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amh1988As promised, I bring you the final chapter of Spiral a whole day early!
(I really don’t know whether I should be happy or sad right now…)
Either way, this is the chapter that will answer all those burning questions: Just who was listening at Sakurai’s bedroom door in chapter 07? What is Sho up to now? What have their managers been doing all this time? And is the author nice enough to give the Idols a happy ending….?Doubtful ¬_¬
Disclaimer: I don’t own Arashi. I’m just using them to entertain myself.(Just like Jonny) ¬_¬ Neither did I come up with the basic concept of this story; I have simply written it at the request of jenny_desu. I took your idea babe, and I ran with it!
Chapter 10 ~ Culmination
“Sho-kun!” Banging heavily on the door to his clients hotel room, the middle-aged manager paid little heed to the late hour. Cursing, he continued to knock loudly to no avail. “Sakurai! Get out here right now!”
While his efforts did not meet with his desired response, a door further down the corridor was opened. Poking his head into the hall, Ninomiya Kazunari glared at the man. “What are you doing?” He demanded scathingly. “It’s three in the morning, you know.”
"Ah, Nino-kun,” The businessman straightened up and bobbed his head in the barest of apologies. “Have you seen Sho-kun?”
“Nino? Who is it?” Appearing at the threshold behind the younger man, Ohno peered curiously into the hallway and at the manager. “Oh.”
Ninomiya frowned and stepped fully out of his room. “We haven’t seen him since we got back. Is something wrong?”
They greying man gritted his teeth in frustration. “There will be if he’s not in his room. Speaking of which….” Turing his full attention to the two men, he addressed the sleepy-eyed Idol. “Why are you in Nino’s room Ohno-kun?”
The slight man gave a half-hearted shrug. “They’re connected.” He replied, referring to the conjoining doors in each room and implying that should be reason enough.
“What’s up with Sho-kun?” Ninomiya pressed, ignoring the byplay between the two men.
The businessman ran an impatient hand through his hair. “Someone on reception just told me that she thought she saw him leave earlier.”
“So?”
The man shot the sardonic gamer a dangerous look. “The problem is I heard it from a stranger. He can’t just leave in the middle of the night without informing someone. Especially me.”
Ninomiya did not argue this point. One of the first things the members had given up as Idols was such personal freedoms. Idols who wandered unescorted in the night were apt to finding themselves in the tabloids and in trouble with their agency. Moreover, Sakurai was not the type who would forget this unwritten rule or to rebel against it. “I wonder what would make him leave like that…?” His words were not directed at anyone; he had simply been voicing his thoughts aloud.
A reply did come however, but from an unexpected source. Matsumoto Jun emerged from behind Ohno to join the group in the hall. “I don’t think that is all that hard to figure out.” He yawned and squinted in the light, rubbing tired eyes from the glare. “Shouldn’t we be thinking about where he might have gone?”
Seeing that the youngest man had also been staying in Ninomiya’s room, the businessman rolled his eyes. “All three of you? Having your own rooms really is pointless, isn’t it? I don’t know why I’m even surprised anymore.”
“Ah~!?” Ohno’s abrupt exclamation caused all eyes to lock-on to the diminutive man. “W-what about Aiba-chan?” He asked. “I mean, Sho-kun was in his room earlier, right? Maybe they went somewhere together….”
“They were together?” The manager repeated incredulously.
Matsumoto explained. “Mm, yeah, we were going to listen in.” He confessed. “But we couldn’t really hear much once they were inside.”
“As expected of a high-class hotel,” Ninomiya muttered with grudging admiration. “The walls are thick.”
As one, the group of men focused on the room between them that was appointed to the tallest member of Arashi. Finding the door unlocked, they cautiously slipped inside. The table lamp cast the room in a warm golden glow and the four men could clearly see the rooms’ lone occupant. Aiba was curled oh his side on top of the covers with his face half buried in the pillows.
“He’s asleep.” Satoshi whispered needlessly as the three Idols crept towards the bed.
Jun bent over Masaki to peer closely at his face. “He’s been crying…” He murmured, taking note of Aiba’s swollen eyes and the tearstains that marred his smooth cheeks.
Hearing this, Ninomiya muttered a sharp curse. His hands balled into angry fists at his sides. “I’ve had enough of this.” He hissed. “I don’t care if we’ve never had a proper fight before – I am seriously going to knock some sense into them both!”
While his two friends quickly shushed him and threw retaining arms around his shoulders, the impartial manager addressed the musician calmly. “Just wait a moment.” He stated firmly. “None of us know exactly what happened yet. More importantly, we need to find Sho-kun before you ca–”
He was cut off suddenly by the loud trill of his handheld phone. The three Idols shot him dire glares as he hurriedly drew the phone from his pocket. He paused in the act of turning the device off when he caught sight of the screen. Instead, he answered the call quickly, keeping his voice low while the Idols listened in curiously. “Yes? … Oh, he is? … I see, what do you think? … No, he’s asleep right now. … Ah, alright then, we’ll do that. … No problem. Thank you for calling me and for all your hard work. … Yes, I’ll talk to you later.”
Matsumoto spoke immediately as the manager ended the call. “Who was it?” He demanded softly. “Sakurai?”
“Yes and no.” The man replied with a satisfied smirk. “I know where he is.”
Ninomiya folded his arms across his chest. “Where?”
“I’ll explain on the way.” The manager assured them in tones that brooked no argument as he moved to leave the room. “You three wake up Aiba-chan and meet me in the car-park as soon as you can. I’ll get his manager and inform yours too.” With that, he left the room.
The Idols were understandably confused, but the man had spoken with such authority and assertion that they could not help but carry out his order. Aiba woke groggily and sleepily followed his friends instructions. He moved as if in a trance, his eyes barely open and unfocused, he had no real awareness of the situation. He barely made a sound as he was manhandled into the backseat of the people-carrier, where he promptly drifted back into slumber.
Sakurai’s manager drove while Masakis' manager sat with the younger men and quietly explained what was going on. “It seems Sho-kun is at home.”
Masumoto frowned. “That’s not really a bad thing, is it?” He enquired. “We don’t have to be anywhere early; what’s wrong with going home?”
“And…” Ninomiya cut in. “Why are we going with you? What’s the point?”
The older man shrugged. “We wouldn’t have been able to get Aiba-chan to come without your help.” He admitted. “And we were told that it was important for Masaki to get there quickly.”
Satoshi considered carefully before deciding to speak. “By who?” He asked at length.
“Ah…that. Well, Sho-kun’s manager has had a man on the inside for a while.” He smirked slyly. “He infiltrated the Sakurai home and has been working as our informant during this crisis.”
“Who?” Ninomiya demanded sceptically. “And why are you talking like a cheesy secret-agent wannabe?”
The businessman ginned sheepishly. “Sorry. I’m talking about Sho-kun’s little brother. Apparently, his manager has had the boy keeping an eye on Sho-kun for a few years now. He’s got a real talent for it.”
At this revelation everyone began to object and talk over each other until they were silenced by their driver and reminded that Aiba was still asleep. The remainder of the journey was uneventful save for the occasional muttered exchange between the Idols and Masaki’s sleepy murmurs.
When they arrived they stirred the tall man to full consciousness and hustled him towards the house. It was not until Aiba came face-to-face with the pyjama-clad teenager waiting just outside the front door that he realised where he was. He drew up short. “Wha–? Am I dreaming?”
“Shh!” The boy scolded him in a whisper. “Nobody knows that I’m up or that you’re here.”
Ninomiya sniffed indignantly. “That’s because people don’t usually make unannounced visits at four in the morning.”
Aiba, his mind now fully alert, looked around at the group of males – young and old – gathered in the shadows of the Sakurai home front porch. “Um…. Why are we here?” He asked sensibly.
The teenager answered him smugly. “I invited you. My brother showed up a little while ago and has been… talking with my parents ever since.” He somehow injected the verb with so much distaste he made it sound like a curse. “But I think you need to know what they’re saying.”
“You want me to spy on your big brother and your parents? Are you crazy?”
The boy shrugged. “Why not? I do it all the time. Besides,” He paused to relish the anticipation of triumphing over an adult. “Don’t you want to know the real reason my brother has been schizophrenic for the last two weeks?”
Aiba did not bother to argue. While everyone else elected to wait in the vehicle, the tallest Idol followed the adolescent through the front door. The teenager led him down the hall, stopping just before the living-room door and motioning for Aiba to listen. Masaki held his breath and did as he was instructed.
On the other side of the door the three adults of the Sakurai household were absorbed in a serious discussion. The senior man sat patiently in his customary chair and watched his wife and child debate back and forth. The pair stood at opposite ends of the room but faced each other calmly. The man knew by how politely they spoke to one another that neither was sure where the conversation was heading. His expression carefully impartial, he observed them thoughtfully.
The mature woman took a measured sip of hot tea and sighed over the top of her cup. “I am sorry Sho-kun, but I just don’t understand. Is there something wrong with my former student?”
The young caster rubbed at his temples. “That’s not what I’m saying.” He insisted. “She's a cool girl and I feel like we could be good friends, but…. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with her.”
“Well, you have only met once.” His mother began placating. “And I was with you the entire time. Perhaps it’s a little soon to expect feeling to develop, but I’m sure that if you just give it some time–”
“You’re not listening.” Sho interrupted levelly. He was trying very hard to remain calm and not unduly upset his mother. “I’m just not interested in her like that and I never will be. I’m sorry, but that’s how I feel.”
Hearing this statement from her grown son, the woman pursed her lips to keep from arguing. Finally, she gave a brisk nod. “I suppose it can’t be helped.” She conceded. “Then, I’ll be happy to introduce you to some others. Personally, I thought she was perfect for you, but… well, we can’t force these things.”
“Mother…” The young man wanted to rail against his mother. He wanted to be angry at her insensitivity but he knew it was futile. He was responsible for hiding his feeling and deceiving his family; his mother had done nothing wrong. Now was the time for Sho to put things right. “I know you don’t mean to, but you are forcing things mother.” He told her gently. “It’s not you fault – I should have said from the start that I don’t want to be set up with anyone.”
“But–” Forcibly stopping herself, the woman bit down on her bottom lip. She was not unreasonable; she simply wanted the best for her son. She knew that his hectic schedule had kept him from experiencing some of the more mundane pleasures of life and she had only wanted to help remedy that. “I know that most boys don’t want their mothers interfering with their love lives.” She acknowledged with a thin smile. “But, Sho-kun, you are not like most boys. You’re an Idol. Working for an agency that I saw claim your formative years as their own and dictate your life in a way your father and I never would.”
Her eyes shone wetly and her hands trembling as she continued beseechingly. “You’re finally getting to the point when you can have more freedom than ever before and I want you to embrace that. I know you cherish Arashi and your work, but I want more than that for you. I want you to start thinking about yourself and your own happiness. I want you to find a person you can love just as much as your work. It’s fine if you want me to back off – I’ll do it – but please think about it Sho-kun. Think about yourself.”
The rapper had listened quietly to his mother. He recognised the same tones of helpless concern that he had inherited from her and he wanted to put her mind at ease. For the first time he was able to see himself clearly; he was a reflection of his mothers’ careful upbringing and shared many of her familial traits. He had always thought that telling her the truth would hurt her, but he knew now that it was the deception that caused her real pain. Suddenly, Sho was not afraid of telling his mother what was really going on in his life.
“I am.” His voice was barely more than a whisper, but it was firm and steady, backed by the steel of his resolve. “I am thinking about myself, right now; that’s why I’m here.”
Finally breaking his impartial silence, the older man addressed his son. “So why are you here, Sho-kun? I’m sure whatever you have to say must be very important, but your mother and I have to leave for work in just over four hours.”
“I know dad, and I’m sorry but I need to fix this now.” The young man stated.
“Fix what?”
The conscientious caster clasped his hands together before him. “The thing is…. Ah, mother, maybe you had better sit down?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Uh, well then, this–” A resounding bang from the hallway stilled his tongue. For a moment the three occupants of the living-room froze before moving to stare pointedly at the door. Rolling his eyes, Sho march over to the door and pulled it open. Finding his little brother hiding behind the frame was no big surprise, but seeing Aiba knelt on the floor at his feet rendered the rapper speechless.
“I told you to be quiet!” The teenager hissed sullenly.
“You tripped me!” The tall man shot back.
Sho managed to find his voice – even if it did come out as a high-pitched squeak. “Aiba-chan?”
The boy, seeing an opportunity to escape, sprang into action. “Well…. Goodnight!” He exclaimed cheerfully as he bolted for the stairs.
“Wow~” Aiba smiled cringingly. “The runt is fast...”
“Masaki…” Sho began warningly, offering a hand to pull the younger man to his feet.
“I know, I know!” The vivacious Idol brushed off his knees and straightened to face his friend. “But it’s not my fault. I was kidnapped! Abducted in the dead of night and brought here against my will! I swear!”
Sho shifted uncomfortably. “How long have you…?”
“Long enough.”
Clearing her throat meaningfully, the woman regarded her son quizzically. “Um, Sho-kun? What’s going on?” Turning to the other man she smiled. “Not that I mind you paying a visit any time Aiba-kun, but I don’t usually like to receive guests while in my pyjamas.”
Aiba met Sho’s eye and something intangible passed between the pair. At the gentle questioning look of the rapper, Aiba smiled encouragingly and gave an assured nod. When Sho reached for his hand, the younger man laced their fingers together and stepped close to his side. The two men stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the caster addressed his parents.
“The truth is that I’ve already found my happiness.” He told them, holding tight to Aiba’s hand for support and smiling when he felt Aiba squeeze back.
His father sat up in his chair and kept his expression carefully grave. “I take it that you’re not talking about Arashi in general?” He enquired calmly while his wife struggled to find words.
Sho bowed his head silently and the taller man spoke for them both. “We’re together…. Right?” He added the last part while casting the rapper a slightly uneasy glance. At his answering nod, however, Aiba continued with more conviction. “We’re together and – with your blessing – we’d like to stay that way please.”
The mature woman seemed temporarily paralysed in shock. “…Together...?” She repeated the word numbly.
“HA!” Slapping the arms of his chair as he pulled himself to his feet, the portly older man beamed. “You always did have a habit of exceeding our expectations, son!” He grinned as he put a steadying arm around his wife’s waist. “Isn’t that right, darling?”
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, the woman rubbed at her cheeks and smiled self-consciously. “That’s true.” She answered her husband, then looking at the young men before her, she added: “Are you happy? Both of you?”
“Yes,” He son confirmed stoutly. Exchanging a besotted smile with the taller man, Sho slipped an arm around his hips. “We will be.”
“Well then,” She squared he shoulders briskly and drew her husband with her as she approached her son. “I guess I have nothing to worry about. Well… except that now I owe your sister a weeks’ wages.”
“Huh?” Sho steeped aside automatically as his parents manoeuvred past him to get to the door.
“I was so sure Matsu– Never mind, come on darling, it’s about we went to bed.”
The caster found himself staring after the retreating backs of his parents in confusion. Beside him, Aiba scratched his head with a frown. “Uh, does that mean everything’s OK?” He asked slowly.
“I- ah, I think so…”
“What!? That’s it!?” The younger man exclaimed indignantly. “This is what you’ve been worrying about all this time? It was nothing! It was less than nothing – It was a non-issue. A whole big empty bucket load of nothing-like nothingness!”
“Er…Aiba-chan…?”
“Where’s the drama!?” The tall man continued to righteously. “Where’s the huge family argument cumulating in you passionately declaring your love for me? Where are the tears of recrimination and then acceptance?”
“Um, Aiba-chan?” Sho interrupted his spiel. “This isn’t a drama, you know; it’s our life.”
“I know!” Aiba responded defiantly folding his arms across his chest. “But I want tears Sho-chan! Geez, your family is cool and everything, but it’s just so boring. After all the crying I did over you, I was kind of looking forward to some payback.”
The rapper wore a guilty smile as he watched Aiba work himself into an imaginary snit. “OK, OK, I got it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it more interesting for you, but I am not going through it all again just so you can have a do-over. Why are you so hyper right now, anyway?” To himself, he added an aside. “…And where did you learn a word like cumulating…?”
“Oh, the Director used it yesterday.” Aiba replied casually. “And I can’t help it; I’m excited. I know it’s early and that you haven’t slept, but I just woke up from a particularly bad dream and I’m happy about it. Is something wrong?”
“No.” Sho looked up at the tall man with a slow, satisfied smile and curled his arms around Masaki’s neck with a contented sigh. “No, nothing’s wrong. Not anymore… and never again.”
Aiba nodded. “I’m glad but… maybe we should leave now?”
“Why? I don’t think my parents would object…” The rapper pointed out with a smirk.
“I know, but everyone is still waiting in the car.”
“Everyone…?” His hands fell away from Aiba’s shoulders and his forehead creased as he processed the implications of Aiba’s statement.
“I told you, didn’t I?” The younger man gave a long suffering sigh. “I was abducted!” He gesticulated wildly to illustrate his distress. “Hijacked! Snatched! Stolen from my bed in the dark and bundled into a minibus! I was totally Idol-napped. My captors are all waiting for me back in the car.”
Shaking his head with a laugh, Sho caught Aiba’s flailing hands with his own and drew the man close. Pulling the tall man down the rapper murmured softly into his ear. “Well then, they will just have to wait a bit longer….” Taking Aiba’s lips with his own, Sho kissed the man he loved as he deserved; sweet and tender and thorough.
It was a long time before either man even thought to rejoin their friends again.
To be continued…
EPILOGUE
___________________________
Well, technically, this is the end of the story.
But there is still the Epilogue to come. An Epilogue wherein I reward my readers for wading through nine chapters of angst by doling out corny fluffity fluffy fluff-stuff by the barrelful. Also it contains some more of the other members and (due to popular demand) another helping of Nino being his delightful self.
FINAL UPDATE on: Saturday 5th September. If you want to keep track of this story (and all my other works,) check out my post [HERE] I’ll keep it updated with any new information.
Comments, criticisms, opinions and ideas are all welcome! ♥
(I really don’t know whether I should be happy or sad right now…)
Either way, this is the chapter that will answer all those burning questions: Just who was listening at Sakurai’s bedroom door in chapter 07? What is Sho up to now? What have their managers been doing all this time? And is the author nice enough to give the Idols a happy ending….?
Title: Spiral (Chapter 10 ~ Culmination)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance/Angst
Pairing: Sakurai/Aiba
Word Count: 3,500
Type: Multi-Chapter/Series
Summary: The final chapter in this saga of angst and heartbreak… Just how will it end?
Prologue - Ouroborus - HERE
Chapter 01 - Parallels - HERE
Chapter 02 - Tempest - HERE
Chapter 03 - Philos - HERE
Chpater 04 - Sacrosanct - HERE
Chapter 05 - Discourse - HERE
Chapter 06 - Reminiscent - HERE
Chapter 07 - Divulgence - HERE
Chapter 08 - Exasperation - HERE
Chapter 09 - Justification - HERE
Disclaimer: I don’t own Arashi. I’m just using them to entertain myself.
Spiral
Chapter 10 ~ Culmination
“Sho-kun!” Banging heavily on the door to his clients hotel room, the middle-aged manager paid little heed to the late hour. Cursing, he continued to knock loudly to no avail. “Sakurai! Get out here right now!”
While his efforts did not meet with his desired response, a door further down the corridor was opened. Poking his head into the hall, Ninomiya Kazunari glared at the man. “What are you doing?” He demanded scathingly. “It’s three in the morning, you know.”
"Ah, Nino-kun,” The businessman straightened up and bobbed his head in the barest of apologies. “Have you seen Sho-kun?”
“Nino? Who is it?” Appearing at the threshold behind the younger man, Ohno peered curiously into the hallway and at the manager. “Oh.”
Ninomiya frowned and stepped fully out of his room. “We haven’t seen him since we got back. Is something wrong?”
They greying man gritted his teeth in frustration. “There will be if he’s not in his room. Speaking of which….” Turing his full attention to the two men, he addressed the sleepy-eyed Idol. “Why are you in Nino’s room Ohno-kun?”
The slight man gave a half-hearted shrug. “They’re connected.” He replied, referring to the conjoining doors in each room and implying that should be reason enough.
“What’s up with Sho-kun?” Ninomiya pressed, ignoring the byplay between the two men.
The businessman ran an impatient hand through his hair. “Someone on reception just told me that she thought she saw him leave earlier.”
“So?”
The man shot the sardonic gamer a dangerous look. “The problem is I heard it from a stranger. He can’t just leave in the middle of the night without informing someone. Especially me.”
Ninomiya did not argue this point. One of the first things the members had given up as Idols was such personal freedoms. Idols who wandered unescorted in the night were apt to finding themselves in the tabloids and in trouble with their agency. Moreover, Sakurai was not the type who would forget this unwritten rule or to rebel against it. “I wonder what would make him leave like that…?” His words were not directed at anyone; he had simply been voicing his thoughts aloud.
A reply did come however, but from an unexpected source. Matsumoto Jun emerged from behind Ohno to join the group in the hall. “I don’t think that is all that hard to figure out.” He yawned and squinted in the light, rubbing tired eyes from the glare. “Shouldn’t we be thinking about where he might have gone?”
Seeing that the youngest man had also been staying in Ninomiya’s room, the businessman rolled his eyes. “All three of you? Having your own rooms really is pointless, isn’t it? I don’t know why I’m even surprised anymore.”
“Ah~!?” Ohno’s abrupt exclamation caused all eyes to lock-on to the diminutive man. “W-what about Aiba-chan?” He asked. “I mean, Sho-kun was in his room earlier, right? Maybe they went somewhere together….”
“They were together?” The manager repeated incredulously.
Matsumoto explained. “Mm, yeah, we were going to listen in.” He confessed. “But we couldn’t really hear much once they were inside.”
“As expected of a high-class hotel,” Ninomiya muttered with grudging admiration. “The walls are thick.”
As one, the group of men focused on the room between them that was appointed to the tallest member of Arashi. Finding the door unlocked, they cautiously slipped inside. The table lamp cast the room in a warm golden glow and the four men could clearly see the rooms’ lone occupant. Aiba was curled oh his side on top of the covers with his face half buried in the pillows.
“He’s asleep.” Satoshi whispered needlessly as the three Idols crept towards the bed.
Jun bent over Masaki to peer closely at his face. “He’s been crying…” He murmured, taking note of Aiba’s swollen eyes and the tearstains that marred his smooth cheeks.
Hearing this, Ninomiya muttered a sharp curse. His hands balled into angry fists at his sides. “I’ve had enough of this.” He hissed. “I don’t care if we’ve never had a proper fight before – I am seriously going to knock some sense into them both!”
While his two friends quickly shushed him and threw retaining arms around his shoulders, the impartial manager addressed the musician calmly. “Just wait a moment.” He stated firmly. “None of us know exactly what happened yet. More importantly, we need to find Sho-kun before you ca–”
He was cut off suddenly by the loud trill of his handheld phone. The three Idols shot him dire glares as he hurriedly drew the phone from his pocket. He paused in the act of turning the device off when he caught sight of the screen. Instead, he answered the call quickly, keeping his voice low while the Idols listened in curiously. “Yes? … Oh, he is? … I see, what do you think? … No, he’s asleep right now. … Ah, alright then, we’ll do that. … No problem. Thank you for calling me and for all your hard work. … Yes, I’ll talk to you later.”
Matsumoto spoke immediately as the manager ended the call. “Who was it?” He demanded softly. “Sakurai?”
“Yes and no.” The man replied with a satisfied smirk. “I know where he is.”
Ninomiya folded his arms across his chest. “Where?”
“I’ll explain on the way.” The manager assured them in tones that brooked no argument as he moved to leave the room. “You three wake up Aiba-chan and meet me in the car-park as soon as you can. I’ll get his manager and inform yours too.” With that, he left the room.
The Idols were understandably confused, but the man had spoken with such authority and assertion that they could not help but carry out his order. Aiba woke groggily and sleepily followed his friends instructions. He moved as if in a trance, his eyes barely open and unfocused, he had no real awareness of the situation. He barely made a sound as he was manhandled into the backseat of the people-carrier, where he promptly drifted back into slumber.
Sakurai’s manager drove while Masakis' manager sat with the younger men and quietly explained what was going on. “It seems Sho-kun is at home.”
Masumoto frowned. “That’s not really a bad thing, is it?” He enquired. “We don’t have to be anywhere early; what’s wrong with going home?”
“And…” Ninomiya cut in. “Why are we going with you? What’s the point?”
The older man shrugged. “We wouldn’t have been able to get Aiba-chan to come without your help.” He admitted. “And we were told that it was important for Masaki to get there quickly.”
Satoshi considered carefully before deciding to speak. “By who?” He asked at length.
“Ah…that. Well, Sho-kun’s manager has had a man on the inside for a while.” He smirked slyly. “He infiltrated the Sakurai home and has been working as our informant during this crisis.”
“Who?” Ninomiya demanded sceptically. “And why are you talking like a cheesy secret-agent wannabe?”
The businessman ginned sheepishly. “Sorry. I’m talking about Sho-kun’s little brother. Apparently, his manager has had the boy keeping an eye on Sho-kun for a few years now. He’s got a real talent for it.”
At this revelation everyone began to object and talk over each other until they were silenced by their driver and reminded that Aiba was still asleep. The remainder of the journey was uneventful save for the occasional muttered exchange between the Idols and Masaki’s sleepy murmurs.
When they arrived they stirred the tall man to full consciousness and hustled him towards the house. It was not until Aiba came face-to-face with the pyjama-clad teenager waiting just outside the front door that he realised where he was. He drew up short. “Wha–? Am I dreaming?”
“Shh!” The boy scolded him in a whisper. “Nobody knows that I’m up or that you’re here.”
Ninomiya sniffed indignantly. “That’s because people don’t usually make unannounced visits at four in the morning.”
Aiba, his mind now fully alert, looked around at the group of males – young and old – gathered in the shadows of the Sakurai home front porch. “Um…. Why are we here?” He asked sensibly.
The teenager answered him smugly. “I invited you. My brother showed up a little while ago and has been… talking with my parents ever since.” He somehow injected the verb with so much distaste he made it sound like a curse. “But I think you need to know what they’re saying.”
“You want me to spy on your big brother and your parents? Are you crazy?”
The boy shrugged. “Why not? I do it all the time. Besides,” He paused to relish the anticipation of triumphing over an adult. “Don’t you want to know the real reason my brother has been schizophrenic for the last two weeks?”
Aiba did not bother to argue. While everyone else elected to wait in the vehicle, the tallest Idol followed the adolescent through the front door. The teenager led him down the hall, stopping just before the living-room door and motioning for Aiba to listen. Masaki held his breath and did as he was instructed.
On the other side of the door the three adults of the Sakurai household were absorbed in a serious discussion. The senior man sat patiently in his customary chair and watched his wife and child debate back and forth. The pair stood at opposite ends of the room but faced each other calmly. The man knew by how politely they spoke to one another that neither was sure where the conversation was heading. His expression carefully impartial, he observed them thoughtfully.
The mature woman took a measured sip of hot tea and sighed over the top of her cup. “I am sorry Sho-kun, but I just don’t understand. Is there something wrong with my former student?”
The young caster rubbed at his temples. “That’s not what I’m saying.” He insisted. “She's a cool girl and I feel like we could be good friends, but…. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with her.”
“Well, you have only met once.” His mother began placating. “And I was with you the entire time. Perhaps it’s a little soon to expect feeling to develop, but I’m sure that if you just give it some time–”
“You’re not listening.” Sho interrupted levelly. He was trying very hard to remain calm and not unduly upset his mother. “I’m just not interested in her like that and I never will be. I’m sorry, but that’s how I feel.”
Hearing this statement from her grown son, the woman pursed her lips to keep from arguing. Finally, she gave a brisk nod. “I suppose it can’t be helped.” She conceded. “Then, I’ll be happy to introduce you to some others. Personally, I thought she was perfect for you, but… well, we can’t force these things.”
“Mother…” The young man wanted to rail against his mother. He wanted to be angry at her insensitivity but he knew it was futile. He was responsible for hiding his feeling and deceiving his family; his mother had done nothing wrong. Now was the time for Sho to put things right. “I know you don’t mean to, but you are forcing things mother.” He told her gently. “It’s not you fault – I should have said from the start that I don’t want to be set up with anyone.”
“But–” Forcibly stopping herself, the woman bit down on her bottom lip. She was not unreasonable; she simply wanted the best for her son. She knew that his hectic schedule had kept him from experiencing some of the more mundane pleasures of life and she had only wanted to help remedy that. “I know that most boys don’t want their mothers interfering with their love lives.” She acknowledged with a thin smile. “But, Sho-kun, you are not like most boys. You’re an Idol. Working for an agency that I saw claim your formative years as their own and dictate your life in a way your father and I never would.”
Her eyes shone wetly and her hands trembling as she continued beseechingly. “You’re finally getting to the point when you can have more freedom than ever before and I want you to embrace that. I know you cherish Arashi and your work, but I want more than that for you. I want you to start thinking about yourself and your own happiness. I want you to find a person you can love just as much as your work. It’s fine if you want me to back off – I’ll do it – but please think about it Sho-kun. Think about yourself.”
The rapper had listened quietly to his mother. He recognised the same tones of helpless concern that he had inherited from her and he wanted to put her mind at ease. For the first time he was able to see himself clearly; he was a reflection of his mothers’ careful upbringing and shared many of her familial traits. He had always thought that telling her the truth would hurt her, but he knew now that it was the deception that caused her real pain. Suddenly, Sho was not afraid of telling his mother what was really going on in his life.
“I am.” His voice was barely more than a whisper, but it was firm and steady, backed by the steel of his resolve. “I am thinking about myself, right now; that’s why I’m here.”
Finally breaking his impartial silence, the older man addressed his son. “So why are you here, Sho-kun? I’m sure whatever you have to say must be very important, but your mother and I have to leave for work in just over four hours.”
“I know dad, and I’m sorry but I need to fix this now.” The young man stated.
“Fix what?”
The conscientious caster clasped his hands together before him. “The thing is…. Ah, mother, maybe you had better sit down?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Uh, well then, this–” A resounding bang from the hallway stilled his tongue. For a moment the three occupants of the living-room froze before moving to stare pointedly at the door. Rolling his eyes, Sho march over to the door and pulled it open. Finding his little brother hiding behind the frame was no big surprise, but seeing Aiba knelt on the floor at his feet rendered the rapper speechless.
“I told you to be quiet!” The teenager hissed sullenly.
“You tripped me!” The tall man shot back.
Sho managed to find his voice – even if it did come out as a high-pitched squeak. “Aiba-chan?”
The boy, seeing an opportunity to escape, sprang into action. “Well…. Goodnight!” He exclaimed cheerfully as he bolted for the stairs.
“Wow~” Aiba smiled cringingly. “The runt is fast...”
“Masaki…” Sho began warningly, offering a hand to pull the younger man to his feet.
“I know, I know!” The vivacious Idol brushed off his knees and straightened to face his friend. “But it’s not my fault. I was kidnapped! Abducted in the dead of night and brought here against my will! I swear!”
Sho shifted uncomfortably. “How long have you…?”
“Long enough.”
Clearing her throat meaningfully, the woman regarded her son quizzically. “Um, Sho-kun? What’s going on?” Turning to the other man she smiled. “Not that I mind you paying a visit any time Aiba-kun, but I don’t usually like to receive guests while in my pyjamas.”
Aiba met Sho’s eye and something intangible passed between the pair. At the gentle questioning look of the rapper, Aiba smiled encouragingly and gave an assured nod. When Sho reached for his hand, the younger man laced their fingers together and stepped close to his side. The two men stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the caster addressed his parents.
“The truth is that I’ve already found my happiness.” He told them, holding tight to Aiba’s hand for support and smiling when he felt Aiba squeeze back.
His father sat up in his chair and kept his expression carefully grave. “I take it that you’re not talking about Arashi in general?” He enquired calmly while his wife struggled to find words.
Sho bowed his head silently and the taller man spoke for them both. “We’re together…. Right?” He added the last part while casting the rapper a slightly uneasy glance. At his answering nod, however, Aiba continued with more conviction. “We’re together and – with your blessing – we’d like to stay that way please.”
The mature woman seemed temporarily paralysed in shock. “…Together...?” She repeated the word numbly.
“HA!” Slapping the arms of his chair as he pulled himself to his feet, the portly older man beamed. “You always did have a habit of exceeding our expectations, son!” He grinned as he put a steadying arm around his wife’s waist. “Isn’t that right, darling?”
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, the woman rubbed at her cheeks and smiled self-consciously. “That’s true.” She answered her husband, then looking at the young men before her, she added: “Are you happy? Both of you?”
“Yes,” He son confirmed stoutly. Exchanging a besotted smile with the taller man, Sho slipped an arm around his hips. “We will be.”
“Well then,” She squared he shoulders briskly and drew her husband with her as she approached her son. “I guess I have nothing to worry about. Well… except that now I owe your sister a weeks’ wages.”
“Huh?” Sho steeped aside automatically as his parents manoeuvred past him to get to the door.
“I was so sure Matsu– Never mind, come on darling, it’s about we went to bed.”
The caster found himself staring after the retreating backs of his parents in confusion. Beside him, Aiba scratched his head with a frown. “Uh, does that mean everything’s OK?” He asked slowly.
“I- ah, I think so…”
“What!? That’s it!?” The younger man exclaimed indignantly. “This is what you’ve been worrying about all this time? It was nothing! It was less than nothing – It was a non-issue. A whole big empty bucket load of nothing-like nothingness!”
“Er…Aiba-chan…?”
“Where’s the drama!?” The tall man continued to righteously. “Where’s the huge family argument cumulating in you passionately declaring your love for me? Where are the tears of recrimination and then acceptance?”
“Um, Aiba-chan?” Sho interrupted his spiel. “This isn’t a drama, you know; it’s our life.”
“I know!” Aiba responded defiantly folding his arms across his chest. “But I want tears Sho-chan! Geez, your family is cool and everything, but it’s just so boring. After all the crying I did over you, I was kind of looking forward to some payback.”
The rapper wore a guilty smile as he watched Aiba work himself into an imaginary snit. “OK, OK, I got it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it more interesting for you, but I am not going through it all again just so you can have a do-over. Why are you so hyper right now, anyway?” To himself, he added an aside. “…And where did you learn a word like cumulating…?”
“Oh, the Director used it yesterday.” Aiba replied casually. “And I can’t help it; I’m excited. I know it’s early and that you haven’t slept, but I just woke up from a particularly bad dream and I’m happy about it. Is something wrong?”
“No.” Sho looked up at the tall man with a slow, satisfied smile and curled his arms around Masaki’s neck with a contented sigh. “No, nothing’s wrong. Not anymore… and never again.”
Aiba nodded. “I’m glad but… maybe we should leave now?”
“Why? I don’t think my parents would object…” The rapper pointed out with a smirk.
“I know, but everyone is still waiting in the car.”
“Everyone…?” His hands fell away from Aiba’s shoulders and his forehead creased as he processed the implications of Aiba’s statement.
“I told you, didn’t I?” The younger man gave a long suffering sigh. “I was abducted!” He gesticulated wildly to illustrate his distress. “Hijacked! Snatched! Stolen from my bed in the dark and bundled into a minibus! I was totally Idol-napped. My captors are all waiting for me back in the car.”
Shaking his head with a laugh, Sho caught Aiba’s flailing hands with his own and drew the man close. Pulling the tall man down the rapper murmured softly into his ear. “Well then, they will just have to wait a bit longer….” Taking Aiba’s lips with his own, Sho kissed the man he loved as he deserved; sweet and tender and thorough.
It was a long time before either man even thought to rejoin their friends again.
To be continued…
EPILOGUE
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Well, technically, this is the end of the story.
But there is still the Epilogue to come. An Epilogue wherein I reward my readers for wading through nine chapters of angst by doling out corny fluffity fluffy fluff-stuff by the barrelful. Also it contains some more of the other members and (due to popular demand) another helping of Nino being his delightful self.
FINAL UPDATE on: Saturday 5th September. If you want to keep track of this story (and all my other works,) check out my post [HERE] I’ll keep it updated with any new information.
Comments, criticisms, opinions and ideas are all welcome! ♥
