Disclaimer: check chapter 1
Mello parked his bike and offered his hand to Near. The younger man looked at the hand before he took it and get down. After he took off the helmet, he asked in a low voice and using English, "What should I call Mello?"
"Your boyfriend," Mello replied without looking at Near as he put down his helmet. He took Near's absently as he was caught off guard by what he just said. It was a cover-up for this outing. Matt said so. Yet, his voice was honest involuntarily. Did Near catch it? He glanced at Near cautiously.
"We need to use Japanese names to call each other," Near elaborated. He didn't seem fused over the supposed to be "cover-up" story. "Since Mello is older than me, I should call you 'Senpai' like what people in this country do."
Mello scowled. Either Near didn't detect honesty from Mello or he didn't care, Mello had mixed feeling about it. Relief Near did not react but was annoyed at the same time. Yet, he thought Near didn't notice. Near's knowledge about human feelings barely matched his age. Mello shrugged, "I will use 'Mori'."
"Forest..." Near translated it.
"Because I'm wild," Mello slightly grinned. He gave Near a mask.
"I will use 'Natsumi'," Near wore a mask after Mello gave it to him. Mello put his mask on as well when he asked because Near didn't explain, "Why 'Natsumi'?"
"I was born in summer," Near admitted. Mello was surprised to hear that but pretend it was nothing big. He never know Near's birthday (or anything private about Near) and he couldn't ask the exact date because it will leak his feeling inside. He wanted to know. Near was not stupid despite maybe he clueless about human feelings. Instead, he stood up beside Near after taking the key from his bike.
He offered his hand once again as he call Near with, "Natsumi."
Near slightly surprised but he took Mello's hand, "Mori-senpai."
They walked out of the parking area together. To be honest, even though this was camouflage, it was Mello's first date. He had never been on a date with anyone before. Never tried to do romantic things with anyone because he only did a one-night thing with those he was interested in. It was all about sex and that was about it. Even his first sex with Near months ago was started because of it. He never thought it will be like this.
Hand in hand with Near on a 'date'.
"Where is the shop?" He asked as they entered the street. Near opened his phone to check on the digital map.
"Straight then we turn left," he showed Mello the map.
During their walk to the shop, Mello realized that some men give Near a look. Like they checking him out. Mello scowled at this. When they entered the shop, Mello noticed mostly the visitor were men. Void of any girl. He frowned deeply as the eyes of the others in this store were on Near the moment he walked in. Physically, they saw a 'girl' instead of a 17-year-old boy.
Mello followed and looked down at Near beside him. The boy's face was covered with a mask yet his petite figure was easy on the eyes. Both of them didn't know that the beauty standard in Japan was a petite figure, big eyes, and fair skin. Near, even in his disguise, was the epitome of this and failed to realize it. He looked moe and that type was the favorite one in this country.
Near sensed his stare so he looked up, "Mori-senpai?"
"People looking at you," Mello whispered in Japanese. Near scanned his surroundings and found there were stares from those around them. Mostly men. Admire on their eyes or something he never saw in other man's eyes other than on Mello's during their first intercourse. Near didn't know what the cause of it. Kira was mostly working alone or with only several exclusive people he knew. Such as Takada Kiyomi like he suspected. It was impossible for these people to work with Kira. Let alone suspect that this 'Natsumi girl' was Near.
"It seemed like we chose the wrong disguise," Mello hissed, "No girls in here. You are attracting their attention."
"Girls rarely buy action figures," Near mumbled.
Mello sensed that it was Near's appearance that people found pleasing. He didn't like it. Mello glared at those men who leering exactly at Near. The said boy didn't even realize it because he analyzing the situation. Mello put his hands surrounding Near's shoulder in a one-side hug to emphasize silently: 'she's mine, fuck off.
Near was startled inwardly when Mello's arm around his shoulder. He was distracted as he glanced up at Mello who looked smugly. Those men caught his message and faced away when Near looked at Mello. The 'redhead' grinned, "Which one do you want to buy?"
—000—
"You really don't hold yourself back, do you?" Mello complained.
After several stores they went in, Near was sated with his quest and Mello has to suffer from carrying all Near's shopping bags because it was an unwritten rule for the man to carry a woman's bags. Both his hands hung 4-5 shopping bags. Each. And there were another 4 boxes on top of his hands. Near thought, it was natural for Mello to hold all of that because he never did it himself. Rester or anyone else always did it for him.
"Why should I?" Near countered. He twirled his wig the way he twirled his hair. Mello annoyed. This was not a date. This was torture.
Mello saw a bench not far from them and he told Near, "Let's sit for a while. We are quite far from where I parked my motorcycle."
Near nodded and they sat side by side together. Mello put down the bags near his feet. Near reminded to put them gently, Mello merely grunted annoyingly but he did as Near wanted. Logically, Near knows he has to say something because Mello helped him with his shopping list. However, his heart beating so fast and his words left him speechless. He was silent as Mello took out a bar of chocolate from his jacket's pocket and bite it after pulling down his mask so it hung on his chin.
When he stared at Mello's lips, Near knew what to do. He took off his mask then he called Mello softly, "Mori-senpai."
"Hn?" Mello turned his head towards Near after he ate the last piece of chocolate bar and was shocked when the now beautiful 'girl' was so close to his face. "Nats—"
Near kissed Mello gently.
Blue eyes widened and unblinking even after Near leaned away to put a distance between their faces. Near whispered his intention, "Thank you."
Mello blinked. He asked, "What are you doing?"
"Kissing Mori-senpai," replied Near.
"I know that," Mello slightly blushed, "I mean why did you do that?"
Near explained, "Mori-senpai kissed me after the present from me was received. Isn't that a thank you? That's why I kissed Senpai because Mori-senpai come here with me."
Mello did what all he could do to not let any blood-colored his cheeks. He was silent for several seconds because he tried to control himself to not 'touch' Near right here right now. He sensed stares from people who walked passed by and willed himself to be in control.
"Does Mori-senpai not like it?" Near took Mello's silence as rejection and it hurt him despite nothing shown on his face. Yet, Mello detected that.
Oh, why we are outside?!?!?!?
Mello screamed inwardly. He took a deep breath and said, "It's not that," he added, "Natsumi."
Near blinked, Mello looked away as his last effort to control himself. "In this country, public display of affection is frowned upon. People looking at us."
Near looked around and caught some people facing away hastily. He did read those kinds of information but since this was his first time in Japan, he didn't expect that. Well, no one foresees that Near will do something like kissing in public. It was unthinkable. He asked Mello, "Then, how about in a private place?"
Mello chuckled, Near still didn't understand their predicament. It amused Mello that someone as smart as Near was clueless at this. He grinned as he caressed Near's cheek, "Be my guest."
There was a tint of rosy hue colored Near's face. If Near was a normal boy, he would blush hard. Since he was born out of an experiment, the effect was minimal. But, it was there. Mello saw and grinned wider. There was indescribable cuteness to witness Near blushed. No matter how faintly. His last string of self-control has wavered as Mello leaned down. Their lips were almost touching again but halted.
Their moment was cut off when a 9-year-old boy walked passed by them with his friends as they looked happy with their purchased toy. Mello pulled off his hand from Near and back to his previous position.
"You know," Mello gestures his hands towards the bags, "the kid will not need to buy new toys if you had this many," Mello glanced at Near.
"I never say the kid is welcome to play with mine," Near admitted.
Mello asked, "Why not?"
"There are so many toys out there and we still don't know which one the kid will like. What are their preferences? We don't know. Just because I'm fond of toys, it doesn't mean the kid will like them as well. Mori-senpai doesn't like toys, aren't you?"
"I'm an adult, Natsumi."
"I mean before this. I never saw you play with one when we were at you-know-where. You prefer to play outside."
"It's because since I was a kid my parents nagging me to play out—," Mello stopped and widened his eyes. He has never talked about his parents since he entered Wammy's House. Not even to Matt. His slip of tongue surprised both of them.
Near never know about Mello's past. As L's successor, he could get the information from Roger because the old man must know about it. Roger knew about Near's past. It was expected that Roger knew about Mello's as well. Because he worked together with L and Watari to build and trained the children to be candidates for L's successor.
However, Near never asked Roger about it. It was not his business. Especially, after Mello get out of Wammy's House. His file must be deleted from the database in Wammy's. Besides, Mello will not happy if he did that.
Mello rose to his feet and gathered the shopping bags, "Let's go back."
Before Near say anything, a man walked towards them and greeted them with a friendly, "Excuse me."
Mello turned his body towards the man. He was a middle-aged Japanese man with a grey suit. "My name is Takeshi Oohata," he smiled at Near and gave the two his business cards. "I work at Desunoto Production House. We currently searching for a new face to be an idol."
Mello raised an eyebrow, "And?" What does this man want? He looked at Near like the boy was the undiscovered gem and he was lucky to found Near. Greediness and lust were barely covered on his face. If he wants to touch Near, Mello will beat him to death. He didn't care. He will kill him if it's not enough.
"Ah, pardon me, I can't help but notice how beautiful this young lady is," he nodded at Near. Mello didn't like this conversation. He asked the albino boy in disguise, "Would you like to try to be a new star?"
"By a star, do you mean a porn star in adult video!?" Mello snapped. He assumed based on his experience with the mafias. It was not a secret when people like this talent recruitment lured someone to sell their body due to their 'help'. "I will not allow it!"
The man startled, "Oh, no, no. We are not in that business." He continued, "Are you her brother?"
Mello glared, "Boyfriend."
"I see. Our agency is not in adult video production. We only produce many stars. Not only idols. Recently, our remarkable reporter, Takada Kiyomi, become irreplaceable."
Mello and Near were shocked. This man has an association with Takada Kiyomi.
Thanks for reading! Sorry guys, for the late update! I'm kind of addicting to drawing since last month so less writing LOL
I draw Mello x Near in here if you want to check it out:
https/p/Cb4bQb8PsO4/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Hope you like it!
zack: hey! I appreciate all those corrections, thanks a bunch! awesome! I haven't had the time to edit the last chapter but I will as soon as I can.
Hehe, tbh, Idk exactly what Matt's characterization is since his screen time was so little in anime or manga. Hard to know Matt. But, since both Mello and Near are stubborn, I think Matt can balance them. Glad to know what your thoughts on him. I don't plan to write crossdressing at first but then I think it's impossible for Near to be out without disguise, so there the idea comes from hahaha I want to write them on a date but it's impossible if it's not in this way LOL I can't wait to read a review from you again!