Fic ~ Aiba Gets a Taste of Fatherhood...
Jul. 10th, 2009 11:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amh1988Okay, So I did say I wouldn’t write a series… Umm, I lied? Well, not really. This is a mini series, and as such, I have loosely planned for three chapters. This part contains no pairings, but if you want me write a pairing in, just let me know in the comments (along with which pairing you prefer) and I’ll try to add it in. (Sakuraiba was in the lead at the time I began writing that part of the story.) Even though this is an Aiba centric story, you can ask for other pairing too, and I’ll give it a shot. <--- (This still applies.)
Aiba Masaki held the squirming child uncertainly at arms length. The eighteen month old toddler squealed happily, thinking the grown mans actions a perquisite to his favourite game. His gleeful chortles shook his small, pudgy body and Aiba struggled to hold onto the boy. Walking carefully, still nervous about the pink bundle in his outstretched arms, the young man took the child into the living room.
The young man was not entirely sure how he had allowed himself to be talked into the task of babysitting his newest cousin. His favourite uncle had gone on his honeymoon with his new, foreign, wife and Aiba suddenly found himself taking care of the child she had brought with her.
It was not that Aiba disliked children; he actually loved them. In fact, he was quite proud that his new aunt had trusted him with looking after her young son. But what was he supposed to do with a little boy for four days? A toddler who was too young to talk properly and even then only in a different language.
He had tried to explain his reservations to his uncle when he made the suggestion at the wedding. The older man had laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Ma-kun,” He had said. “He’s not even two; I would think your knowledge of English is about the same. You’ll be fine. You are fully qualified, after all.”
And Aiba had been unable to argue that point.
Which was why the young Idol now had a miniature houseguest. Gingerly Aiba placed the child at his feet and knelt to face the smiling boy. “Hi Jacob.” He began in broken English. “My name is Masaki. I am a Childminder.” The little boy gave no response and simply stared at the man solemnly.
Aiba sighed and switched back into his native tongue. “My English is no good huh? Oh well…. You’ll have to learn Japanese anyway. I guess I should start teaching you. I should teach you, right? OK!” Having made up his mind to teach the boy Japanese in his role as surrogate father, the young man decided he needed a plan.
His home was not really suited to having children as guests. He had no toys or anything to occupy young minds, but Aiba reasoned that if he was going to be teaching the boy how to talk, Jacob would be kept busy regardless. On that note, he unfolded his long frame and stood. Offering his hand in a universally understood gesture, he spoke to the toddler.
“Jacob is kind of hard to say, huh?” He smiled when the boy trustingly took his hand, looking up at him with his big grey eyes. “I’ll just call you Jay. Okay? Your mother won’t mind, will she, Jay-kun?”
Aiba’s running monologue earned a giggle from the boy. The child didn’t understand the words, but he recognised the kind, slightly silly tone. In the way of the very young, he could sense the mood of his unfamiliar guardian by Aiba’s tone of voice, his facial expressions and his body language. Instinctively, Jacob knew that this stranger was someone friendly. And the child responded appropriately with smiles and with his trust.
“Well, I guess I’ll start by showing you around!” Aiba began, and then added in English: “C’mon Jay-kun. Let’s go. This way.” And he led the child down the small hallway towards the rear of his apartment.
“This is the bathroom.” Aiba pointed to the door on the left. “OK Jay-kun? The bathroom. And next door is the toilet. The toilet.” He repeated the word in English. “But you are still too young to use that, huh?”
Standing in the doorway of the toilet the little boy pointed at the porcelain seat. With a beaming smile, the child exclaimed: “Poo!” In tones of triumph.
Aiba Masaki furrowed his brow in confusion. “What are you saying? What is ‘PU’?” Shaking his head over his inability to understand the boy, the reluctant guardian led him away from the doorway. “Jay-kun has to learn Japanese now.” He said gently to the boy as he led the child to the opposite door and the bedroom.
Aiba pointed out the futon and told the boy in both languages that he would be sleeping here. He was not sure if the child knew the words or simply recognised the futon as a bed, but the boy walked over to the mattress. Dropping to his hands and knees, Jacob crawled on top of the covers and rolled onto his back. Bright eyes looked back at the adult with a mischievous light; the boy wanted Aiba to watch him.
With a squealing peal of laughter, the little boy buried his head in the pillow and lay still. Aiba was about to break the sudden silence himself when Jacob made a very deliberate and very audible snoring noise. He then lifted his head and looked questioningly to his newest friend.
“That’s right!” Aiba bounced gleefully. In one long bound he joined the boy on top of the futon where Jacob now sat up. “This is where you sleep! You’re so smart Jay-kun!” He praised the child, tousling the soft downy hair of his head. At his responding chuckle, the young man clapped excitedly. “So cute!” He continued when the boy imitated him and clapped his own small hands too.
Unable to resist the charms of the bubbly baby, Aiba picked the boy up and held the child at his hip. Holding Jacob close he spun happily. “This isn’t so bad.” He reassured himself and his charge. “You don’t cry, and you’re a genius. Let’s have fun, OK?” He continued. Taking one miniature hand in his own he lent over to look the boy in the eye. “Big brother Masaki will look after you. Can you say Masaki?” He asked. “Say, Ma~sa~ki.” He stressed each syllable and brought their joined hands to point at himself. “Ma~sa~ki.”
“Kee?”
“No, no.” Aiba shook his head but smiled encouragingly. “It’s Masaki; I’m not a tree. Ma~sa~ki.”
The boy struggled to repeat the unfamiliar syllables. “Ma~kee?”
Aiba shrugged. “Oh, well. That’s close enough. I am calling you Jay-kun, after all, huh?” Settling the child more comfortably on his hip, he returned to the living room and sat Jacob on the settee. He told the boy to stay and set about finding something suitable to feed the infant.
Aiba recalled his training as a Childminder. The instructor had told him that toddlers preferred finger food that they could hold in their hands. He wondered if fried chicken counted as finger food.
By the end of their lunch, Aiba felt he had learned more from his little cousin rather than the other way around. He now understood that Jacob had an all-purpose phrase for accepting, offering and asking for all manner of things. Every time Aiba had offer the boy a piece of chicken from his own plate, Jacob had said: “Ta.” Then taken the morsel.
And for every piece of chicken that Aiba had given the boy, Jacob had taken a piece from his bowl and popped it into Aiba’s mouth with an indicative: “Taa~” And when, as a result of his generosity, Jacob ran out of titbits on his own dish, he had pointed at the mans plate and had asked questioningly: “Jacob, ta?”
The unlikely caretaker could not help but laugh as he handed his cousin the food. He debated, briefly, whether or not to make more. Before he could make up his mind, however, Jacob wandered away from his empty plate, evidently having eaten his fill. Aiba finished his own meal and tidied away the dishes.
He then set about the task of getting to know his new little friend.
* * *
“Oi! I haven’t read that yet!” Sakurai Sho snatched the newspaper from the older mans grasp and glared at him. Or tried to; Ohno did not seem particularly concerned by his juniors’ glower.
The sleepy eyed man simply gave a half-hearted shrug and absently twirled the pen in his hand. “I’m bored.” He mumbled by way of explanation.
“Then use your sketchbook for your drawing, not my newspapers.”
“I only doodled on the pictures…”
Ninomiya paused the game on his DS and examined the paper over Sakurai’s shoulder, laughing sarcastically. “I think the Pope looks better this way.” He assured the young news caster. “The nurses’ uniform kind of suits him.” Casting a sly grin at the youngest occupant of the greenroom, he added: “Actually, doesn’t it make him look a little like Matsujun?”
Masumoto Jun had been fixing his hair in the mirror and trying to ignore the inane behaviour of his fellow Idols, but could not hold his tongue at this gibe. “Hey!” fixing the trio with his most steely gaze he silently dared anyone to laugh at Ninomiya’s insult.
Sakurai caved first, and he attempted to disguise his paroxysm of laughter with a coughing fit. Apparently, Matsumoto Jun was feeling unusually magnanimous, and only rolled his eyes at Sho’s antics. Sighing he tried to bring the room to some order. “Isn’t Aiba-san running late?” He asked the room at large. “I mean, we’re supposed to start shooting for Shukudai-kun in twenty minutes and he’s not even here yet.”
“The hair and make-up staff will yell at him…” Ohno agreed.
Sakurai shot the older man a questioning look. “Why do you sound kind of happy when you say that?”
“Because,” And here, the young magician answered on his leaders behalf. “For once, Oh-chan won’t be the one getting in trouble about his sunburn!”
The slight smirk that lifted the corners of Ohno Satoshi’s mouth seemed to confirm this assessment. The laughter of the three younger men echoed in the halls of the Nihon Television Station, where the sound met the ears of one Aiba Masaki.
He entered the room in high spirits and greeted his colleagues brightly. His enthusiasm, however, was dampened when his friends regarded him in silent speculation. Four pairs of eyes were fixed upon the tall man and the little boy who held his hand and toddled beside him. “Uh, hi guys. This is Jay-kun.” He said casually and indicated the child.
“EH!?” A chorus of confusion filled the room before Ninomiya addressed his childhood friend.
“Aiba-chan… Whose kid did you steal?”
“I didn’t steal him!” Masaki objected. “I’m looking after him. As a Childminder, you know.”
The diminutive leader of the group seemed lost. “Wait, are we still doing that segment?” He asked quietly.
“Even if we were….” Sakurai spoke up. “Wouldn’t this be the wrong studio? Himitsu is a TBS program.”
Aiba sighed dramatically. “Geez, guys,” Walking fully into the room and leading Jacob to the couch, he sat and pulled the boy onto his lap. “Jay-kun is my cousin. His mother just married my uncle and I’m looking after him for a few days. Right, Jay-kun?” He addressed the little boy with his last statement and was rewarded with a single, decisive nod.
Jun chimed in then, his tone serious. “Aiba-san, if you’re looking after your cousin, that’s fine, we don’t mind that. But why did you bring him here? We have work to do, after all.”
“I know.” The cheerful young man reassured his colleague. “I’m taking care of everything properly.”
“How?”
“I asked one of the crew to look after Jay-kun in here during filming.” He explained.
The younger man pushed himself away from the counter to face his friend. “That’s just making trouble for other people.” He pointed out.
“Jay-kun is no trouble!” Aiba defended his bright young charge. “He doesn’t even cry.”
The news caster of the group vacated his own seat to approach the boy in Aiba’s lap. “I don’t think that’s what Matsumoto meant.” He told the man while he offered his hand to the boy and smiled down at him.
“It’s only this once.” Masaki insisted. “And he’s really cute.” He added, as if that negated all other arguments. “He doesn’t speak Japanese, but he’s really smart. Watch.” Switching into his limited English, he spoke to the boy and pointed at the rapper. “Jay-kun, say Sho.”
Ohno cut in before the boy could reply. “Eh? English?”
The man nodded absently. “That’s right. I’m teaching him how to speak.” He told the other members proudly. “Jay-kun, say Sh~o.” He repeated to the boy while pointing to Sakurai, who was now crouched in front of the child pulling faces and earning delighted giggles in response.
“Sho!” Jacob exclaimed clearly and with some volume. He reached out with small hands to touch the cheeks of the smiling man. “Sho! Sho! Sho!” He echoed excitedly.
Sakurai Sho laughed and rubbed the boys’ head. “Amazing!” He grinned. In English, he told the boy. “You are a good boy.”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah!” He agreed in the smug way of the very young.
“So cute…”
Aiba hugged the child to him. “See? I said so, didn’t I? I told you he was cute.”
Ninomiya Kazunari snorted disdainfully. “I find it more amazing that you intend to teach Japanese to someone when you can barely speak it yourself.”
“Don’t say stuff like that.” Masaki warned his friend. “I’m teaching him properly.”
“Yeah, except I’ve only heard you talk to the kid in English so far.” The man pointed out sharply.
The older man grinned guiltily, having been caught out by the truth. Luckily, he did not have to argue that point, because at that moment there was a knock at the door. A young female member of staff poked her head around the door and informed the group that they were ready to start filming. Aiba entrusted the little boy into her care and filed out the greenroom with the rest of his friends.
“Hey guys,” He added as they made their way to the set. “Don’t mention Jay-kun during filming, OK?”
Ohno Satoshi clapped the man on the back reassuringly. “We won’t.” He promised. “Will we?” The rest of his friends concurred readily enough and the five men made their way onto the set.
* * *
Holding his stomach and grimacing in distaste, Ninomiya was the first to return to the greenroom after filming. The food had been from a reputable restaurant and had tasted fine, but it now sat uncomfortably in his gut. Personally, he blamed Aiba for making him play a particularly energetic game involving a trampoline and a paddling pool full of jelly.
But, despite his distracted state of mind, he noticed immediately that something was amiss in the greenroom; a number of things actually. The first thing he noticed was that his handheld game console had somehow found itself onto the floor in a corner of the room. The second thing he noticed was the absence of the female staff member who was supposed to be looking after the kid.
Oh, and the kid was nowhere in sight either.
He observed all this in the space of just a few seconds as the other caught up to him as he stood in the door way. “What’s wrong?” Jun asked when Ninomiya continued to block the door. “I thought you were in a hurry to get to the toilet?”
The smaller man shook his head as Matsumoto tried to maneuver past him. “He’s gone.”
The three older man reached the doorway just as the sardonic gamer made this statement. Kept from entering the room by Ninomiya’s arm thrown across the entrance, Sakurai was the first to ask what he meant. “Huh?”
He never had to explain any further. At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. “Aiba-san, I’m so sorry!” The young woman nearly crashed into the group of men in her haste.
“What?” It took him a second to recognise the harried woman and the same young lady with whom he had left his young cousin. “What happened?” He demanded when he took in her agitated state.
She gulped audibly. “I only took my eyes off him for a second...” Her voice trembled and tears shone in her eyes. “I’m so sorry! I’m really, really sorry!”
Frightened by the woman’s words he took her by the shoulders if only to steady her wavering frame. “Wait. What happened?” He tried to keep him voice calm, but he couldn’t keep his voice from cracking slightly as he continued. “Where is Jay-kun? Is he hurt?”
She shook her head. “No.” Aiba felt pointed relief before the girl added: “Or, I don’t know. He’s missing.”
“What!?”
Tears rolled down her cheeks as the young woman explained. “I didn’t mean to…” She sobbed. “I just went to the bathroom for a moment and when I came back…” Wiping her eyes she looked pleadingly to the stunned man. “I shut the door properly, I know I did. I didn’t think he would wander off.”
The other men, having remained in shocked silence during this exchange, traded worried glances. Sakurai took advantage of the brief break the woman’s spiel to speak up. “None of that matters right now.” He laid a calming hand on the taller mans shoulder. “He couldn’t have gone very far Masaki. We’ll all split up and look for him.”
The girl wailed anew. “I’ve already searched the whole floor!” She confessed. “I’m so terribly sorry….”
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Aiba addressed the woman. “Just this floor?” He asked. At her nod of confirmation, Aiba felt his resolve harden. “Jay-kun knows how to open doors and use stairs.” He explained. “We’ll probably find him in the canteen.” He said with more conviction than he felt and a rather forced smile.
“Right,” Sakurai looked to the woman, who had now calmed down a little but still trembled violently. “You should go and alert Security.” He told her. “Someone is bound to notice a baby foreigner wandering around alone.” He turned to Aiba. “The rest of us will split up and look for him too.” He declared. The others quickly voiced their assent. “Don’t worry Aiba-chan; little kids like to explore new places, he is probably making a den under some executive’s desk right now.”
The distraught young guardian allowed himself to be consoled by Sakurai’s words and managed a thin smile. The group quickly dispersed to look for the toddler, each taking a different floor.
Searching the staff room of Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen, Aiba Masaki fought to keep himself calm. He had never felt as helpless as he did at that moment. He was worried about his vulnerable cousin; scared that something bad might have happened to him and certain that if the worst did happen, it would all be his fault.
He had protested the idea of looking after the boy because he had worried that the boy would resent him, not because he thought it would be troublesome. When Jacob had shown himself to be a perfectly charming little boy, Aiba had felt real affection for the child. In the space of a single day they had grown close, had fun and become friends. Aiba now felt he had failed to take care of the boy.
The young man fought back tears of recrimination as he moved onto the next room in the corridor. If something bad had befallen the toddler, he would never forgive himself. He had been searching for nearly forty minutes when his cellular phone buzzed in his pocket and alerted him to an incoming text message.
Fishing the device out of his back pocket and reading the screen, relief flooded through him. Giddy, almost hysterical, laughter bubbled up from inside as he raced back to the Shukudai-kun greenroom.
Matsumoto, Ohno and Sakurai were waiting for him when he arrived, Sakurai with a blissfully unaware toddler in his arms. “Jay-kun!” Aiba crossed the room in a few long strides and held his arms out for the child. Jacob happily went to his favorite new friend and chattered silly nonsense at him. “Ah, Jay-kun, you scared me…” He smiled, hugging the child.
The door banged open and Ninomiya entered the room. “Where did you find him?” He asked Sho as he sprawled, exhausted, onto the vacant sofa.
“The elevator.”
“Huh? I thought it was broken?” He young man sat up slightly. “We used the stairs because the elevator wouldn’t work.”
“Nope.” Sakurai corrected him with a grin. “Not broken. Jay-kun just happened to be inside playing with the buttons he could reach and dancing to the music.”
Aiba broke in at that point. “So how did you find him?”
“The doors happened to open in front of me while I was checking the hallway. He found me really.” The caster explained. “I heard someone say my name. When I turned to look, Jay-kun was in the elevator pointing at me just as the doors were closing.”
Rising from his seat, Matsumoto stretched his long frame as he yawned. “Ah, well, I’m glad he’s alright, but I have a meeting to get to.” He stated apologetically. “I’ll tell Security they can stand down on my way out.”
The other men bade him farewell, and the infant waved his goodbyes. “Oh, and Aiba-san.” The youngest paused briefly at the door. “You might want to find that girl and tell her she isn’t going to lose her job.”
“Eh!?”
“Or not.” He shrugged as the door closed behind him.
Aiba stared wonderingly at the remaining members of the group. “Could I do that?” He asked in tones of genuine disbelief.
Ninomiya chortled. “Probably.” He replied with a rather sinister twinkle in his eye. Moving to retrieve his game console from the floor, he gave his lanky friend a pat on the back in passing. “She lost an Idol’s kid, after all.”
“Eh? But Jay-kun is not… I mean, I-”
The quiet leader of the group cast a worried frown at the stuttering man. “Ah, you’re not going to get her in trouble are you?” He asked. Ohno Satoshi did not like or approve of conflict of any kind.
“What? No.” Aiba informed the concerned man firmly. “She didn’t really do anything wrong. Besides, Jay-kun is fine.”
“Yes he is.” The would-be magician agreed. “And now that that is settled, I’m going home.” He suited his actions to his words and left the room with the barest of farewells.
Sakurai spoke into the following hush. “I think it’s time the rest of us head home too.” Absently, he proffered a hand to help Ohno to his feet and then approached the toddler in Masaki’s arms. “Jay-kun is probably tired from his little adventure today.” He stoked the plump, pink cheeks of the child and spoke to him in English. “Are you tired, Jay-kun?”
The toddler managed to shake his head, yawn and snuggle into Aiba’s shoulder all in the same moment. Such a feat, of course, earned amazed and gentle laughter from the three men.
They left the room together and left the building. Aiba held his charge close as he made his way home that night. It was a strange feeling for him, he knew; he felt unworthy of taking care of his precious little cousin, but he was glad he got to be the one to take him home. He decided within himself that for the next three days, Aiba Masaki was going to be the best Childminder ever.
To Be Continued…
Chapter Two: HERE
__________________________
As I said before, I haven’t written a pairing into this story yet, but if you guys want one, just let me know! Sakuraiba was in the lead when I began writing the next part, but please do let me know your favorite pairs and I'll keep them in mind for future stories!
Comments are LOVE!
Title: Ai - Baby
Rating: G
Genre: General
Pairing: None ( Sakuraiba fluff in the following chapters.) Aiba-centric
Word Count: 3,800
Type: Mini-Series (Chapter 1/3)
Summary: It’s Child-Minder Aiba! Juggling the work of and Idol with an 18 month-old toddler is hard work, (even if it is only temporary). Luckily, the rest Arashi knows when to stick together and lend a helping hand.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Arashi, but I do own Jacob. Hands off! His cute little chubby cheeks are mine!
Ai – Baby
Aiba Masaki held the squirming child uncertainly at arms length. The eighteen month old toddler squealed happily, thinking the grown mans actions a perquisite to his favourite game. His gleeful chortles shook his small, pudgy body and Aiba struggled to hold onto the boy. Walking carefully, still nervous about the pink bundle in his outstretched arms, the young man took the child into the living room.
The young man was not entirely sure how he had allowed himself to be talked into the task of babysitting his newest cousin. His favourite uncle had gone on his honeymoon with his new, foreign, wife and Aiba suddenly found himself taking care of the child she had brought with her.
It was not that Aiba disliked children; he actually loved them. In fact, he was quite proud that his new aunt had trusted him with looking after her young son. But what was he supposed to do with a little boy for four days? A toddler who was too young to talk properly and even then only in a different language.
He had tried to explain his reservations to his uncle when he made the suggestion at the wedding. The older man had laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Ma-kun,” He had said. “He’s not even two; I would think your knowledge of English is about the same. You’ll be fine. You are fully qualified, after all.”
And Aiba had been unable to argue that point.
Which was why the young Idol now had a miniature houseguest. Gingerly Aiba placed the child at his feet and knelt to face the smiling boy. “Hi Jacob.” He began in broken English. “My name is Masaki. I am a Childminder.” The little boy gave no response and simply stared at the man solemnly.
Aiba sighed and switched back into his native tongue. “My English is no good huh? Oh well…. You’ll have to learn Japanese anyway. I guess I should start teaching you. I should teach you, right? OK!” Having made up his mind to teach the boy Japanese in his role as surrogate father, the young man decided he needed a plan.
His home was not really suited to having children as guests. He had no toys or anything to occupy young minds, but Aiba reasoned that if he was going to be teaching the boy how to talk, Jacob would be kept busy regardless. On that note, he unfolded his long frame and stood. Offering his hand in a universally understood gesture, he spoke to the toddler.
“Jacob is kind of hard to say, huh?” He smiled when the boy trustingly took his hand, looking up at him with his big grey eyes. “I’ll just call you Jay. Okay? Your mother won’t mind, will she, Jay-kun?”
Aiba’s running monologue earned a giggle from the boy. The child didn’t understand the words, but he recognised the kind, slightly silly tone. In the way of the very young, he could sense the mood of his unfamiliar guardian by Aiba’s tone of voice, his facial expressions and his body language. Instinctively, Jacob knew that this stranger was someone friendly. And the child responded appropriately with smiles and with his trust.
“Well, I guess I’ll start by showing you around!” Aiba began, and then added in English: “C’mon Jay-kun. Let’s go. This way.” And he led the child down the small hallway towards the rear of his apartment.
“This is the bathroom.” Aiba pointed to the door on the left. “OK Jay-kun? The bathroom. And next door is the toilet. The toilet.” He repeated the word in English. “But you are still too young to use that, huh?”
Standing in the doorway of the toilet the little boy pointed at the porcelain seat. With a beaming smile, the child exclaimed: “Poo!” In tones of triumph.
Aiba Masaki furrowed his brow in confusion. “What are you saying? What is ‘PU’?” Shaking his head over his inability to understand the boy, the reluctant guardian led him away from the doorway. “Jay-kun has to learn Japanese now.” He said gently to the boy as he led the child to the opposite door and the bedroom.
Aiba pointed out the futon and told the boy in both languages that he would be sleeping here. He was not sure if the child knew the words or simply recognised the futon as a bed, but the boy walked over to the mattress. Dropping to his hands and knees, Jacob crawled on top of the covers and rolled onto his back. Bright eyes looked back at the adult with a mischievous light; the boy wanted Aiba to watch him.
With a squealing peal of laughter, the little boy buried his head in the pillow and lay still. Aiba was about to break the sudden silence himself when Jacob made a very deliberate and very audible snoring noise. He then lifted his head and looked questioningly to his newest friend.
“That’s right!” Aiba bounced gleefully. In one long bound he joined the boy on top of the futon where Jacob now sat up. “This is where you sleep! You’re so smart Jay-kun!” He praised the child, tousling the soft downy hair of his head. At his responding chuckle, the young man clapped excitedly. “So cute!” He continued when the boy imitated him and clapped his own small hands too.
Unable to resist the charms of the bubbly baby, Aiba picked the boy up and held the child at his hip. Holding Jacob close he spun happily. “This isn’t so bad.” He reassured himself and his charge. “You don’t cry, and you’re a genius. Let’s have fun, OK?” He continued. Taking one miniature hand in his own he lent over to look the boy in the eye. “Big brother Masaki will look after you. Can you say Masaki?” He asked. “Say, Ma~sa~ki.” He stressed each syllable and brought their joined hands to point at himself. “Ma~sa~ki.”
“Kee?”
“No, no.” Aiba shook his head but smiled encouragingly. “It’s Masaki; I’m not a tree. Ma~sa~ki.”
The boy struggled to repeat the unfamiliar syllables. “Ma~kee?”
Aiba shrugged. “Oh, well. That’s close enough. I am calling you Jay-kun, after all, huh?” Settling the child more comfortably on his hip, he returned to the living room and sat Jacob on the settee. He told the boy to stay and set about finding something suitable to feed the infant.
Aiba recalled his training as a Childminder. The instructor had told him that toddlers preferred finger food that they could hold in their hands. He wondered if fried chicken counted as finger food.
By the end of their lunch, Aiba felt he had learned more from his little cousin rather than the other way around. He now understood that Jacob had an all-purpose phrase for accepting, offering and asking for all manner of things. Every time Aiba had offer the boy a piece of chicken from his own plate, Jacob had said: “Ta.” Then taken the morsel.
And for every piece of chicken that Aiba had given the boy, Jacob had taken a piece from his bowl and popped it into Aiba’s mouth with an indicative: “Taa~” And when, as a result of his generosity, Jacob ran out of titbits on his own dish, he had pointed at the mans plate and had asked questioningly: “Jacob, ta?”
The unlikely caretaker could not help but laugh as he handed his cousin the food. He debated, briefly, whether or not to make more. Before he could make up his mind, however, Jacob wandered away from his empty plate, evidently having eaten his fill. Aiba finished his own meal and tidied away the dishes.
He then set about the task of getting to know his new little friend.
* * *
“Oi! I haven’t read that yet!” Sakurai Sho snatched the newspaper from the older mans grasp and glared at him. Or tried to; Ohno did not seem particularly concerned by his juniors’ glower.
The sleepy eyed man simply gave a half-hearted shrug and absently twirled the pen in his hand. “I’m bored.” He mumbled by way of explanation.
“Then use your sketchbook for your drawing, not my newspapers.”
“I only doodled on the pictures…”
Ninomiya paused the game on his DS and examined the paper over Sakurai’s shoulder, laughing sarcastically. “I think the Pope looks better this way.” He assured the young news caster. “The nurses’ uniform kind of suits him.” Casting a sly grin at the youngest occupant of the greenroom, he added: “Actually, doesn’t it make him look a little like Matsujun?”
Masumoto Jun had been fixing his hair in the mirror and trying to ignore the inane behaviour of his fellow Idols, but could not hold his tongue at this gibe. “Hey!” fixing the trio with his most steely gaze he silently dared anyone to laugh at Ninomiya’s insult.
Sakurai caved first, and he attempted to disguise his paroxysm of laughter with a coughing fit. Apparently, Matsumoto Jun was feeling unusually magnanimous, and only rolled his eyes at Sho’s antics. Sighing he tried to bring the room to some order. “Isn’t Aiba-san running late?” He asked the room at large. “I mean, we’re supposed to start shooting for Shukudai-kun in twenty minutes and he’s not even here yet.”
“The hair and make-up staff will yell at him…” Ohno agreed.
Sakurai shot the older man a questioning look. “Why do you sound kind of happy when you say that?”
“Because,” And here, the young magician answered on his leaders behalf. “For once, Oh-chan won’t be the one getting in trouble about his sunburn!”
The slight smirk that lifted the corners of Ohno Satoshi’s mouth seemed to confirm this assessment. The laughter of the three younger men echoed in the halls of the Nihon Television Station, where the sound met the ears of one Aiba Masaki.
He entered the room in high spirits and greeted his colleagues brightly. His enthusiasm, however, was dampened when his friends regarded him in silent speculation. Four pairs of eyes were fixed upon the tall man and the little boy who held his hand and toddled beside him. “Uh, hi guys. This is Jay-kun.” He said casually and indicated the child.
“EH!?” A chorus of confusion filled the room before Ninomiya addressed his childhood friend.
“Aiba-chan… Whose kid did you steal?”
“I didn’t steal him!” Masaki objected. “I’m looking after him. As a Childminder, you know.”
The diminutive leader of the group seemed lost. “Wait, are we still doing that segment?” He asked quietly.
“Even if we were….” Sakurai spoke up. “Wouldn’t this be the wrong studio? Himitsu is a TBS program.”
Aiba sighed dramatically. “Geez, guys,” Walking fully into the room and leading Jacob to the couch, he sat and pulled the boy onto his lap. “Jay-kun is my cousin. His mother just married my uncle and I’m looking after him for a few days. Right, Jay-kun?” He addressed the little boy with his last statement and was rewarded with a single, decisive nod.
Jun chimed in then, his tone serious. “Aiba-san, if you’re looking after your cousin, that’s fine, we don’t mind that. But why did you bring him here? We have work to do, after all.”
“I know.” The cheerful young man reassured his colleague. “I’m taking care of everything properly.”
“How?”
“I asked one of the crew to look after Jay-kun in here during filming.” He explained.
The younger man pushed himself away from the counter to face his friend. “That’s just making trouble for other people.” He pointed out.
“Jay-kun is no trouble!” Aiba defended his bright young charge. “He doesn’t even cry.”
The news caster of the group vacated his own seat to approach the boy in Aiba’s lap. “I don’t think that’s what Matsumoto meant.” He told the man while he offered his hand to the boy and smiled down at him.
“It’s only this once.” Masaki insisted. “And he’s really cute.” He added, as if that negated all other arguments. “He doesn’t speak Japanese, but he’s really smart. Watch.” Switching into his limited English, he spoke to the boy and pointed at the rapper. “Jay-kun, say Sho.”
Ohno cut in before the boy could reply. “Eh? English?”
The man nodded absently. “That’s right. I’m teaching him how to speak.” He told the other members proudly. “Jay-kun, say Sh~o.” He repeated to the boy while pointing to Sakurai, who was now crouched in front of the child pulling faces and earning delighted giggles in response.
“Sho!” Jacob exclaimed clearly and with some volume. He reached out with small hands to touch the cheeks of the smiling man. “Sho! Sho! Sho!” He echoed excitedly.
Sakurai Sho laughed and rubbed the boys’ head. “Amazing!” He grinned. In English, he told the boy. “You are a good boy.”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah!” He agreed in the smug way of the very young.
“So cute…”
Aiba hugged the child to him. “See? I said so, didn’t I? I told you he was cute.”
Ninomiya Kazunari snorted disdainfully. “I find it more amazing that you intend to teach Japanese to someone when you can barely speak it yourself.”
“Don’t say stuff like that.” Masaki warned his friend. “I’m teaching him properly.”
“Yeah, except I’ve only heard you talk to the kid in English so far.” The man pointed out sharply.
The older man grinned guiltily, having been caught out by the truth. Luckily, he did not have to argue that point, because at that moment there was a knock at the door. A young female member of staff poked her head around the door and informed the group that they were ready to start filming. Aiba entrusted the little boy into her care and filed out the greenroom with the rest of his friends.
“Hey guys,” He added as they made their way to the set. “Don’t mention Jay-kun during filming, OK?”
Ohno Satoshi clapped the man on the back reassuringly. “We won’t.” He promised. “Will we?” The rest of his friends concurred readily enough and the five men made their way onto the set.
* * *
Holding his stomach and grimacing in distaste, Ninomiya was the first to return to the greenroom after filming. The food had been from a reputable restaurant and had tasted fine, but it now sat uncomfortably in his gut. Personally, he blamed Aiba for making him play a particularly energetic game involving a trampoline and a paddling pool full of jelly.
But, despite his distracted state of mind, he noticed immediately that something was amiss in the greenroom; a number of things actually. The first thing he noticed was that his handheld game console had somehow found itself onto the floor in a corner of the room. The second thing he noticed was the absence of the female staff member who was supposed to be looking after the kid.
Oh, and the kid was nowhere in sight either.
He observed all this in the space of just a few seconds as the other caught up to him as he stood in the door way. “What’s wrong?” Jun asked when Ninomiya continued to block the door. “I thought you were in a hurry to get to the toilet?”
The smaller man shook his head as Matsumoto tried to maneuver past him. “He’s gone.”
The three older man reached the doorway just as the sardonic gamer made this statement. Kept from entering the room by Ninomiya’s arm thrown across the entrance, Sakurai was the first to ask what he meant. “Huh?”
He never had to explain any further. At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. “Aiba-san, I’m so sorry!” The young woman nearly crashed into the group of men in her haste.
“What?” It took him a second to recognise the harried woman and the same young lady with whom he had left his young cousin. “What happened?” He demanded when he took in her agitated state.
She gulped audibly. “I only took my eyes off him for a second...” Her voice trembled and tears shone in her eyes. “I’m so sorry! I’m really, really sorry!”
Frightened by the woman’s words he took her by the shoulders if only to steady her wavering frame. “Wait. What happened?” He tried to keep him voice calm, but he couldn’t keep his voice from cracking slightly as he continued. “Where is Jay-kun? Is he hurt?”
She shook her head. “No.” Aiba felt pointed relief before the girl added: “Or, I don’t know. He’s missing.”
“What!?”
Tears rolled down her cheeks as the young woman explained. “I didn’t mean to…” She sobbed. “I just went to the bathroom for a moment and when I came back…” Wiping her eyes she looked pleadingly to the stunned man. “I shut the door properly, I know I did. I didn’t think he would wander off.”
The other men, having remained in shocked silence during this exchange, traded worried glances. Sakurai took advantage of the brief break the woman’s spiel to speak up. “None of that matters right now.” He laid a calming hand on the taller mans shoulder. “He couldn’t have gone very far Masaki. We’ll all split up and look for him.”
The girl wailed anew. “I’ve already searched the whole floor!” She confessed. “I’m so terribly sorry….”
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Aiba addressed the woman. “Just this floor?” He asked. At her nod of confirmation, Aiba felt his resolve harden. “Jay-kun knows how to open doors and use stairs.” He explained. “We’ll probably find him in the canteen.” He said with more conviction than he felt and a rather forced smile.
“Right,” Sakurai looked to the woman, who had now calmed down a little but still trembled violently. “You should go and alert Security.” He told her. “Someone is bound to notice a baby foreigner wandering around alone.” He turned to Aiba. “The rest of us will split up and look for him too.” He declared. The others quickly voiced their assent. “Don’t worry Aiba-chan; little kids like to explore new places, he is probably making a den under some executive’s desk right now.”
The distraught young guardian allowed himself to be consoled by Sakurai’s words and managed a thin smile. The group quickly dispersed to look for the toddler, each taking a different floor.
Searching the staff room of Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen, Aiba Masaki fought to keep himself calm. He had never felt as helpless as he did at that moment. He was worried about his vulnerable cousin; scared that something bad might have happened to him and certain that if the worst did happen, it would all be his fault.
He had protested the idea of looking after the boy because he had worried that the boy would resent him, not because he thought it would be troublesome. When Jacob had shown himself to be a perfectly charming little boy, Aiba had felt real affection for the child. In the space of a single day they had grown close, had fun and become friends. Aiba now felt he had failed to take care of the boy.
The young man fought back tears of recrimination as he moved onto the next room in the corridor. If something bad had befallen the toddler, he would never forgive himself. He had been searching for nearly forty minutes when his cellular phone buzzed in his pocket and alerted him to an incoming text message.
Fishing the device out of his back pocket and reading the screen, relief flooded through him. Giddy, almost hysterical, laughter bubbled up from inside as he raced back to the Shukudai-kun greenroom.
Matsumoto, Ohno and Sakurai were waiting for him when he arrived, Sakurai with a blissfully unaware toddler in his arms. “Jay-kun!” Aiba crossed the room in a few long strides and held his arms out for the child. Jacob happily went to his favorite new friend and chattered silly nonsense at him. “Ah, Jay-kun, you scared me…” He smiled, hugging the child.
The door banged open and Ninomiya entered the room. “Where did you find him?” He asked Sho as he sprawled, exhausted, onto the vacant sofa.
“The elevator.”
“Huh? I thought it was broken?” He young man sat up slightly. “We used the stairs because the elevator wouldn’t work.”
“Nope.” Sakurai corrected him with a grin. “Not broken. Jay-kun just happened to be inside playing with the buttons he could reach and dancing to the music.”
Aiba broke in at that point. “So how did you find him?”
“The doors happened to open in front of me while I was checking the hallway. He found me really.” The caster explained. “I heard someone say my name. When I turned to look, Jay-kun was in the elevator pointing at me just as the doors were closing.”
Rising from his seat, Matsumoto stretched his long frame as he yawned. “Ah, well, I’m glad he’s alright, but I have a meeting to get to.” He stated apologetically. “I’ll tell Security they can stand down on my way out.”
The other men bade him farewell, and the infant waved his goodbyes. “Oh, and Aiba-san.” The youngest paused briefly at the door. “You might want to find that girl and tell her she isn’t going to lose her job.”
“Eh!?”
“Or not.” He shrugged as the door closed behind him.
Aiba stared wonderingly at the remaining members of the group. “Could I do that?” He asked in tones of genuine disbelief.
Ninomiya chortled. “Probably.” He replied with a rather sinister twinkle in his eye. Moving to retrieve his game console from the floor, he gave his lanky friend a pat on the back in passing. “She lost an Idol’s kid, after all.”
“Eh? But Jay-kun is not… I mean, I-”
The quiet leader of the group cast a worried frown at the stuttering man. “Ah, you’re not going to get her in trouble are you?” He asked. Ohno Satoshi did not like or approve of conflict of any kind.
“What? No.” Aiba informed the concerned man firmly. “She didn’t really do anything wrong. Besides, Jay-kun is fine.”
“Yes he is.” The would-be magician agreed. “And now that that is settled, I’m going home.” He suited his actions to his words and left the room with the barest of farewells.
Sakurai spoke into the following hush. “I think it’s time the rest of us head home too.” Absently, he proffered a hand to help Ohno to his feet and then approached the toddler in Masaki’s arms. “Jay-kun is probably tired from his little adventure today.” He stoked the plump, pink cheeks of the child and spoke to him in English. “Are you tired, Jay-kun?”
The toddler managed to shake his head, yawn and snuggle into Aiba’s shoulder all in the same moment. Such a feat, of course, earned amazed and gentle laughter from the three men.
They left the room together and left the building. Aiba held his charge close as he made his way home that night. It was a strange feeling for him, he knew; he felt unworthy of taking care of his precious little cousin, but he was glad he got to be the one to take him home. He decided within himself that for the next three days, Aiba Masaki was going to be the best Childminder ever.
To Be Continued…
Chapter Two: HERE
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no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 05:07 am (UTC)"Which was why the young Idol now had a miniature houseguest."
This is so cute ~ please continue soon!
I'm going to marry that man and have children with him.
Aaand as for the pairing, pretty please make it Sakuraiba? ;----;
Because I can totally see them taking care of Jay-kun together.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 06:03 pm (UTC)I'd love to marry him too, but I'll settle for stealing some of his genetic make-up for my future babies. XD
Sakuraiba are my personal favorite pairing too, and it is really easy to see them playing Mommy and Daddy. At the moment every single pairing has one vote each. Sooo, if things stay tied, I guess my own preferance will take priority, huh? ;)