Author's Note: So, as promised, I have the new chapter out! I liked how this one turned out; however, fair warning that there be lots of swearing ahead. I did give it a T rating for a reason XD I wasn't as consistent with the swearing in the previous chapters because of romantic reasons, but with the introduction of a character who may sound familiar... it had to get at least a little spicy.
Anyway, enjoy!
It had been another few days or so for Shun while he was staying at Alice's house. The lovely spring weather had hardly changed and the days remained sunny and simple. Clouds would occasionally pass over the bright blue sky and gentle gusts of wind would sometimes pass by, but those were as bad as it got; everyday was always nice.
As per usual, Shun lay lounging upon the couch in the living room. His blankets cushioned the space under him, despite the couch being one of the most plush of couches he had ever sat on. A fluffy pillow held up his head, and his arms were folded back, his hands supporting the back of his head as he stared up at a wall, as if he was contemplating life's issues while deep in thought. He was now dressed in different clothes from what he had come in; the black hoodie, purple t-shirt, and black jeans he had arrived in were now washed and neatly folded in the closet space in the unused guest room. Today, Alice had recommended a white graphic tank top with black sweatpants, and he tossed over a green and black button-up plaid hoodie for extra comfort.
Alice had also gone on another little shopping trip, so the house was empty, unnaturally silent besides the chirping of birds outside. While Shun normally liked silence, he didn't really like it in Alice's house; he always liked hearing the noises of her bustling about, rustling through cabinets or tilting pans filled with sizzling oil, or setting tables with plates or sweeping around the floors. It wasn't as if these sounds were especially loud; they were just loud enough to make the quiet atmosphere still seem homy.
Because of this, Shun had put a pair of earplugs into his ears and for once, turned on his iPod. He rarely ever used it; he wasn't exactly the most tech-savvy person that he knew, and the only real electronic that he used frequently was his computer back at home so he could chat with his friends, but Dan had bought it for him as a present one year, so he usually kept it on him as some sort of keepsake. He had never really thought of actually using it until now.
And thankfully for him, Dan had loaded up the thing with songs already; all filled with nothing but dubstep and heavy metal.
He wasn't quite sure why, but at the moment, it was enough to fill up the lack of noise in the house. More than enough, in fact; one heavy bass drop or one gut-wrenching guitar solo after another made him feel more at ease as the beats and riffs filled his ears, and the room felt less quiet.
The thought of him actually putting technology to use that wasn't his computer amused him, and it brought a small smile to his lips. His grandfather was the type of guy who rejected all advancements in technology and forced the family to follow traditional Japanese customs instead. The only thing his grandfather had allowed him to have at all was his computer, after a great deal of begging, since all of his friends were using them to chat with each other online, face-to-face. That's how they had all met in the first place; through the Internet. With the exception of Dan and Shun having been childhood buds.
And then it occurred to him; hadn't he... brought his cellphone with him...?
He could've sworn that he had carried something in his pockets while he had traveled. Something that he had played around with while his hands were shoved in his pockets...
It had been in his black hoodie, hadn't it.
And it had just been washed. For like, the billionth time.
Shit.
Shun immediately leapt off the couch and sprinted over to the hallway down to the room with the washing machine inside of it. The sheer level of panic that he had managed to reach in less than two seconds had raised his heartbeat relentlessly and his breath went quick as he charged down the hall. The damn thing had cost his grandfather a lot of money and if it had gone in the washing machine AND the dryer, he was fucked for sure. He practically barreled through the door after he fumbled shakily with the door handle and burst into the room, bare feet landing hard on tiled ground.
He flicked on the lightswitch and dove his hands into the blue laundry basket which sat on top of the dryer, groping through the clothes for the familiar fabric of his hoodie. He handled through jeans, cottons, silks, even stopping himself abruptly when his fingers felt along the underwire of a lacy bra; his hands practically moved themselves and he flinched back, his cheeks feeling warm. Shun then searched back into the basket and gripped a recognizable hood.
Shun pulled the hoodie from the basket and his hands clumsily went for the pockets; one pocket, then the next. And to his horror, but also surprise, they were empty.
It was then that he took the moment to actually begin looking around the room, and his eyes fell on the small black device that lay on one of the shelves.
Alice had searched his hoodie long before putting it into the washing machine.
"Thank God," Shun muttered, the relief flooding into him as he released a long exhale. Alice must have forgotten to tell him that she had found his phone. He eased his breath and leaned back against the washing machine, his arms holding him up.
Shun then reached over to the phone and reluctantly turned the phone on.
To find at least over 200 messages.
Shun scrolled through and realized he had 63 missed calls and over 130 texts.
At first he was shocked; no one usually hardly ever sent him anything, and he maybe got a text once every two or three days, and rarely a call ever came. Only Dan ever really took the time to ring him up or ask him how he was doing. But then he began to realize why there had suddenly been such a huge uproar as he began reading past the little pieces of words from the texts, and who the senders were.
Shun had never told anyone that he'd be going off to Russia.
In his missed calls, he had 6 from Marucho, 5 from Julie, 4 from Runo, 11 from Dan; even some other people, like 10 from Komba, 1 from Chan, 4 from Joe, 3 from Klaus, 7 from Ace, of all people; there were dozens of texts sent from them all as well, including a long string of 50 from his best friend. Several messages from family members who still didn't know what a phone was... It was as if everyone had used every means they had to try to contact and communicate with him.
Now if only he had actually thought that people may have worried about him.
Shun then started putting himself in his friends' shoes; a friend seeming alive and healthy and normal, doing well (mostly well) in everyday life, until one day they just disappeared, never telling them a word about their whereabouts; if they had just left, if they had been kidnapped, if they had been even killed. They never called or texted or let anyone know where they were, with friends even blowing up their phone with messages and they still didn't pick up. It almost brought a shiver down his spine; he would have been worried too if something like that happened to one of his teammates.
As he scanned through the countless amount of texts, Shun wondered who the first person to contact should be. He found his default answer as his finger tapped on Dan Kuso's name in his contacts.
- Shun Kazami: Hey, man
Shun cringed a second later at the horribly casual tone that the text sounded like. But he wasn't sure how else to seem, so he kept going with it.
- Shun Kazami: Um, did something happen?
After a few quiet seconds, Shun just sighed and turned off his phone, slipping it into his sweatpants pocket. Dan would either frantically respond in seconds or was just asleep and wouldn't notice. He decided not to think about it for now and wait for him to respond.
Shun was about to trudge lazily back over to the living room until he felt a sharp row of vibrations in his pocket, buzzing one after the other, at least seven to eight times. He flinched sharply, remembering uncomfortably that the phone's weight in his pocket had caused the object to sink dangerously close to his crotch. His hand shot into his pocket and pulled the device out, quickly typing in his pass code before finding the stream of texts showing up.
- Dan Kuso: where
- Dan Kuso: thE FUCK
- Dan Kuso: HAVE YOU BEEN
- Dan Kuso: YOU FREAKING MORON
Even though they weren't face to face, Shun could feel the guilt sinking in faster than an anchor hitting the bottom of the ocean, his cheeks heating up slightly. He never thought he'd had to learn not to make his friends worry the hard way.
He walked back into the living room, his eyes still glued to the phone screen, and flopped gently on to the couch, before formulating his reply.
- Dan Kuso: ANSWER ME DAMNIT
- Shun Kazami: Look I'm sorry I didn't tell you anything
- Dan Kuso: YOU BETTER BE
- Dan Kuso: just where the hell are you?
Shun paused before he typed in his next answer. He obviously had to come clean to Dan and tell him that he was in Russia, but should he say that he was with Alice...? Dan had always been on to Shun about the subject matter of girls, and if he were to tell him that he had been spending a few weeks in a house all alone with a gorgeous red-headed natural beauty in an isolated town, then he was screwed for sure. Even though they both recognized Alice as a friend (for the most part, at least), Shun was already worried that Dan would ask if he had gotten laid with her yet.
- Dan Kuso: HeeLLOOO?!
- Shun Kazami: Dude I'm in Russia, calm down
- Dan Kuso: DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN
- Dan Kuso: wait what
- Dan Kuso: whaaaaaaaaaaaaat
- Shun Kazami: Yep
- Shun Kazami: Home of the piroshkis and the mustached politicians
- Dan Kuso: srsly man?
- Dan Kuso: ok dude tho rlly
- Dan Kuso: WHY DIDN'T YOU FUCKING TELL ANYONE BEFORE HAND THAT YOU WERE IN RUSSIA OF ALL GODDAMN PLACES
Okay, he had to be careful about his answer here. The real reason why he had left Japan hadn't been for anything serious; well, maybe serious for him, but nothing earth-shattering for anyone else. He'd have to explain why to Dan later, and probably everyone else, of course. But at the moment, maybe he'd leave them in a foggy daze of confusion and mystery as to the purpose behind his sudden disappearance for a few more days at most.
- Shun Kazami: Look, I needed to get out of the house and leave a couple of days, ok? I wasn't feeling that great and I felt like I had to get away from everything for a bit. I just wanted a break
- Dan Kuso: a break?
- Shun Kazami: Yeah
- Dan Kuso: ok that's fiine and all, but just remember man
- Dan Kuso: there are some people at home who ACTUALLY care about you
- Dan Kuso: so don't go around randomly leaving for a few days without telling anyone
- Dan Kuso: got it?
- Shun Kazami: Yeah
- Shun Kazami: I'm really sorry
- Dan Kuso: it's all good
- Dan Kuso: i'll tell everyone that you're safe and stuff
- Dan Kuso: you're safe, right?
- Shun Kazami: Yeah, of course
- Dan Kuso: good
Shun found himself letting out an enormous sigh of relief. Now, no one would be worried about his whearabouts, and hopefully, they wouldn't be mad at him either. And from what it sounded like, Dan was accepting his apology without any sort of problem whatsoever. Then again, that was a difficulty with online communication; despite the limitless emojis that were meant to make chatting more colorful, it sometimes made it feel more emotionless.
But since the problem was all sorted out, Shun could now relax and breathe normally without too much guilt or worry.
- Dan Kuso: so where are you staying at in good ol Russia anyway?
Okay maybe not.
- Shun Kazami: Idk some place in Moscow I guess
- Dan Kuso: whhooooaaa dude that's WAY too specific man jeez loosen up on the details for once
- Shun Kazami: Har har har
- Dan Kuso: ok but srsly where are you staying
- Shun Kazami: Idk
- Shun Kazami: Some hotel or something
- Shun Kazami: It's not like it's important or anything
- Dan Kuso: umm since we're like 4474 km apart from each other I think it'd be nice for me to know where you're staying at so I can feel better
- Dan Kuso: just tell me where you're staying at
- Shun Kazami: That doesn't really concern you
- Dan Kuso: JESUS CHRIST SHUN THIS ISN'T THAT HARD YOU KNOW
- Shun Kazami: Why do you even care
- Dan Kuso: god you're so fucking annoying
You're one to talk, Shun thought, slightly bitter, even though he didn't really mean it and he was just worried that Dan would suddenly figure it out.
- Dan Kuso: well at least tell me later, k?
- Shun Kazami: Yeah, I'll tell you later
- Dan Kuso: speaking of Russia
- Dan Kuso: I wonder how alice has been doing lately
- Dan Kuso: I haven't texted her in a while
- Shun Kazami: Same
- Dan Kuso: wait, you're in Moscow, right?
- Dan Kuso: haven't you seen her around?
- Shun Kazami: No
- Shun Kazami: I don't think so
- Dan Kuso: well you should later
- Dan Kuso: you might as well
- Shun Kazami: I'm sure she's doing fine
- Shun Kazami: She talks about cooking a lot
- Dan Kuso: wait so you HAVE seen her?
Damn it. He had let that one slip out.
- Shun Kazami: No we text
- Dan Kuso: oh.
- Dan Kuso: when did you last text her?
- Shun Kazami: Idk last night or something
- Dan Kuso: you mean text as in email?
- Shun Kazami: No, why would I email her instead of text?
- Dan Kuso: oh idk, nvmd. Has she been doing good then
- Shun Kazami: Yeah she's been doing great
There was a rather suspicious pause after Shun's response. At first, he assumed that Dan may have turned off his phone because something was suddenly distracting him from encrypting his next reply, but for some reason, he felt his hand twitch at the fearful anticipation he was going through.
- Dan Kuso: ohhhhmg
- Dan Kuso: are you that much of a dumbass
- Dan Kuso: shun you're hiding something from me
Uh oh.
- Shun Kazami: What?
- Dan Kuso: dude omg
- Dan Kuso: you're at alice's house aren't you
Shiiiit.
- Shun Kazami: No I'm not
- Dan Kuso: you're lying
- Shun Kazami: I said, I'm not at Alice's house
- Dan Kuso: liar
- Dan Kuso: liiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaar
- Shun Kazami: Omfg I'M NOT AT ALICE'S HOUSE
- Dan Kuso: liar liar pants on fire
- Shun Kazami: What are you, five
- Dan Kuso: holy shit I can't believe it
- Dan Kuso: you're at alice's house right now
- Shun Kazami: I. Am. NOT
- Dan Kuso: i knew it there WAS sexual tension between you two
- Shun Kazami: bullshit
- Dan Kuso: dude this is insane omg
- Dan Kuso: not that i'm implying anything, but i'm jealous
- Shun Kazami: OK first of all, how are you so damn sure of yourself
- Dan Kuso: ok well since you clearly don't seem to know i might as well fill you in
- Shun Kazami: Fill me in on what
- Shun Kazami: You have absolutely no way of telling where I am
- Shun Kazami: And you literally have no rational way of proving that I'm actually in Alice's house
- Dan Kuso: think again loser
- Shun Kazami: Shut up
- Dan Kuso: DUDE ALICE'S PHONE BROKE 2 WEEKS AGO AND SHE HASN'T REPLACED IT SINCE
- Dan Kuso: THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO TEXT YOU BECAUSE SHE HASN'T SENT OUT THAT CUTE LITTLE EMAIL MESSAGE SHE USUALLY DOES AFTER HER PHONE BREAKS TO ALL OF US SO WE KNOW HER NEW PHONE NUMBER
- Dan Kuso: CASE. FUCKING. CLOSED
- Shun Kazami: Wait what email
- Dan Kuso: exactly man you don't even have an email app installed on your phone i saw it before you left
- Dan Kuso: i can't believe you're this clueless
- Dan Kuso: and if you're about to tell me again that i can't prove you're at her house, i can still email her and ask her if you're there with her
- Dan Kuso: i'm not even with you in real life and i can tell you're fking steaming omg
He was gripping the phone so hard he swore he could hear something cracking.
- Shun Kazami: You dipshit
- Dan Kuso: ok wait a minute tho
- Dan Kuso: if you're at alice's house
- Dan Kuso: then does this mean you guys have had sex already
- Shun Kazami: Go to hell
- Dan Kuso: omg dude if you have you are so lucky
- Shun Kazami: I HAVEN'T HAD SEX WITH ALICE.
- Dan Kuso: i kinda wanna ask her
- Shun Kazami: DON'T
- Dan Kuso: i mean, the question might catch her offguard but she'd probably come around to answering
- Shun Kazami: I SWEAR TO GOD DAN
- Dan Kuso: "ohh Dan it was crazy! i've never done anything like that in my entire life! it was just hard and fast enough, and h-he... it was so amazing..."
- Shun Kazami: I will actually kill you
- Dan Kuso: don't pretend you wouldn't wanna hear that from her
"Shun?"
The first words said to him that day that were actually spoken caught him completely by surprise. Just as he dropped his phone out of his sweaty, shaky hands, he also let out a somewhat bizarre grunty-gasp that sounded like a terrified panda. He would save the embarrassment for later, however; because Alice was inside and at the door.
She looked just as beautiful as she did any other day; if not a bit dazed. Today, her hair was pulled back, tied into a round bun embellished with a small separate braid looped around its base; and a few loose wavy locks of hair framed the right side of her face. The usual glint in her eye wasn't as strong as it was usually, her expression slightly tired, and for some reason, her cheeks seemed extra rosy. She was dressed in a blue denim jacket with a white frilly button-up top underneath and a tiered ruffled burgundy red skirt that reached her knees, her height lengthened thanks to pair of black platform boots.
Alice gazed at him from where she stood, her black leather purse hanging by it's strap in the grasp of her hands. She smiled kindly, her lips curling sweetly, but her eyes seemed to be caught by Shun's phone, once in his hands now nestling in his lap.
"Hi there! I just got back from grocery shopping. I didn't disturb you, did I?" she asked.
"O-Oh, hi Alice." Shun stammered out a hasty reply and returned the smile. "Welcome back..."
"Oh my gosh, you found your phone!" Alice hung her purse on a coat tree by the door and hurried over to the couch, leaning over towards him. Her tone sounded more alarmed now. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you..." she apologized. "I found it when I first washed your clothes, and then I guess I forgot about it and left it on the shelf in the washing room..."
"No, no, it's fine," Shun told her quickly. "I actually just remembered about it today, so I'm glad you didn't accidentally wash it or something."
Alice laughed. "I am too. It looks like it cost a fortune!"
"Y-Yeah, it did," Shun said nervously.
"Anyway, the grocery bags are outside, so I'm just gonna bring them in and put everything away in the kitchen, okay?" Alice straightened her back and stood straight up tall.
"Oh, do you need help?" Shun asked her.
Alice smiled, shaking her head. "No, of course not! Your job is to stay put on that couch." Realizing he was sitting up, Alice then pushed on his shoulder with the palm of her hand and he fell back, sinking into the couch cushions. "H-Hey!" he protested, but Alice had already walked towards the door, only to turn around and flash him a flirty grin.
As Alice began bringing in more grocery bags into the house, Shun tried to pry his eyes off her back as he kept attempting to distract himself by texting Dan. One moment when Alice was bending over to lift up a particularly heavier bag, Shun's gaze accidentally fell on her skirt and he thought he saw a flash of color; one that definitely didn't match the skirt's odd shade of red. Suddenly he was reminded of the delusions Dan had brought him regarding him doing it with a cute girl, and he turned his head away, almost too abruptly, and sent Dan a series of angry text messages about how he was going to get back at him later.
- Dan Kuso: dude what is alice wearing
- Shun Kazami: That is absolutely none of your business
- Dan Kuso: i bet she's wearing a skirt
- Dan Kuso: it's one of those short ones right
- Dan Kuso: runo and julie have like fifty of em each
- Dan Kuso: don't worry man; i'm sending a gust of wind to blow through into that heated house of yours
- Shun Kazami: AlriGHT THAT'S IT JUST GO DIE IN A HOLE
- Dan Kuso: so i got it right?
Shut up.
That was it, I guess XD I love Dan and Shun's friendship too much, it just had to be included... Let me know what you guys think! Since Winter Break is almost over, I can't promise a new chapter to come out right away, but I'll try to get a rough idea for the next chapter in the meantime.
Thanks for the reviews, please feel free to leave a new one, if you feel so inclined, and thanks for reading!
