Heartstrings

[rinji_chan1]

Title: Heartstrings
Characters: All Arashi members + some other Johnny's
Pairings: Gen; Sakuraiba (past), Matsumiya (one-sided), and a surprise pairing
Rating: PG-13+
Warnings: Some swearing here and there, again. And more alcohol too.
Summary: Sequel to Heartbreaker. Few days after Ohno's birthday party, the five friends have gone back to their everyday lives, especially for Nino and Jun. As trouble comes up for Nino and his team, Nino seeks help from an old friend. Meanwhile, Jun struggles to pick sides between his two friends, and at the same time, tries to cope with his own problems.
A/N: Loosely based on the song and MV of "Bittersweet". This took a LONG while to write & edit. But, hey, better late than never, right? XD (If you haven't read the first part, you may click here)


Nino kissed him.

Nino actually kissed him. Jun couldn't believe it.

Just a few minutes ago before that, the man took him to somewhere within the forest of trees. Somewhere where the other three, who were busy preparing the fireworks, wouldn't see them. Jun was confused why Nino suddenly led him here. But, now, it all made sense.

As soon as their lips parted, Jun took a stumbled away from him, his back was now leaning against the tree behind him. Jun watched as Nino's eyes shifted from side to side; the feeling of guilt slowly consuming him.

"I- I'm sorry," Nino said, his gaze then fell to his feet. "I know I should have done that..."

Jun was stuck in the worst possible situation. This guy is the guy that Ohno's madly head over heels with. "I like you, Jun." Nino said.

Jun was disappointed, not only at Nino but he was also disappointed at himself. He should've have seen this coming. He had never thought that Nino would've end up liking him. "Nino, I..." Jun said and sighed. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same way towards you."

Nino nodded his head. "I understand." Nino said and briefly chuckled. His eyes were glistening in the moonlight because of the tears.

"And, I already have a boyfriend."

Nino looked up at him, surprised by what he said. "What?" His face filled with disbelief.

"Please," Jun pleaded. "Please don't tell anyone. Not even Ohno." He pretty sure knew that Nino had a lot to ask but he probably kept it to himself, because all he did was give a heavy sigh.

"Alright, I won't." Nino said. "Just let me be alone for a while... I'm really sorry for bothering you."

Jun then watched him walk away until he was out of sight. He stayed at that spot, thinking Nino would come back shortly.

He didn't know how long he waited but had grew impaitient with-- what seemed to be-- every passing minute. He figured that Nino probably wasn't ready yet.

Jun headed back to where the others were, at the plain fields. Immediately, he spots Aiba waving at him. "Hey, Jun!" Aiba shouted. "Where have you been? And where's Nino?"

"He... went to the bathroom." Jun said. It was the only excuse he came up with.

"Geez, at least tell us before going somewhere else." Aiba whined. "You guys got us all worried!"

"It's not like we're kids you know." Jun then looked around. "Eh? Where's Ohno?"

"He left a while ago." Sho said. "He was looking for you and Nino earlier. But when he came back here, he said something important came up."

"So much for us five gathering here," Aiba said and sighed. "And I thought we'd finally spend New Year's Eve together like before during college."

"There's always next year." Jun said.

"Well, what if there isn't? What if, I don't know, something bad happens and we'll never see each other again?"

"Oh, will you just--" Jun stopped while they heard a high-pitched sound. A line of white light flew high into the sky and suddenly had burst into little pieces. More and more bursts of colors then followed and filled the dark night sky like paint splashed in a black canvas.

"Ahhh!" Aiba put his hands over his head. "They're starting already!"

"Quickly!" Sho exclaimed. "Hurry and start the fireworks, you idiot!"

Aiba took out the matchbox from his pocket and tried to light a match, but failed to do so. "Damnit!" Aiba threw the broken match to the ground.

"Oh, give me that!" Sho grabbed the matchbox from him and, finally, lit a match. He then put it toward the string attached to their fireworks.

The three quickly ran away and watched as their fireworks lifted off. Aiba jumped gleefully as they exploded in the sky.

Soon afterwards, the two lovebirds were chased each other, both of them holding a sparkler in one hand. Sho gave a big laugh as Aiba tripped over and fell flat on the ground.

Jun watched them from a distance. He was sitting down on the grass, under a nearby tree. He wasn't in the mood to play anyway. Not after what happened earlier.

No sight of Nino yet. Perhaps he's having some time alone in his car.

Although Jun understood why, it was a shame that Ohno had leave all of a sudden. He could've had enjoyed gazing at the fireworks with them before leaving. But, for now, Jun will just have to keep himself company.

Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrating. He took out his phone from his pocket and read the message. "Happy New Year." it said.

Jun smiled. He hasn't introduced nor told anyone about his boyfriend yet. But now that Nino knows, he probably should tell them soon.

"Happy New Year." He then typed and pressed send.

***

It has been days since Ohno's birthday party. And today was December 1, to be exact.

After all the fuss that had happened during the party, the five of them have finally reconciled with each other and rekindled their bond, which oddly led to them to dance around in Ohno's living room. It's been awhile since they had that much fun together.
But there was still one thing that bothered Nino.

Even after 3 years, Nino hasn't moved on from that dreaded New Year's Eve.

He still remembers every little detail, as if it was just yesterday. But the worst thing was that Ohno actually thought that he and Jun were going out. The thought frustrated Nino badly.

"Nino," Someone called out to him. Nino rose his head and finds his colleague and cubicle mate, Ryo, looking at him. "Are you alright?" Ryo asked. "You're spacing out again."

"Yeah..." Nino said and sighed. "I'm fine. Just not in the zone today, I guess."

Ryo was right. It wasn't the right time to think about that. Being an event planner was like trying to be at multiple places at once. Moreover, catching up to deadlines is really a pain.

"Dang, your desk's messed up as always." Ryo remarked.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Nino wasn't an organized person. Not even the slightest. Papers stacked up high like a fortress between him and Ryo. His drawers were at the verge of blowing up, because all he did was shove all sorts of files, envelopes, and other mischellaneous documents.

Even if Nino wanted to clean it up, he didn't have the time to do so. Or rather, he didn't feel like doing so.

"It's probably about time you start cleaning." Ryo said. "You might misplace some important stuff like last time, remember?"

"Oh God, yeah," Nino cringed as he remembered how panicked he was when he couldn't find his flashdrive for the event proposal. "Almost got fired for that one."

"And that's why we have back-ups." Ryo smiled, gesturing an 'ok' hand sign,

Suddenly, the door to their office swung open and slammed against the wall. Startled, Nino, Ryo, and their other colleagues looked towards their boss who stood still there. "Bad news, team." She announced. "Our designer for the wedding party just backed out."

All at once, they swore under their breaths. They only had a few weeks before the day of the wedding. It felt as if all their hard work had gone to waste. "Why, at such a time like this?" Nino heard one of them cry out. Soon, the room gradually came flooding with mutters and moans.

"Enough!" Their boss yelled out, and the whole room had gone silent. She then sighed. "I know it will be difficult, but we have no choice. I request that everyone to find a replacement fast. If you can find one within this day, that'll be better! Now, come on!" She clapped her hands. "Let's get moving! There's no time to waste!"

As soon as she had left the room, the whole team stirred in panic. For sure, they all had a big question mark in their head.

"Dang, looks like we're in need of a back-up. Literally." Ryo said, leaning against his chair. "Then again, even if we do get a replacement, there's no way it'll be done on time."

"Well, with that said, we can't help but at least try, can we?" Nino took out his phone and goes through his contacts.
There was only one person that came into Nino's mind. Though, that person is the least likely person he'd want to talk to right now.

Nino stopped scrolling when he finally saw the person's name. Tension and doubt rose within him as he hovered his thumb over the screen where the call button was.

But, it was now or never.

***

A familiar melody reached Jun's ears when he came back to his senses. He had just woke up, and was still lying on his bed. He reached out his hand to get his phone, which was on the desk next to him, and switched off his alarm.

It was already 10 am.

Jun got up from his bed and goes to dragged the window curtains open, revealing the vast city landscape of Tokyo. It was a sight that he had missed. Settling himself at a hotel for now, he sure was glad to be back home.

He had to go to America since his company sent him there to handle a project for 4 years. It was a huge opportunity for Jun, but the risk of having to leave his friends and everything else behind he couldn't bare.

Well, that's what he believed at first... until he was betrayed by his boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend.
Jun's face wrinkled with disgust as he remembered that moment. It was definitely a horrifying experience. At that point, he wanted to get away, to be faraway from that guy as much as possible, and he did. But now, he's back here in Japan. And as days pass, Jun grows more tense and anxious.

There's a chance he'd probably run into that guy again. He wouldn't know what to do if ever that does happen. In fact, only saying that man's name would be torture for him.

Suddenly, the phone vibrates in his hands, startling him. He then looked to see who was calling.

Sakurai Sho.

Jun quickly answered the call. "Hey, Sho." He said. "How are you?" Jun slowly then nodded. "I see, that's good... I'm fine as well."

For the past 3 years, saying the word 'fine' had became an excuse. An excuse not to talk about that horrible night or to talk about that guy. But the thought-- the memory-- would crawl onto him. Everyday.

"Anyway, why call did you all of sudden?" Jun asked.

Jun was probably jumping to conclusions, but he always had a gut-feeling whenever he's in this type of situation. Judging from Sho's actions last time at the party, Sho definitely hasn't gotten over Aiba yet...

But Jun would have to just let that thought aside for now.

"Well, there's a coffee shop near there, just across the train station. Wanna check it out?" Jun asked. "Okay." He then nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Sunday's good... Okay, bye."

Jun then put down his phone. He was met again with the silence of his room and the nostalgic scenery in front of him. He could feel it again; it was slowly creeping onto him, like a hand-- a very warm hand-- placed on his shoulder.

No good, Jun thought. He knew he needed to distract himself again.

Fortunately, he heard a growl within him. And all he could think of was that eatery at the ground floor. "I guess pancakes will do."

***

"You want me to do what?"

The tone in Ohno's voice made Nino's arms and legs numb. He wasn't afraid of Ohno. Well, maybe he was, a little bit. But that didn't have any effect on him when they fought at the party.

But, as of the moment, they had to keep it professional. And in this case, Ohno was on the upper hand. "Ohno, please," Nino pleaded. "You have to help us."

Nino opened his backpack and brought out a folder. "Here." Nino said as he opened it, showing the contents to Ohno. "I have sketches of what the room's supposed to look like, based on what our clients had envisioned."

Ohno took the folder and flipped through the pages. "You expect me to do this in just a few days? Seriously?" He said.

Nino was tongue-tied. This was a guy, who used to be one of his closest friends, actually had feelings for him-- and probably still does. And yet, it felt like the guy in front of him was a completely different person. Ohno looked more confident, more frank, and more - compared to the shy and reserved person he was before.
Soon, their drinks arrived. "Here's your hot tea, Sir." The waitress said as she said placed their cups and the teapot on their table.

"Thank you." Nino said.

"A wedding party with a romantic Paris theme. How cliche." Ohno remarked.

"Well, the couple met in Paris so..." Nino tried to explain but trailed off, and Ohno just kept shaking his head.
Nino sighed. "Look," He said. "I know it's really a sudden request and that I'm being a bother to your work schedule. But you're the only person I could think of! Come on, you're an interior designer. Well, I know this work is a bit different from what you usually do but you're an artist, so I'm sure you know what would look good. And to think you're even a freelancer--"

"Just get to the point."

"Alright, alright!" Nino exclaimed and groaned. "Anyway, what I am trying to saying is..." His gaze fell to his cup of tea, trying to think of the right words to say.

"You're my friend," Nino then said, his eyes now looking straight at Ohno. "And I trust you."

Nino knew that that his choice of words was sloppy. But he saw it; he wasn't quite sure but for a moment, it was as if Ohno's stern expression had softened.

"And I know," Nino said. "That you will certainly-- definitely get the job done, no matter what happens."

And with that, Ohno gave a sigh and then a nod. "If you want it rushed, pay me double." He said.

Ohno, with a smile, extended his hand towards Nino.

Nino held it firmly and shook his hand. "Deal."

***

Sunday, December 5.

Jun has been to this coffee shop many times. He loved the ambience of the place and of course, the fresh aroma of coffee as you enter. Their pastries too were a delight to feast on. It was a place that Jun can call his comfort zone.

He was sitting on his seat, paitiently waiting for Sho to walk in.

As the door swung open, the bell rang. Its high pitched sound catching Jun's attention, and coincidentally, there Sho was. Jun saw the way how Sho's face had lit up as soon as he spotted him.

"Never thought we would see each other again so soon." Jun said as soon as Sho neared him.

Sho laughed. "We barely got to talk last time anyway." He said and sat down across him.

"Oh yeah..." Jun said as soon as he realized. Of course, how could Jun forget that moment when a drunk Sho trashed Ohno's party? "Thanks for the reminder."

Sho gave a smile. "You're welcome."

To be honest, Jun wasn't as close to Sho as Ohno was. It felt uneasy for him to be alone with just Sho. He was intimidated by his unpredictability. For Jun, Sho was a man with many faces; someone he wouldn't want as his enemy, if ever they would come to an arguement.

"So, it's really just the two of us?" Jun asked, after they had finished ordering their drinks. "Isn't Ohno going to come along?"

"Well, turns out Ohno's busy today." Sho said. "He said something about a... wedding, I think? So he couldn't come along."

Jun let out a sigh. "He's really missing out again. As always."

"Ohno's always been a workaholic anyways." Sho remarked. "I can't really blame him for being like that though. In fact, I think I'm starting to be like him..." The tone in Sho's voice had turned sullen.

Jun's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" Jun asked.

Sho shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Like, I have this urge to keep myself busy, to the point when I have nothing to do, I get anxious."

Jun never thought he'd see the gloominess that was written on Sho's face. It had stirred something within Jun's chest-- sympathy, he defined it.

The waiter arrived with their drinks and placed them on the table. They felt the warm air from their coffee as reached their faces. The cup was also too hot to touch, causing Jun's fingers to be pierced by the heat.

Sho took his cup and blew on the drink. "By the way," He then said. "How long is your stay here?"

"Until next week." Jun said. "I'll be leaving on the 14th."

"14th?" Sho put down his cup. "But, that's a Tuesday! Ohno and I wanted to see you off!"

"It's alright, you don't need to." Jun assured him. "Besides, just one more year to go and my contract with them will be over. I'll be back in time, before you guys even know it."

Sho sighed. "And I was thinking that you'd spend Christmas here with us..."

"Well, it can't be helped." Jun then took his cup and took a sip. "Now that I think about it, I don't have a birthday present for Aiba yet."
Sho choked on his drink and coughed. "Are you alright?" Jun asked.

"Yeah, yeah..." Sho took out a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his mouth. "I'm alright." He said it nearly like a mumble.

So it seemed to Jun that his gut-feeling was right. There was something going on between Sho and Aiba again. Questions immediately buzzed in his head, but Jun had to let it remain in him for a moment. He had to be cautious; he can't just force it out of Sho. He didn't want the same incident to happen again, even if Sho wasn't drunk.

"I hope you don't mind if I ask but, is there something about Aiba you want to talk about?" Jun said.
Sho's eyes widened up. He opened his mouth, about to say something. Jun braced himself for whatever he had to say, but nothing came out. Jun wondered why, but it turns out, he didn't need to ask.

"Sho? Jun?"

Jun turned around and found Aiba standing next to him. "Hey, Aiba!" Sho suddenly exclaimed. "What a coincidence!" Sho had put on a smile so wide, the corners of his mouth could reach his ears.

"Yeah, I was just looking around and it so happened I found you guys here by chance." Aiba said, flashing a bright smile as always. "Hey, Jun, how are you?"

Jun managed a smile. "I'm doing well." He said.

"Mind if I join you guys for a while?" Aiba asked.

Jun looked at Sho and found the latter looking back at him. Jun couldn't read what that gaze meant, but Sho suddenly chuckled. "Why not?" Sho said and he and Aiba bursted out laughing.

Jun laughed along but didn't laugh as hard as they did. Jun knew that there was something off. And with that, Aiba sat next to Jun.

"So, Aiba, how's your promotion going?" Sho asked.

"It's going quite well so far. Got a lot of overtime lately, but I'll manage."

"I guess no more partying for you then, huh?" Jun teased.

Aiba gave a hearty laugh. "As if that'll stop me..."

"At least with that, you'll finally learn how to take on greater responsibilities." Sho remarked.

"Well, I'm always up for the challenge." Aiba said, haughtily.

"Oh, of course you would! After all, that's sooo like you." Sho scoffed at him.

The sarcasm in Sho's voice was obvious for Jun. But it seemed that it went over Aiba's head, because the man just laughed. "Anyway, enough about me." Aiba said. "So, Jun, what's America like?"

"Like?" Jun almost spat out his coffee with such a sudden question.

"I was thinking of going on trip there someday. Any places you could recommend me?"

Suddenly being in the center of attention had made Jun's mind go haywire. "Um, Hawaii?"

Aiba narrowed his eyes. "Isn't Hawaii far from America?"

"It's a state, so it counts."

"Oh! I know!" Aiba suddenly exclaimed. "How about Las Vegas? Have you ever been to the casinos there?"

"Uh, I've been there," Jun scratched his head. "But I didn't really go in to any of the casinos..."

"Always going for fun and games, aren't you, Aiba?" Sho remarked.

"Why not?" Aiba said. "There's nothing wrong with having a little excitement once in a while, right?"

Sho hummed. "I guess that's true." He then said. "But don't you get tired of it sometimes? I mean, if that's all you prioritize, everything else might fall apart. Don't you think so?"

Things were heating up between Sho and Aiba. It was a pain for Jun to just watch them both try to outstand each other's ego. And to think that these two used to be such a happy and endearing couple...

"Guys," Jun said. "Please, stop arguing."

"We're not arguing." Sho said. "As for me, I'm just expressing my personal opinion. Am I right, Aiba?"

Aiba didn't say anything back. Or rather, he couldn't. Even the smile on his face had faded away. "I better get going." Aiba said and stood up from his seat. "I just remembered I have an appointment to attend to. Anyway, it was nice seeing you guys again."

Aiba then looked towards Jun. Jun watched his jolly smile appeared on his face again. "Goodbye." He then slightly bowed his head as courtesy and went away, the sound of the ringing bell reaching their ears.

Jun turned to Sho. "What is wrong with you?" Jun scolded him.

Sho avoided Jun's gaze, his eyes looking through the window beside him. It felt as if Sho was beyond his reach. Jun sighed and tried to cool himself down for a moment. He didn't want to make the situation even worse.

"Aiba went to see me a few days ago." Sho spoke up, but his gaze remained still on the window.

Jun looked directly at him, lending him an ear.

"We just watched a movie." Sho said. "Nothing special. It's just that... he expects that everything will be like before. You know what I mean?"
Jun nodded in response.

"Back then, I would never ever forget to give him a present for his birthday. Never." Sho continued. "But what do I get in return? Nothing. All because he spent all his money on treating his friends whenever they go out... Well, that's what he claims. Almost every night he comes back home drunk. Can you believe it?" He then faintly chuckled. "And then, there are also those times when he doesn't come home at all. I finally lost it when I saw he had lipstick smeared on his lips."

Jun frowned upon hearing the last part. "I'm so sorry to hear that..." He said.

Aiba was a horrible boyfriend. But, even then, Jun still sees Aiba as a friend.

"I know it's hard, but I still don't think Aiba deserves to be treated this way." Jun said. "After all, you still care about him, right?"

Sho shook his head. "Whatever's in the past stays in the past." He said, firmly. "There's no way I'm going to make the same mistake again."

Jun couldn't argue with that. He knew what it felt like to be betrayed. He knew what it felt to lose all of your trust on someone. Only to find out that they had turned their back on you.

Jun laid his eyes on Sho's hand which rest on the table. He then he put his hands over it and clenched it.

He figured that Sho was a reflection of himself towards his ex. And if nothing had changed Jun's mind about that guy, then it would be the same Sho towards Aiba.

"Sho," Jun said. "I have something to tell you too..."

***

Friday, December 10.

Nino and his colleagues arrived at the location where the wedding party would be held soon. "Time flies fast doesn't it?" Ryo said, as he got out of Nino's car.

"It sure does..." Nino said and sighed. He could feel the pressure getting on to them since things had to be rushed. Even if he did trust Ohno that he'd get the job done, it was nervewracking.

"Hey, Sayuri," Ryo called out to their other colleague, who was still in the car. "You done with your makeup yet?"

"Just a minute," She said and groaned. "Shit, my eyebags are still showing."

"Come on, you look fine. You already like that doll from 'The Conjuring'." Nino said, to which Sayuri shot a glare at him. "Now, hurry up, Higuchi and the others are probably waiting for us."

The three of them headed towards the villa. From afar, they saw the doors to veranda swing open and their other co-workers, Higuchi and Nozomi, came out.

"Yo!" Higuchi yelled out as he spotted them and waved his hand. "What took you guys so long?"

"Sorry for the wait," Nino yelled back. "Sayuri slowed us down 'cause she wanted to doll herself up."

"Hey!" Sayuri hit Nino's shoulder with her bag. "Don't just say that out loud!"

"Quit whinning, Sayuri," Nozomi said, with a grin. "I could even see how red your cheeks are from here." She snickered.

"Oh, shut up!"

Higuchi laughed. "Anyway, you guys better get up here, it gets better in the inside."

"Yeah, I hope so..." Nino said and sighed.

"Uh, guys?" Ryo said and tapped Nino's shoulder.

Nino turned to him. "What?"

"We've got company." Ryo then pointed out an approching vehicle. As the silver car neared, Nino recognized the people inside.

It was the couple.

"What on earth are they doing here?" Nino hissed to Ryo. "Weren't they supposed to come tomorrow?"

"Didn't you guys know?" Sayuri joined in. "They changed the date. Why did you guys think I was dolling up?"

"What!?" Nino eyes narrowed. "Changed the date? Since when?"

"I gave you a note yesterday, remember?" Sayuri sighed. "Don't tell me you misplaced it on your desk..."

Nino groaned. "I swear when I come back, I'll clean up that Goddamn desk." He mumbled.

Nino slowly felt sick as the couple approached them. He gestured to Ryo and Ryo did all the talking for him.

"Right this way." Ryo said and led the couple inside the villa. Nino and Sayuri followed behind them as they went up the staircase.

As they finally reach the doors, Nino couldn't help but close his eyes shut, fearing the worst.

He then heard the doors creek as they opened them. The following silence didn't making him feel better either. Having no other choice, Nino slowly opened up his eyes, and he too finds himself speechless as he steps inside.

The walls were a beautiful lavender. Rounded white tables covered with golden cloth circled the room. On each table had an blue ceramic vase, placed at the center, and filled it with pink roses. A well-made mini replica of the Eiffel tower stood in the middle of the dance floor. All that was left was to bring out the chairs and the candles, and then the whole thing would be perfect.

Nino looked at the couple roamed the room with awe. The shine in their eyes giving away the extreme joy their trying to conceal. Seeing the smiles on their face had made Nino sigh with relief.

"So, what do you think?"

As Nino looks to his side, he finds Ohno standing next to him. The older man manages a subtle smile, to which Nino eventually mirrored. "You did great, as always." Nino said.

"Waaaah! It's so beautiful!" Sayuri squealed. She then rushed towards to Ohno. "Ohno, you're amazing! Thank you so much for your hard work!"

"Oh, please, don't thank me," He said. "I mean, I didn't do everything all by my own. I had to contact some of my fellow artists to help us out so we could save time."

After the couple had said their thanks to Ohno and left, Nino and his team cheered. Their voices resounding throughout the corners of the room. "This calls for a celebration!" Higuchi yelled and punched his fist up into the air. "Any place you guys wanna go?" He asked. "It's my treat!"

"Oh! I remember I ate at a restaurant near here before," Nozomi said. "They have like the best gyoza I've ever tasted so far. What do you guys think?"

Ryo nodded. "Sounds good to me." He said. Nino and Sayuri then also agreed with the suggestion.

"Hey, Ohno," Nozomi said. "Wanna come along with us?"

"Eh?" Ohno said.

"Yeah, Ohno." Sayuri said. "After all, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't be celebrating anything at all."

At that moment, Nino found Ohno casting glances at him. For some odd reason, it was like all the confidence had vanished from Ohno. His face wrinkled and filled with worry. "Oh no, it's fine if you guys to go without me."

"Come on, Ohno, please?"

"Well, I..." Ohno paused, and Nino found Ohno looking at him again, only this time Ohno held his gaze at him longer. When Nino finally understood, he gave a slight nod.

Ohno then let out a sigh. "Well, alright." He said to them. "I'll go."

***

"Cheers!" They raised and clincked their glasses.

While everyone else was having some beer, Nino on the other hand was having a glass of soda. Nino wasn't really in the mood for drinking. And even if he was, he couldn't since he was going to drive afterwards.

On the other side of the table, Ohno was sitting across him. The older man looked dejected, despite the merriness around him. He managed to finish his half of his drink in one go.

Ohno placed his glass on the table. Soon after, a waitress approached him. She held a bottle of beer and poured it into Ohno's glass. "Eh?" Ohno's eyes widened.

"Oh, the drinks here are refillable." Nozomi told him. "Isn't that great?"

"Well, I guess..." Ohno stared into his glass, hesitating.

"Go on!" Higuchi said to Ohno. "Drink to your heart's content."

Ohno shut his eyes, letting out a sigh, and proceeded to drink again.

Just watching Ohno drinking was torture for Nino. No matter how much he tried to empty his glass, it will always be filled again. It didn't stop, and neither did Ohno, whose face gradually turned bright red.

Ohno wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and let out a hiccup. "Excuse me," he said and giggled. He had his shoulders rested on the table and his head rested on his hands.

Sayuri, who was sat next to Ohno, was also drunk at the moment. She let out a chuckle. "Ohno's such a cutie!" She said. "Even his ears are red!" She then pinched Ohno's ears.

"No!" Ohno cried. "Stop! That tickles!" He then let out a laugh.

Nino watched them playfully squabble like kids. Something stirred within him while he was watching. It had been a while since he had heard such a joyous laugh from Ohno.

He tried to focus his eyes somewhere else, but it would always come back to Ohno and Sayuri. He then forced himself to look down to his feet, and listened to their conversation. "By the way, Ohno, what's your type?" He heard Sayuri ask.

Ohno hummed. "Type?"

"Like, a certain characteristic of a person that you like?"

He then shook his head. "I don't really have a specific type."

"Ehhh, is that so?" Sayuri said. "Well, is there someone you currently like then?"

The question resonated in Nino's head, causing him to shoot up a look towards them. He finds Ohno's gaze fixed at him.

"Well, there was someone..." Ohno's words trailed off.

Nino slammed his hands flat against the table. Ohno and the others were startled by him and looked at him, speechless. "Ohno, it's time to go." Nino said.

"Eh? But, we were having so much fun!" Sayuri whined.

"I'm sorry, but Ohno needs to leave already." Nino stood up from his seat and went around to go to Ohno. "Can you stand?" Nino asked and he offered him his hand.

Ohno stared at him, expressionless, and then his gaze dropped to his hand. Ohno then held on to Nino's arm to pull himself up.

"Hope we meet again someday!" Nino heard Sayuri yelling as he and Ohno went out of the restaurant.

The loud music and chatter faded away and the two were met with the silence of the cold night. Nino finally got to breathe in some fresh air. His breath coming out white. It was a close call for him and Ohno. Especially Ohno, whose legs were not helping out either, causing Ohno to bump into Nino.

Nino held onto Ohno to prevent him from falling. "Are you okay?" Nino said. Ohno stayed slient in his arms. Nino sighed and took hold of Ohno's arm and put it over his shoulders.

When the two had reached Nino's car, Nino took Ohno inside and propped him on the passenger seat beside the driver's seat. Nino then went in the car on the other side and sat down and began to start the ignition.

"Hey, Kazunari." Ohno grumbled.

Nino flinched as he heard Ohno say his name. It had been a while since Ohno had called him by Kazunari. "What was that all about earlier, huh?" Ohno asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Ohno needs to leave already! Like what the heck?" Ohno exclaimed. "And you even made such a serious face." He then chuckled. "I bet right now their probably thinking that you like me or something. How ironic..."

Nino's grip on the wheel tightened. He wanted to say something back, but knowing that if he did, it might just lead to another conflict between the two of them. More so, since Ohno's drunk and has no control over himself.

Just this once, Nino had to admit it...

He did had a crush on Ohno. Had.

"You need to make new friends once in a while!" Aiba's words once again resonated in his head.

During that time too, at that party, Nino was a downer and had to lay low all because he got turned down again by his crush. Of course, Aiba, his best friend, knew all about it and that was how Ohno came into the picture.

Like what Nino said, it was a set up. Aiba even secretly lent him a condom that night before he left the two. "Just in case," Aiba said with a wink. Nino wanted to shove the condom on Aiba's face at that moment.

Of course, Nino knew a cute, good-looking guy when he saw one. And Ohno was, indeed, one hell of one. No denying it.

Even when they first met, it felt like he and Ohno have known each other for a long time. They laughed at the same jokes, liked the same kind of foods... Heck, they even wore the same cologne.

Ohno was his go-to buddy. If there was one person he wanted to be with at the arcade, at the movies, or even in his own house, it would be Ohno.

But what Nino loved about Ohno the most was that, whether a few words were said or none at all, they were able to understand each other. It's a kind of magic that even Nino's card tricks can't compare to. It's a complete mystery.

If they did become a couple, people wouldn't be surprised at all why. But Nino never grabbed that chance of having that kind of relationship with Ohno.

Because he got scared.

Even to Nino, it seemed like a lame excuse, but that was the truth. His friendship with Ohno was precious to him. Too precious. He couldn't bear losing it. And, to Nino, he was fine with the way they were.

If the right time comes, Nino would pursue Ohno, wholeheartedly.

Until Ohno introduced Jun to him.

Nino was torn apart. He was suddenly drawn to Jun for reasons he couldn't explain. Maybe it's because of Jun's free spirit and frisky attitude that made Nino fall in love with him. Then again, when you're in love, you can never point out those things.

Because when you're in love, you lose sight of everything else.

He didn't tell anyone about his crush on Jun, not even Aiba. He didn't want anyone to interfere. He didn't want anyone to tease him about it. He just wanted to keep it to himself, whether his confession fails or not.

But even without telling, Ohno probably figured it all out on his own. And when Ohno had secretly caught him kissing Jun, it all when downhill from there...

Nino confined himself in his car right after Jun rejected him. He buried his face in his hands. He felt so humiliated and disgusted of himself for what he had done. As he raised up his head, he saw Ohno from afar by chance.

Ohno was on the other side of the road. Strangely, he walked at a very slow pace, and had his head faced down.

Nino went out of his car and quickly crossed the street. "Ohno!" Nino yelled as he approached him. The man in front of him then stopped on his tracks.

"Ohno, what are you doing out here?" He asked. "Why aren't you with the others?"

Ohno turned around and faced him. Nino couldn't make out Ohno's expression due to the darkness surrounding them. "The same goes for you." Ohno said.

Nino didn't want to tell Ohno about what happened between him and Jun, so he kept silent. All Nino could hear was his own breathing and Ohno's. Though, Ohno's breathing seemed offbeat.

"Are you alright?" Nino asked, but the man in front of him didn't say anything. Something didn't feel right, Nino knew that. Even if Ohno was quite a man of a few words, he wouldn't just stay silent for no reason.

"Ohno--"

"No, I'm not." Ohno finally replied, harshly. "Do you really think I'd be alright after you ignored me like that?"
Nino's face wrinkled. Me? Ignore you?

"Look, I get it, okay?" Ohno started to raise his voice. "You didn't have to shove it in my face just for me to get it!"

"Ohno, what are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Kazunari!" Ohno's words were sharp like knives which pierced Nino's heart. "Even if you don't like me, all you had to do was just say something!" And then Ohno broke into tears and started wailling.

Nino was at loss on what to do. He felt helpless watching Ohno cry.

"You just," Ohno sniffed his nose. "You just left me hanging-- waiting." He wiped the tears from his eyes. "I- I don't even know why I'm still here trying to tell these things when you clearly don't understand how I feel right now."

"Ohno, I--"

"No," Ohno cut his words there. "Don't you dare say another word."

Nino held in the words he wanted to say in his throat. He wanted to know why Ohno's acting like this. He wanted to tell how much he cared for him. To tell him how he actually felt. But the words soon died out.

"From now on, I don't want to hear anything from you." Ohno said. "I don't want to see your face either." A sudden light shone from the side, highlighting Ohno's sorrowful face in the dark for a split-second-- the image engraved into Nino's mind.

Nino watched Ohno turned back and walked away as the fireworks flew and burst into the sky. That time, Nino didn't understand why Ohno was so upset, or what exactly was that made him upset.

All that Nino could think of that moment was that he was upset with himself, because of the fact that the worst thing he feared the most had happened: losing Ohno...

They soon arrived at Nino's apartment. The drunk Ohno, who was now unconscious, had his arm around Nino's shoulders. Nino had to carry him all the way from his car.

For once, Nino never thought he'd be so glad that there was an elevator in the apartment building, since he just lived on the 2nd floor and always used the stairs.

As soon as Nino unlocked the door, he barged himself in and hurried into his bedroom. Gently, he removes Ohno's arm from his shoulders and laid Ohno flat on his bed.

Nino sat on the floor and leaned his back on the mattress, exhausted. It had been a long day for him and he badly wanted some shut-eye. He looked back at the sleeping Ohno and was a bit envious that the older man was in a deep sleep.

Though, at the same time, the whole situation felt like a dream. It had been a long while since Ohno came to his house after all.

But to have Ohno unconscious on his bed was something a bit nerving.

Nino huddled in closer to him. His fingers swept the strands of Ohno's hair to the side since it covered his face. It felt heartwarming for Nino to see how peaceful he looked. He had even forgotten how long Ohno's eyelashes were.

Nino studied long and hard on Ohno's facial features. But when his gaze went to Ohno's lips, Nino pulled himself back.
What am I doing? Nino put his hand over his head. He knew it was wrong. He had lost his chance, and he chose to do so anyway. To think of Ohno as a rebound would be the most horrible thing to do at this point.

But Nino couldn't just ignore how he truly feels. Especially when the person he did love the most was right in front of him, oblivious about everything.

Nino knew he had to tell the truth one day, probably tomorrow. But he didn't know how. He laid his eyes on Ohno once more, and he sighed. It was hopeless for him after all.

He went towards Ohno again. He then held his breath; he swore to himself that it would be the first and the last time he'd attempt something like this.

Gently, he placed his lips on Ohno's forehead, and kissed it.

***

Nino wakes up and finds himself on his couch. The morning light from the window filled his living room, almost blinding him. He props himself up and runs his hands on his hair. Even after sleeping, he still felt tired.

As Nino recalled what had happened yesterday, little by little, Nino suddenly heard a thud from the other side of the wall.
Ohno's awake.

Nino stayed in place, waiting for Ohno to walk out of the bedroom. But strangely, not a footstep was heard. Instead, Nino heard a screech. It was as if Ohno was dragging something against the floor. Something...

Nino got up and raced to the door. He swings the door open and finds Ohno on his knees. And as expected, he was holding a suitcase-- Nino's suitcase.

"My slipper," Ohno said. "The other slipper went under the bed and I--"

"Don't just touch someone else's stuff just because you're welcomed into their house!" Nino rambled out the words, his nervousness being a giveaway.

Ohno bit his lip and averted his eyes. His thumb, though, was still fumbling against the lock. Judging by the look in his eyes, Nino knew he was curious.

And when Ohno was curious, there was no turning back.

"Please, don't--"

Ohno swiftly opened up the locks and opened the briefcase. The case was filled with pictures, cards, and love letters-- memories of Nino's past relationships kept hidden inside.

Nino couldn't bear looking as Ohno rummaged his hands inside the case. The older man let out a gasp and takes out a photograph. It was a picture of a 3-year old Nino with his first crush-- his next-door neighbor who eventually moved out with her family when she went off to college.

"This was you?" Ohno exclaimed. "You're so cute here! Your cheeks were so puffy!" He then giggled.

Nino felt his face heat up. "Whatever." He grumbled.

Ohno then took out more pictures of Nino's crushes: a schoolboy track-and-field runner, a music teacher, a lady florist, and even a police officer. "Huh," Ohno smirked. "Looks like we have much more in common than I thought. You actually have more crushes than me though."

"Don't flatter yourself."

Ohno took out a red heart-shaped box which contained more photographs, but this time, Nino was with the same girl in all of the pictures. "I never knew you had a girlfriend..." Ohno said.

"You never asked."

"Well, what happened then?"

"After we graduated high school, she went to college overseas. We wrote letters to each other, but we still drifted apart eventually."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

The two of them were met with silence. It was only then that the feeling sinked into Nino. He really did love that girl; he remember how badly he wanted her to be the one. But he guessed that it was probably for the best.

"So, you've never had a boyfriend yet?" Ohno asked.

"I've had a few flings with some men, but no, never had a boyfriend. You?"

"I had a boyfriend during my first year in college."

Nino gaped at him.

"But it turned out he just played with me, and went off with another man."

Nino's face frowned. Thinking about it, he started to wonder if that would be the reason why Ohno reacted the way he did toward him and Jun. It was possible that it must have triggered that memory like it was an open wound.

Ohno briefly chuckled. "Anyway, that was a such long time ago..." He said.

Ohno then takes out another box and inside finds a golden necklace. "Let me guess, this was supposed to be a gift for your ex-girlfriend?"

"Do you really have to ask such a question?"

"I thought otherwise that maybe you bought for yourself."

Nino rolled his eyes.

Ohno held the necklace up high. Ohno looked at it dotingly as it shone against the light of the sun. Seeing it bring a smile on Ohno's face made Nino's heart ache. "You can have it if you want." Nino said.

Ohno looked at him. "Eh?"

"It means nothing to me now."

Nino made his way back and went to the kitchen to make himself breakfast. He took out a bowl, opened the cupboard above him and got his cereal. He heared Ohno's footsteps nearing him, and then it came to a stop.

"You don't have to make me anything." Ohno said.

"I know," Nino said and poured the cereal into his bowl. "I had a feeling you wouldn't." He then went to open the refridgerator to get milk.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Nino poured the milk over the cereal.

"There is." Ohno insisted. "I acted like a fucking kid, even if I was the eldest among us. I should've known better, but my emotions got in the way..."

Nino groaned. "That again?" He said, facing Ohno. "Can't we just leave that behind already and move on?"

"Well, have you?" Ohno asked.

"You're not answering my--"

"Because based on what I saw in that case of yours, I don't think you're the type who'd easily move on."

Nino put his hand over his face. He didn't want to hear those words. He couldn't bear facing him.

"You said 3 years," Ohno said. "And that 3 years will soon become 4! Nino, we can't stay like this, especially you. Why don't we, once and for all, let go and move on?"

Nino chuckled. "To be hearing this from you, it's ironic."

"Nino, I'm serious."

Nino shook his head.

"Okay, I get it; I get that I'm not in the position to tell you that." Ohno said. "I admit that there's still a part of me that aches for you every time I see you. Even now, I can feel like my heart wants to burst out of me." He patted his hand onto his chest.

"We've been through a lot, you and I." Ohno continued. "I shut myself from you and Jun for 3 years. But, during those 3 years, I realized that there was no one who could understand me like you do. And I'm sure, that you feel the same way too, and that's why I wanted to help you, just like you helped me."

Nino raised his head and looked up at Ohno.

"If it weren't for you shouting at me during my birthday, I wouldn't have come back to my senses and see the reality." Ohno said. "Right now, I'm starting to accept it too." He then smiled.

"I know that you'll never feel the same way for me. And that's okay..." Tears slowly came down to Ohno's cheeks.

Nino's heart wavered. To be seeing Ohno like this, it strained him.

Ohno wiped the tears off his face with his hands. "I gotta go." He said. "Sorry for the inconvienence." He then proceeds to the door.

"Ohno, wait!" Nino called out and rushed to him. Ohno turned to face him.

"I..." Nino looked down to his feet. He tried to hide the tears that were pouring out. He then let out a sigh. "I didn't read it in time." He said.

It was after New Year when he found it: Ohno's confession letter. He found it while he was cleaning up his desk. Nino remembered he received it during Christmas Eve. But they had an Christmas event that they had to attend to, so he left it inside the drawer, where it was soon forgotten.

Nino still remembered how shocked and devastated he was after he had finished reading it.

"That's why I never replied. I'm sorry, Ohno. For everything." Nino looked back up, only to find Ohno's pained expression facing him. Ohno's eyebrows had furrowed, causing his face to wrinkle. His eyes shining in the light because of the tears.
It was the same expression he had during that New Year.

Ohno didn't say anything back. He simply turned away from him and went out the door.

And then door slammed shut.

The sound echoed throughout the room and rang in Nino's ears. It was over, it was finally over... And yet, he wasn't satisfied. He didn't feel like eating breakfast anymore either. The cereal probably had gone soggy now.

Nino had thought that once he told Ohno the truth, he would feel lighter, that he would finally be free from that burden, but he didn't. Instead, he felt the exact opposite of it.

Nino enters his bedroom and went look at his briefcase once more. He finds that the little box which contained the necklace was now empty.

The necklace was, in fact, not a gift. Not yet.

The truth was that it was his grandmother's, which was passed on to his mother by his father. Eventually, the necklace was given to him, with his mother telling him to give it to the person he'll marry in the future.
Nino laughed at the irony, since the necklace was now in Ohno's hands.

Soon, the laughter died in his throat. Nino's smile had worn out, and the tears had also dried out from his eyes. He was in a calm state; an unrelieving kind of calm. He had never felt so hollow and so empty inside.

Within the cover of the case, there was a secret compartment. Nino removed the hook which held the board in place. The board dropped down and revealed a thin, blue envelope.

Ohno's confession letter.

3 years. 3 years of heartache and of regret.

Nino held it in both hands, his fingers clenching onto it. If only he had read the letter sooner, things wouldn't have ended up like this.

In the end, he never gave a response to Ohno's letter. He couldn't see the use of it if he did; the damage had already been done.

And now, Ohno has decided to start moving on already.

Nino put Ohno's letter back into the case and closed it shut. He pushed back the briefcase under the bed where it belongs. To where it would not see the light of day. And to where it would, once again, be forgotten.

***

Jun sat stiff on his seat. The train was still packed, even if it was already pass lunch time. Until now, Jun can't get his talk with Sho out of his mind. Aiba's true nature, more so.

After all that they've had been through, Aiba still wants Sho back. Even if Aiba was his friend, Jun didn't want Sho to return to his depressing life with Aiba. He wanted Sho to be happy. But at the same time, there was still a part of him who wanted to trust Aiba.

Such thoughts made Jun feel small and cramped, the worry slowly suffocating him.

The train's doors had opened and Jun felt relief as he finally stepped out of the train. But many people, men and women, walked by him from here and there, putting Jun in a trance while walking. Slowly, he came back to his senses and came to a stop.

A familiar figure stood out in the busy crowd ahead. Cautiously, he went closer and to his surprise, he recognizes the man at once. It was Aiba.

As Jun neared him, it appeared that he was holding a bouquet of white lilies. "Aiba," Jun called out to him.

Aiba looked up at him and was surprised by his presense. "Oh, Jun..."

"Those flowers," Jun said, pointing at them. "Are they for--"

"Sho." Aiba said, cutting him off. "Yeah, they're for Sho. Supposedly."

"Supposedly? What do you mean?"

Aiba bowed his head and sighed. "I just wanted to talk it out with him." He said. "He doesn't answer my calls. So, I texted him and told him I wanted to meet up with him today at the train station. He didn't reply, but I went here anyway."

Aiba raised his head back up and looked at Jun. He smiled faintly. "Sho told you a lot about me, didn't he?"

Jun couldn't help but nod.

Aiba chuckled in response. "After we fought during Ohno's birthday party, Sho and I had agreed to stay as friends. But, I guess, he knows me so well that he's probably figured out my real intentions..."

"Aiba," Jun said. "Sho doesn't want to be with you anymore. You have to understand that, Aiba. You need to move on."

Aiba shook his head. "Jun, don't tell me things that I already know." He said. "Call me stupid, but I'm going to keep my word. Doesn't matter how long I have to wait."

"Aiba, you can't be serious. Please, think about how Sho feels about this--"

"Well, how about what I feel?" Aiba's eyebrows frowned. "You saw it yourself, remember? At the coffee shop? And even during Ohno's party? Don't you know how humiliated I felt during those times?"

"But that's nothing compared to what Sho had to go through because of you!" Jun cried. "People like you, all you care about are yourselves! You neglected Sho, and even cheated on him!"

Aiba's face soured. "I would never cheat on Sho." He said.

"Liar!"

"I was fucking drunk, alright?" He exclaimed. "What do you expect me to do? Punch the girl?"

Jun nearly fell backwards. He was startled by Aiba's sudden burst of emotion. Aiba groaned and buried his face with his free hand. "I'm sorry," Aiba said. "You should've not seen me like that." He then put down his hand to his side and leaned his back onto the post behind him.

"I became selfish." Aiba said. "I was having so much fun outside that had forgotten that I should be at home with Sho. I should've been the one who's there for him, but instead I made him lonely. It was a careless mistake."
Jun narrowed his eyes at him.

"But I don't think it's right for me to just give up and move on, and leave it at that." He said, looking at Jun. "Because if I do, I'd be a coward. And I'd be worse than a coward, if I didn't at least try and fix things with him."

Jun's lips remained sealed. He couldn't believe the words that came out of Aiba's mouth. A coward?

Aiba turned his face away from Jun. "If you have nothing else to say, then please, leave me alone." He said.

Concluding that there was no point in convincing him, Jun turned away and started walking. He didn't bother looking back at Aiba. Because if he did, he would start to feel bad.

And yet, Jun could feel the guilt rushing through him.

Jun was frustrated. Just who does he think he is? Jun thought to himself. To Jun, Aiba was a fool, who's giving himself false hope, bound to have his heart crushed...

But, was he really?

I hate you. It's over. I don't want to see you anymore. Jun forced those words out of his mouth that day. He felt his own heart being yanked out of him as he said them.

The man in front of him didn't say anything back, instead he let go of his hand.

Once he let go, Jun only looked forwards and walked away. The man didn't stop him from walking away. No one did.

Right after that, Jun cut off all contact with him. No more messages, no more calls. The guy, who he used to be fond of, was now out of his sight. He should've felt relieved. he should've felt happy.

And yet...

Tears started to stream down Jun's face. All the memories he wanted to forget for many years had come back to him in a flash. The wrenching pain in his heart was as unbearable as ever.

Jun knew that, until now, he hasn't moved on yet. He loved him too much, and that was his big mistake.

Aiba was right. He was a coward.

All he did was run away. He wanted to escape from the horrible reality. Because he didn't want to get hurt anymore. But, he now realized it slipped out of his mind that he had hurt someone in return because of it.

Jun covered his eyes, wishing that the tears would stop. He badly wanted call out his name and reach out to him, but he couldn't. Because he was too proud of himself, and he didn't want to admit that.

Jun let out a breath, and lifted up his head to look up at the sky, where the fleeting clouds were passing by him. He then had a thought; if the pain would easily leave him like that, it would be easier to forget it all. But, the world didn't work that way. And even if he tried, everything around him would make him remember the good times they had. But what else could he do, but to move forward. Because, for Jun, to be stuck in the past would be a hinderance, and for him to stay here won't get him anywhere.
He then faced front and went off, like he always did. And nothing stopped him, because nothing held him back.

Nothing would.

***

Music bursted out from the large speakers, jumping about different genres like disco, jazz, and techno. The silhouttes of the crowd stood out against colorful fluorescent lights. They raised their hands, banged their heads, and even shook their hips.

Jun watched his colleagues join in with the crowd, while he, on the other hand, stayed on his seat at their table and snacked on the leftover fries.

As much as Jun liked parties, he wasn't really into going to bars. A majority of his friends, however, were really, really into it. Jun didn't mind being dragged along, but anywhere he looked, people were either drinking, dancing, or making out. Or maybe even doing all at the same time.

It was insane, yet, at the same time, amusing. But that wasn't enough for him to join the bandwagon. Though, going bars somehow had its merits for Ohno. Other than getting to meet Sho's boyfriend, Ohno got to meet this Ninomiya guy that he's been crushing on non-stop.

And to think that Ninomiya is about the same age as Jun was. Probably also a newbie in the workplace like Jun.

It's funny thinking Ohno would have a thing for younger men, even if Ohno was a very bossy senior back then during their high school years. Ohno would often complain how Jun's batchmates were 'brats' or 'wimps' after volleyball practice. Jun cracked a smile thinking about it. Those were good times.

But then, Jun started to wonder about himself. It's not that he was worried about not dating anyone at the moment, but about doubting that he would be crazy in love for someone. To have that giddy feeling like Ohno has for Ninomiya, Jun would like that. He would like to meet his ideal man; someone sophisticated, headstrong, adventurous, and--

"Hey there."

Jun looked up to find a strange man looking back at him. He had spiky, light brown hair and had a weird taste of fashion: a black leather jacket, baggy trousers, and neon-colored shoes. "You alone?" The man asked.

"I'm with my friends." Jun then pointed out to where his colleagues were.

"Oh... Well, why don't you join them?"

"Nah, it's not my thing."

The man raised his brow. "If it's not your thing, why come along then?"

"I just wanted to check this place out, that's all." Jun said and then drank some of his iced tea.

The man observed him with a puzzled look. His eyes moved up and down, scanning Jun from top to bottom. Jun wondered what exactly was going on in this guy's mind. Then again, he was in a bar, so the man was probably hitting on him. But he just can't assume that and tell the guy off, because that would be rude, and worse, if he's wrong, it would be embarrassing.

"Mind if I sit beside you then?" The man asked.

"Uh, yeah." Jun nodded. "Sure."

The man sat down next to him. The distance between them now only inches apart. They remained quiet for a while, until that cheesy Spandau Ballet song played in the background. Jun tried to keep a straight face at such a timing. He felt as if the whole world was mocking him right now.

"So, what do you do for fun?" The man finally spoke up.

"Uh, the usual stuff, I guess." Jun said, tilting his head. "You know, watch a movie, go to the arcade..." He then turned to the guy.

"Why? What do you do for fun?"

"Drink?"

"Wow," Jun said with a dead flat voice. "That sounds like a lot of fun."

"I'm kidding."

Jun licked his dry lips. Why is he even talking to this sketchy guy? He wanted to get out of this situation, but, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to. "Do you have a girlfriend?" The man asked again. "Or... a boyfriend perhaps?"

"Neither." Jun said. "I've never been in a relationship yet."

The man's eyes widened. "You haven't?"

"Nope."

"You're kidding me, right?" The man exclaimed. "Honestly, someone like you? No way!"

"Well, there were people who tell me how cute and charming I am, but no, I never clicked with anyone. I haven't even had my first kiss yet."

"First kiss, huh? That's interesting."

Jun frowned his eyebrows. "How on earth is that interesting?"

The man shrugged. "I don't know. It's just me, I guess."

"Why? What are you gonna do? Snatch a kiss from me?" Jun said and laughed, but the man kept a straight face. Jun's laugh gradually died out. There was something about the man's gaze that set a chill down his spine. Why did he had to say something so silly?

"Do you want me to?" The man asked.

It was probably a joke. It had to be. Jun tried to convince himself that the man was just teasing him. But then, he finds the man's hand cupped on one side of his face-- his thumb gently running over Jun's lips.

As the man began to draw his face nearer to him, Jun quickly shut his eyes. All sorts of thoughts rushed into Jun's mind. He then braced himself, but he didn't feel anything on his lips. Instead, he heard laughter.

Jun opened his eyes and finds the man laughing at him. "You should've seen the look on your face!" He mocked him. "You were actually expecting it, weren't you?"

At once, Jun felt the blood rushing in his veins and clenched his fists. His cheeks heated up but soon the heat had spread all over his face, and then to his head. The man's laugh ticked him off. He wanted to burst out and scream in frustration, but not in this situation where he was in public.

Jun grabbed hold onto his iced tea and swung the drink towards the man.

The man froze in his place, his eyes were as wide as a circle. His hair, his face and his clothes were drenched. "I- I am so sorry." The man said.

Jun turned his back on him and had his arms crossed. He just wished that the man would go away and leave him alone. He never felt so humiliated in his life.

"I'm truly sorry." He apologized again. "I really am. I got carried away; I've always been a prankster so I just..." The man stopped and Jun heard him sigh.

There was a long silence and Jun thought that the man had already left him. But when he looked behind him, he saw the man drying himself with tissues from the tissue holder. When the man caught him looking, Jun quickly averted his eyes.

"Do you like books?" The man said, but Jun didn't give any response.

"I like books, mostly the old stuff." The man went on. "You know, the classics. Well, I do read some contemporary ones, but they never could compare to old literature. It's a completely different feeling; the classics have, like, a richness to it." He then chuckled. "Weird, isn't it? A party guy like me reading books." He said. "Hell, I don't even look like a bookreader, right? I mean, who would be interest--"

"It's not weird!" Jun said, and turned around. The man jerked, and almost fell from his seat. "It's not..." Jun averted his eyes.

"Well, thank you." The man said as soon as he calmed down. "For saying that, I mean. Because I rarely tell anyone that, since I know that none of my friends ever read books anyway."

Jun looked at the man. He was now giving a different kind of vibe compared to earlier. It turned out that this man was just a socially-awkward book nerd. "Well, I like classical music." Jun said.

The man's face lit up.

"I often would go to concerts to listen to Mozart, Beethoven, or even Tchaikovsky. I just love how all the different instruments, all the different sounds just blend together so perfectly. You know what I mean?"

The man slowly nodded. "So, are you a musician or something?" He said.

"I wanted to be. I learned how to play the violin, and I even wanted to take music in college. But my parents opposed it, so I gave up that dream."

"Oh." The man frowned. "Well, I'd like to see you play." He then said.

"No way," Jun shook his head. "I haven't played in years."

"Don't say that. If you learned it, then you can learn it again."

Jun raised up his head.

"At least try." The man said.

Jun then gave a smile. "Say," He said. "When you said you read the classics, do you mean, something like Soseki's works?"

"Well, yeah. Though I'm more into western literature, especially dystopian ones."

"Do you happen to know 'A Clockwork Orange' then?" Jun asked.

"Yeah." The man said. "I read the book and watched the movie."

"No way."

"Yeah. I was cured alright."

Jun giggled at the reference. "Seriously, that movie was so messed up!" Jun exclaimed. "I swear, I never listened to Beethoven the same way again after watching that."

"Don't forget 'Singing in the Rain'."

"Oh God, noooo."

They then laughed out loud. Jun never had thought he would talk to someone about this. It felt too good to be true, but that didn't really matter. All he thought of was that had found someone who could actually understand him, someone who he could be himself with.

As their laughter had ran out, Jun realized their noses were just a centimeter away and caught the man smirking. Jun then backed away by pushing his hands on the man's chest. He had to put up his guard again, but he felt comfortable with the guy now than earlier.

There was a sort of connection between them that lingered. The feeling that they didn't want to leave the other, but to even get the slightest touch would be a dangerous thing to do. "You wanna go out sometime?" The man said.

"Really?" Jun said. "Right after I ruined your look with my drink?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm thinking of getting a haircut anyway."

Jun gave a laugh. At that moment, he had thought he would give this guy a chance. "Just tell me when." Jun then said and smiled.

"Now that I think about it, I don't even know your name yet."

"Matsumoto Jun. And you?"

The man gave a smile, a very captivating smile. Jun felt his heart skip a beat. That giddy and thrilling feeling, like the whole world had slowed down for a moment, as if everything had been blurred, and only the person in front of you remained clear in sight. And for sure, Jun only knew one thing...

It was certainly a name that he will never ever forget.

***

Monday, December 13.

Nino was once again at his cubicle. He finally had his desk arranged; no more clutter or excess papers were present. All that's left was his computer desktop and his personal coffee mug. And of course, he also had his envelopes neatly arranged. He didn't want to make the same mistake again.

It turns out that getting over Jun was much easier compared to what he's going through now.

Nino's not ready to let go yet. But, if Ohno is going to move on, what other choice does he have?

Maybe it was best for him move on too. Maybe it was destined for him to be this way: to be, forever, a miserable fool, searching for romance at the wrong places. Not realizing he already had it right in front of him, and soon it'll gone.

He takes a quick sip of his coffee. Bittersweet, just as he liked it.

"Mr. Ninomiya," Nino heard a woman called out his name. He turned around and found the woman at the door. He was surprised to see she was one of the front desk.

He stood up from his seat and went towards her. "Yes?"

"Someone's here to see you."

Nino's heart had skipped a beat after he heard those words. Without a second thought, he followed her out of the room.

Nino took some breaths as they walked. He felt butterflies in his stomach, he was overwhelmed by the excitement which suddenly lifted his spirits up. He had so many things he wanted to say Ohno. He was ready to face him properly and tell him that he--

Nino stopped at his tracks. The man standing ahead of him was, unfortunately, not Ohno.

He was tall man in a grey suit. He had black hair, small round eyes, and a hooked nose. Nino doesn't recognize him from anyone; he has never seen this man before.

"Thank you." Nino said to the woman and she left. Nino then faced the man in front of him.

"Hello." The man greeted and smiled.

"Hello." Nino said. He was quite intimidated by how the man looked at him intently. As if the man knew something about him that he had never told anyone.

"You must be Ninomiya Kazunari." The man said.

"Yes, that's me." Nino was surprised that the man knew his name. "And you are?"

The man took out something from the pocket of his coat and gave it to Nino. It was a business card. "My name is Ikuta Toma." He said. "You're... a friend of Matsumoto Jun, right?"

Nino had his eyebrows raised by a sudden question from a stranger. A stranger who for some reason really got into his nerves. He didn't know why he felt that way, but, at the back of his mind, he had an idea why.

A/N:Jun’s ex-boyfriend is finally revealed, yay! XD
I really had planned Heartbreaker to be a trilogy series. (Heartbreaker = “I Seek”, Heartstrings = “Bittersweet”; you could probably guess what the last song would be, and no, it’s not “Love So Sweet” XD) But due to RL + college, I was only able to finish Heartstrings now (I haven’t even finished writing the finale yet LOL). I have no idea when I’ll finish the last part of the series but, hopefully, it’ll be posted within this year.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading. Till next time! ^^