Ayumu
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...Whadder we talkin' 'bout??
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Post by Ayumu on Feb 26, 2009 16:05:43 GMT 9
Hikaru glanced in the direction his brother went in as Morioka-sempai made the comment about Shou's pudge.
"He doesn't eat often," Hikaru murmured, mostly to himself. "He forgets to eat, or sleep, or anything else sometimes for days. His life is in those manga's of his..." Shaking himself out of his reverie, Hikaru smiled sweetly at Morioka-sempai again. "We will find something appetizing for dessert, ne?"
Hikaru didn't miss the blank look that sometimes fell over his sempai's face, the closed in expressions, the chilly demeanor. He also didn't miss the fact that it had come around some time ago, when he'd stopped hearing the older man's laughter, or seeing his smiles. Or seeing his name rivaling and battling for the top of the grades, for that matter. A deep change had happened to his sempai, something to effect him deeply. But it wasn't his place to say anything, and it wasn't his place to ask him to talk about it.
Shou would have said that Hikaru's personality was like a deep pond, patient and calm, but rioting with life under the surface. He could wait however long it took, if Morioka-sempai would trust him. But trust needed time, and healthy soil to grow. Perhaps that was what Shou-san had started tonight. He always was a rather intuitive man, despite the...behavior.
"Oh, look, sempai, cake!" Hikaru said with another smile, practically dancing over to the glass partition. "We could have cake tonight for dessert, ne?" He glanced over his shoulder at Morioka-sempai again with mischief in his eyes. "Of course we should ransom Shou-san's for his finishing his vegetables..."
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mouse
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Post by mouse on Feb 26, 2009 16:12:35 GMT 9
"Hm," Rei replied thoughtfully, watching the aisle Shou had dissapeared to as well. He didn't comment, though; if that strange man wanted to spend his time obsessing over such frivolities that was his decision... Yet he couldn't help but wonder how that worked out. The pair had said that they lived around the corner--which would put them on the same street as him. He wondered how he'd missed that.
Eventually he shrugged and they moved on to eye the desserts. Despite his aversion to most sweets, Rei had to admit the cake looked good. Maybe it was the brilliancy of the strawberries that coated the top, or the pretty pink colour of the cake itself, but it looked divine. "Yeah, I think that's a plan." He paused, glancing over his shoulder to make sure they were alone, then offered his younger companion a conspiratory smile and leaned in to whisper, "of course, he doesn't have to know we bought it."
He turned to the bakery worker and asked the man to box up three slices of the cake for them, all the while keeping an eye out for the elder of the Aoki's.
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Ayumu
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...Whadder we talkin' 'bout??
Posts: 25
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Post by Ayumu on Feb 26, 2009 16:26:37 GMT 9
Hikaru grinned and nodded to go along with the dastardly plot. He ignored the intense desire to shiver when the older boy was so close, instead choosing to nod again to hide any shiver that might have escaped. Nodding to the bakery worker, he took out his wallet to count out the yen needed for the cake, since Shou had been the one to offer (try force) Morioka-sempai dinner.
He could dimly hear Shou in the aisle of poki muttering to himself about which ones to convince Hikaru to get and what pleas he could use to get his way.
"He means well, sempai." Hikaru said with a smile. "Overbearing, arrogant and rude, yes, but in the end, he means well. He would never tell a lie to spare feelings or to pretend to be something he's not. There is too much of that in the world today, he says, even if it were to earn him things that otherwise would be denied him." A gentle laugh escaped Hikaru. "He is much like our mother."
He turned around to walk toward the checkout for the rest of their groceries, glancing over his shoulder at Morioka-sempai.
"In our house, there are no ranks, or who is more important. You are who you bring to the table, no more no less. And don't worry, sempai. I don't speak out of turn, nor do I gossip. Who would believe me if I said that you had had dinner at my house, anyways?" Hikaru chuckled softly.
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mouse
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Post by mouse on Feb 26, 2009 16:46:16 GMT 9
Before Hikaru could pay for the cake, Rei dug out some yen and paid for it himself. He wasn't going to let himself be a mooch, and money had recently become less of a big deal to him. Rei had never truly wanted for anything, but he'd always had an issue spending his father's money, until he'd lost all respect for the man. Technically, he'd had his own bank account most of his life, anyway. All holiday and birthday money, and random gifts he'd received over the years had gone towards the account--his parents had believed whole heartedly in teaching him the value of saving. Who cared about any of that, now?
He took the box, putting it in the basket and thanked the worker before he followed Hikaru to the check out counter for the other items. "It wouldn't be something you'd want to brag about, anyway," Rei shrugged. He knew his social position as well as anyone did these days--he was a pariah. At least, he would be until he dyed his hair a sensible colour and resubmitted to the realm of politeness.
fuck that.
The idea behind the way that the two brothers ran their household seemed like a paradise... and a little far-fetched. He wondered how so polite a boy as Hikaru had come out of such a place. It wouldn't do to ask, though, and he helped the boy place things upon the counter, reaching again for his wallet.
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Ayumu
New Member
...Whadder we talkin' 'bout??
Posts: 25
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Post by Ayumu on Feb 26, 2009 17:00:03 GMT 9
A bright laugh escaped Hikaru before he could stop it, and he clapped his hands over his mouth to stop it.
"Forgive me, sempai, but just because your old friends have decided against you, does not mean that you do not have new followers or those who admire you still. You would be surprise how much a moment of your time is work to them."
He motioned for Morioka-sempai to put his wallet away.
"Besides, in five seconds, Shou-san is going to -"
"Tora-chan!!"
"Ugh..." Hikaru said with an exaggerated eye roll. "UGH!!" He repeated when he saw his brothers arms filled with poki. "You're paying for all of that." He cautioned his older brother, glowering when Shou tried a puppy face on him. "No."
To emphasize his point, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at his brother. Which was strangely accomplished considering the height difference. Only slightly abashed, but grumbling irritably, Shou returned a handful of his food of choice to the correct place before taking out his wallet without looking at the food that Hikaru had put on the counter. Hikaru tossed a slightly bemused look in Morioka-sempai's direction and then made a rude noise when he realized that his older brother had snuck in another pack of cigarettes.
"Shou-san!" He chastised with his hands on his hips.
"What? What, okasan?" Shou said with a smirk, "I limit it to two a day, just like we agreed. Just like we agreed that you can't talk about any more than two different textbooks a night at dinner. We'll get you socialized yet."
Watching his niisan grab the bags and begin to saunter out the door with them, Hikaru sighed deeply and looked at Morioka-sempai.
"I'm not the one that needs the socialization in this family..." He smirked, which was very familiar to Shou's smirk, and then slid into a warm smile. "You can buy the next dinner at our house, sempai, okay?" Suddenly realizing just how presumptuous that sounded, Hikaru paled and hastened to clarify. "I-if you want, t-that is. It's okay if you d-don't want t-to after this. Forgive me for presuming t-that it would become more t-than once, is all... Oh.." Hikaru slapped his palm onto his forehead, making a loud, shocking noise. "Forgive me for being an idiot, sempai. Ignore me, please..."
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mouse
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Post by mouse on Feb 26, 2009 17:12:43 GMT 9
Rei watched the little drama with something of an amused, if confused, air. The two of them together were almost like a tv show sitcom--not that he'd watched many of them, but his mother had. Hikaru's words rang through his mind a few times, and he frowned in response. People who looked up to him...? It was an odd concept, really. He wasn't so self-unaware that he hadn't realized that people had looked up to him before. He'd always had girls wanting to give him chocolates on valentine's and people seeking him out as a study partner... but he'd been polite and courteous and they'd understood that he was never anything more than that. It wasn't really something he'd missed or even cared about, since it had all been for things that didn't mean anything to him.
Now...
Rei shook his head to himself and grabbed the two bags that were left. Luckily, one of them was the one with the cake in it. He headed towards the door, but kept some distance between himself and the fleeing Shou. "You're not stupid," Rei chided, softly, "I... think I'd like that." He smiled, not bothering to offer a reason, and pressed his back to the door to open it. Rei stood to the side, shoulder holding the door open, and waited for Hikaru to pass.
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Ayumu
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...Whadder we talkin' 'bout??
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Post by Ayumu on Feb 28, 2009 11:21:38 GMT 9
Something inside him thrilled at his sempai's words. Hikaru blushed and ducked his head as he walked past Morioka and through the open door. The idea of the stoic, strong sempai wanting to spend time in their presence was exciting and made him feel warm. There was something about Morioka-sempai that pulled at his heartstrings.
Whether it was only almost three months ago, or now, there was something sad, even resigned in his eyes. Hikaru had only begun to see it when other students had commented on the physical change with Morioka-sempai. Where others were more concerned with how Morioka-sempai had changed, only a handful were paying actual attention to the man.
Hikaru turned and caught sight of his older brother walking at a quick pace ahead down the road, a trail of surprisingly sweet smelling smoke in his wake.
"At least he found a brand that isn't appalling..." Hikaru said softly, smiling gently at Morioka. "I can carry one, sempai." He reached out a hand to take one of the bags as they walked, following his errant brother.
Hikaru glanced shyly up at Morioka and smiled hesitantly.
"Is...is it t-too forward... t-to say that I hope you ...enjoy tonight's dinner enough to... make it a ...common occurrence, Morioka-sempai?" He asked, the question pausing and jerking in his nervousness.
"OI! Hurry up, you two! I'm starvin' and I get grumpy when I'm starvin'!" Shou yelled from ahead of them.
"You're grumpy all the time, Oyaji!" Hikaru said loudly after a moment, trying to will away the blush that stained his cheeks from the question he'd asked.
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mouse
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Post by mouse on Feb 28, 2009 11:28:29 GMT 9
When Hikaru offered, Rei released one of the bags to him. It wasn't a big deal, after all, and he made certain not to squash the cake box as they switched things around. Shou's call startled him out of any response he could have made to Hikaru's question-statement and Rei rolled his eyes. "You don't seem to be anything else--" He started to call out, even as Hikaru backed him up on it.
A second later, Rei laughed. This was definitely going to be an interesting evening, at least.
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