, I thought you and Kazuki-kun have already broken up."
"Pffft!!!" Wataru choked on his latte. "H-He told you…?" he huffed, disbelieving that Kazuki would actually engage in a conversation with Asaka with that as the topic—most especially after hearing of the older man's confession.
"No, I just assumed it," Asaka stated with a playful grin on his face. "Koizumi-kun is in the same department as Kazuki-kun so they often see each other. He told me he's noticed how Kazuki-kun had been looking rather dull the past days, and he seems spaced out about something."
Wataru paused for contemplation. Koizumi is one of the members of Asaka's circle. Wataru has seen him fairly often in all of the worksites. Koizumi is probably also that same person who saw him and Asaka hugging in Asaka's car back in the summer, which led to a very jealous Kazuki.
"I was curious about it," Asaka continued. "So I went over to check it out. True enough, he looked terrible. Of course, a normal person wouldn't notice it though, since he's fairly good in keeping up faces. But I could tell something was bothering him—like heaven had just turned its back on him and cursed him for life." Wataru winced at the choice of metaphor. "The idea of you two breaking up was entirely a guess on my part. Your reaction confirmed it."
Sharp and perceptive, Wataru thought. Really, this man was able to dissect the simplest expression to something profound. For Wataru, that was really impressive. How he wished that he could also decipher this man's expressions. Up to now, he has only witnessed Asaka's gentle face and stern expression—both of which were filled with an air of confidence. For numerous times, he's always the one being supported and helped. Just once… he wanted to support him.
Him… Which him…? Asaka… or…?
"Wataru-kun?" Asaka called his attention. "Everything all right?"
"Y-Yeah… I'm fine…" he stuttered.
"…Well… I know this is too soon… since you just broke up with him and all, but… I would really like to go out with you properly."
"Eh?"
"I want to have a real date with you. The others and this one were all for the sake of your studies. And the ones we had a few weeks ago aren't real dates. Sayuri was there."
"Um…" Wataru had to ponder it for a moment. Is the rebound really supposed to be this quick? "Asaka-san… I, um…" He supposed that the time they went to a Chinese musical concert couldn't be considered a date as well. At that time, he was under the impression that he was invited in place of someone else. Plus, he wasn't even considering Asaka in a romantic sense back then. But this time, it'd be different. This time, he's well aware of the elder man's feelings towards him.
"Hm? Masanobu? And the dark-eyed boy as well…"
The strong voice knocked him out of his reverie. He looked at Asaka and saw the surprised look on his face. Curious, he turned around to find the owner of the voice, and let out a surprised gasp himself. "Sh—Shohei-san!" Wataru muttered. "What're you doing here?"
"Ah, oniichan!" the cute and familiar name-calling reached his ears. A small girl peeked from behind her father's legs and beamed brightly at him. "Oniichan is here!"
"Ta…kako?" he was dumbfound. Then he heard a woman's heels hurrying over to where they were. He stole a glance and saw the elder woman come upon them with a bright smile on her face.
"Sorry, dear," she said. "I thought I was holding her hand, but next thing I knew she broke away from me and hurried after you." Afterwards, she turned her attention to the young girl. "Why'd you hurry of like that, Takako-chan? You miss papa that much?"
"I'm thrilled to hear that, Kirie," Shohei spoke. "But I get the feeling it wasn't me she came in running here for." He motioned a glance at a confused Wataru who could only ask one question: What was Shohei doing here?
"Long time no see, oniichan!" Takako hummed and she latched herself on to Wataru's knee. Wataru smiled a bit and softly patted her head. "Takako missed oniichan very much!"
"Takako is really fond of you, Wataru-kun," Kirie spoke, and then turned her attention to her husband. "I'll go order something. You and Takako find us a good table." And with that, she went off leaving the three men and little girl.
Despite the presence of the little girl latched on his knee, he still felt uncomfortable being in the same place as Shohei. The man always had something up his sleeve, and Wataru really didn't know what to expect. As if reading his thoughts, Shohei took a seat next to Asaka and glanced at Wataru with an interesting expression in his eyes.
"Takako really likes you," the elder man spoke. "She's never been so attached with anyone before—not even to Yuichi or me."
Before Wataru could understand, he noticed the little girl climb on to his lap as if she was scaling a mountain. Afterwards, she placed herself in a comfortable position, peering at his scattered array of notes and papers. "Oniichan is studying for a test?" she asked innocently, and he could only nod in response. Takako shrugged her shoulders and continued to stare at them with great curiosity as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
"Speaking of Yuichi," Shohei continued. "I dropped by the house earlier today and had a small chat with Mizuho. Apparently, Yuichi's sweetheart broke up with him…"
"……"
"I'm quite impressed, Fujii-kun. It must've been a painful decision, but this is for the best."
"I… I just want to have Kazuki's best interests at heart…"
"And you do, Fujii-kun. You do. That's why I'm so pleased with it. Although, I do hope that my prying into you two's relationship wasn't the cause of the break-up at all."
"……" He didn't know if the man was apologizing or adding insult to injury.
"But Yuichi is being stubborn, as always. When I spoke with him, he said he wasn't going to let things slide—especially if I had a hand in it."
Wataru felt his heart thump a bit.
"As troublesome it may seem, I guess our agreement is still on."
"Agreement?" Wataru tilted his head. "What agreement?"
"Eh? About being Masanobu's lover…"
"What?!" both boys chorused.
"I… I never agreed to it…" Wataru said defensively.
"But I thought you wanted me to acknowledge you and Yuichi's relationship. After all, my approval is a big thing if you want to win over our parents, Fujii-kun."
Is he serious? Wataru thought. I already broke up with Kazuki. That's what he wanted right from the beginning. But why suddenly…?
"Shohei-san…" Asaka interrupted, reminding them that he was still there. "What are you…?"
"I'm sorry," Wataru uttered. "I… I have to go…" He gathered his things together and gently removed Takako from his lap, causing the young girl to pout a bit. He bowed his head in respect, and left the coffee shop without another word.
"Wataru-kun!" Asaka called out, raising himself from his seat. "Shohei-san, why'd you say those things?"
"Why not?" the man questioned. "I did say that I would help you, didn't I? By continuing to pretend being your lover, it raises the chances of him falling for you—especially now that he's broken up with Yuichi."
"Shohei-san, you…" Asaka uttered, not really seeing the connection between the two cases. "Never mind," he sighed. "It doesn't matter if you interfere anymore or not. I intend to pursue Wataru-kun purely and honestly." Using those words as a closing remark, he rushed after Wataru, leaving the older man to muse on the recent events.
"Huh? Where'd they go?" Kirie asked, returning with a tray of two cups of coffee, sandwiches, and a small plate of pasta for Takako. "Those two boys…"
"They had another engagement—"
"Papa drove them away," Takako cut in.
Kirie glanced at her husband as she placed the tray down on the table. "Darling," she said. "You haven't been doing anything devious, have you?"
"Me? Perish the thought, Kirie… Do you honestly believe that the man you love more than anything in this world could do something so devious?"
"Yes," she stated plainly, taking a seat and lifting Takako up on to the chair next to her. "After all, it was your deviousness that managed you to snag me as a wife."
Shohei let out a soft chuckle. "True. Very true…"
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"Wataru-kun! Wait!" Asaka called out as he chased after the boy.
Finally, he stopped in his tracks and turned to face the older man. "Asaka-san," Wataru muttered. "Sorry… I… shouldn't have acted like that…"
"Never mind," came the reply. "I'm actually glad that you didn't accept."
"Eh?"
"To pretend being my lover in exchange of acknowledging your relationship with Kazuki-kun… That's just too much for me to handle."
"Oh… I see…"
Wataru calmed his racing heart, and felt slightly embarrassed that he had gotten all worked up about it. He was about to apologize again, but the sight of Asaka's smiling face made his mind totally go blank. Why did the man have to look so handsome right at this moment?! Unable to control his bodily reactions, Wataru blushed a light shade of red. Noticing this, Asaka let out a restrained giggle. "That's good," he chuckled. "That's very good."
He laughed some more causing Wataru to be slightly irritated. He was about to voice his complaint, but he was stunned by the elder man suddenly grabbing hold of his wrist.
"Asaka-san?"
"Come with me, Wataru. There's something I want to show you."
"Um…" Before he could even give an answer, he was hauled off back into the man's car, leaving no room open for debate.
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"Kohai-chan! Long time no see!!" the members of the circle exclaimed. Wataru glanced uneasily at them and waved his hand. It was unbelievable that their club was still doing work at this time of the year. But seeing the fruits of their labor, there were only small things left to do before their work was complete.
"You came with Asaka?" Mitsuki asked, eyeing them suspiciously. Her presence at the club site could only mean two things. One, the tutoring session with Kawamura had finished early, or it was cancelled. Either way, Wataru would still hear about it later tonight.
"Never mind that," Asaka spoke, slinging an arm around Wataru. "I want to show him the room we've been working on."
"Oh, you mean the one that's almost finished? All right." Mitsuki silently watched as the two disappeared into the other room, but she couldn't get the image of Asaka's close proximity to Wataru out of her mind. Something's up.
The room that Asaka had been referring to was going to be the centerpiece of the building. Though they weren't in charge of the difficult structures, they still contributed to the design and layout. Wataru was pretty much impressed at how everything was placed together. It was something only to be expected from Asaka.
"What do you think?" the man asked.
"It's amazing. You've really outdone yourself."
"Well… I wanted to impress you…"
"Eh?"
"I wanted you to be amazed at me, and then look at me with admiring eyes."
The statement kind of surprised him. He wasn't expecting it coming—like the other encounters he's had with the man. The intense gaze in the old coffee shop, the first stolen kiss, the love confession, the list goes on… Of course, there was also the love-declaration—the most brazen thing ever done! And now that he was presently thinking about it, he suddenly became very aware that they were the only two people in the room.
He was alone with Asaka.
"Wataru-kun…"
Wataru felt his heart skip a beat. At the moment, he had his back turned to Asaka. He didn't want to turn around and meet the man's gaze—afraid of what might happen. But he did hear the click of the door, signaling it being closed. He gulped as his heart began to race at a certain pace once again. Afterwards, he heard footsteps approaching him closer… and closer…
"Asaka-san…" he uttered in a low and feeble voice. "I…!!" He paused in surprise has he felt the man's strong arms wrap around him, hugging him from behind. "A…saka-san…?"
"You've been avoiding the issue for some time now," the elder man spoke, his hot breath upon the nape of Wataru's neck. "And I get the feeling that you're purposely avoiding speaking about it."
"I… I don't know what you mean," he muttered nervously. He couldn't stop the heavy pounding of his heart as the arms wrapped around him pulled him closer, tighter into a fierce embrace.
"You know what I mean. My love confession… You've been deliberately avoiding the topic."
"I haven't…"
"That's just too cruel. I exposed my entire heart and soul to you, but you have yet to give me answer. What am I supposed to think?"
"……"
"Then I learn you broke up with Kazuki-kun. Doesn't that mean that I have a chance now?"
"Th-That's… It's too soon…! And I…"
"Hm?"
"…I don't know… how I truly feel about you, Asaka-san…"
"Hm… Then allow me to help you figure it out."
Asaka turned Wataru's body so that they were facing one another. And in the split second that soon followed, he swooped down and claimed the young boy's lips. The feel of being kissed made Wataru flinch, but luckily he was able to maintain himself. Placing his hands on the elder man's chest, he swiftly pushed him away, detaching their lips. He wasn't able to get away, though, since Asaka was able to grab hold of his arms, keeping him within reach.
"Asaka-san…" Wataru huffed. "I'm sorry, but… I can't… not right now…"
"Wataru-kun… You… you truly love Kazuki-kun, don't you?"
"Eh?"
"Then it's a good idea, isn't it? To accept Shohei-san's proposal… Be my lover even if it's just for show."
"A—Asaka-san?!" Wataru was dumbfounded. "Are you serious? Did you hit your head with something?"
The serious look on the man's face deprived him of that reasoning. He stumbled backwards until his back hit the wall, with Asaka's face looming sheer millimeters away from his. "It doesn't matter if it's for show," the older man said. "Because I'll still do what I can to make you fall in love with me for real. And when that happens… you and I will be real lovers."
"Eh…? Asaka-san…"
He was effectively silenced when hot lips descended on to his once again. Wataru tried to struggle back, but Asaka pushed his entire weight on him, forcing him back up against the wall. Their lips reconnected and Wataru's protests were drowned away by the growing passion. Asaka nibbled lightly on the boy's lower lip causing him to hiss. A tongue finally came out probing for entrance, and Wataru's mind began to race in a panic. He tried to struggle again, to break free from the elder man's grasp, but he was trapped and effectively kept in place. His hands that were supposed to be resisting and pushing him away were now clutching on to the man's sleeves for support, as if it was the only thing keeping him up.
The kiss continued to boggle his mind, making him see only blurry and hazy images. When did it get so hot in the room? Despite the thick layer of clothing he was wearing, the touch of Asaka's fingertips felt like fire, burning him and scorching him to ashes. The strong scent of cologne filled his nostrils and the taste of mint invaded his mouth. It was intoxicating and addictive. Little by little, the resolve he had put up was being destroyed.
"A…sa…ka-san…" he muttered, but was once again silenced when those strong lips reattached to his, bringing him over the edge. This was too much. His lungs hurt from not breathing properly, but he couldn't find the means to breath with such a deep kiss. It was getting physical.
"A…saka-san… stop…" Wataru gasped in the single moment his lips were released. Asaka's hot breath was still upon him, scorching him. He felt the elder man's lips descend down his chin then to his neck.
"I love you, Wataru…" Asaka whispered, his breath melting the sweat upon the boy's skin. He kissed Wataru's neck, and nibbled the skin teasingly, ensuring that something would be left behind. Upon feeling the man's teeth on him, Wataru writhed and tried to regain his strength. But his wrists were soon pinned to the wall on either side of his head. He gasped and wheezed, feeling Asaka's unmistakable passion.
"Please… Asaka-san… not…" he gasped, trying to at least find his voice to resist. But it was getting more and more difficult to do so. This intensity was overwhelming, and it was consuming him. "Stop…" He closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to escape reality. But when he did, his mind provided him with the images he wanted to see… he wanted to touch… he wanted to feel…
Kazuki…
It felt hot.
Kazuki…
He was losing it.
Kazuki…
Someone had better stop him.
"What are you doing?" a voice called from the door. Startled at the intrusion, the two boys quickly detached themselves from one another, but a click of Asaka's tongue was heard, probably in disappointment. Wataru's face was burning red with color. What had he just done? How could he not have heard the door opening? But more importantly, was he just making out with Asaka?! And to be discovered no less!
"What are you two doing?" the stern question was presented again; the icy tone and cold demeanor of the voice could not go unnoticed, as if it held intensifying rage. Wataru finally turned his attention to the owner of the voice, but was struck with shock and surprise.
"Kazuki…"
To be continued…
I'm really sorry if the updates are getting slower and slower. These days I'm obsessed with Yellow by Tateno Makoto. It's a really good yaoi manga. Plus, I really love the relationship between Goh and Taki—an open gay and arguably straight guy. It's now in my list of yaoi titles that should get animated.
Anyways, see you all in the next update!
Next chapter: Separate Ways
