Love Episodes - Episode 2: The Winning of a Heart

[yoru-no-hikaru.livejournal.com]

Pairing: KinKi Kids
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Don't own KinKi Kids, or anything JE-related
Warnings: Bit of angst
Multi-Chapter


Introduction: In this episode Koichi tries to win over Tsuyoshi's heart. Fortunately he has some good help in this task.






“Ohayo,” Tsuyoshi mumbled as he walked into the KinKi Kids dressing room.
“Ah, Ohayo-na,” Koichi replied, nodding. “Hey, listen. One of the SMAP managers just came by. He said maybe we’re gonna get to do the entire tour. How cool is that?”
Again the other boy simply nodded for a reply.
“You feeling sick?” Koichi asked, concerned.
“I…” Tsuyoshi broke off, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, I’m not feeling too well.”
“Maybe you should go home and rest,” Koichi suggested.




“It’s nothing like that,” the younger boy bit out.
Koichi blinked. “Did something bad happen?”
No reply. The other boy just kept starring to the ground.
“Hey,” Koichi said, moving over to the other. “If something’s wrong, you can tell me,” he offered, putting an arm around the miserable looking boy.
At that Tsuyoshi jumped immediately, breaking all body contact and bringing some distance between the two of them.
“Don’t!” he demanded.




Then he shifted, feeling embarrassed by his harsh reaction.
“Sorry,” he said, licking his lips. “It’s just…” He sighed. “I broke up with my girlfriend.”
The older boy’s eyes went wide. “Oh,” he stated simply. “Oh, I… I’m sorry,” he pressed out.
Tsuyoshi just nodded.
“What happened?” Koichi asked carefully.
The younger boy cringed. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Okay,” the other boy nodded. “Well, as it is, our schedule is pretty light today. So maybe you should go home and sort yourself out.”




A short pause followed. Then Tsuyoshi nodded.
“If that’s okay,” he said thankfully, “I’ll leave the rest to you.”
Koichi smiled brightly. “Not to worry. I’ll take care of everything. You go. And don’t get too worked up. There’s a lot of beautiful girls out there. And I’m very sure that there are a lot of people who would appreciate your affection. Just don’t make it a big deal, being dissed. Happens.”
“Not thus far,” Tsuyoshi informed him.
“Eh?”
“I said I broke up with her and that is what I meant,” the younger boy explained.
“What – you ended it?” Koichi blinked.
Tsuyoshi nodded.




“But…” the older boy mused, scratching his head. “Why?”
Tsuyoshi had his eyes shut and lips pressed together. His entire form was almost vibrating with tension.
“It’s…” he began. “I like someone else.”
Koichi blinked again. “That soon?”
“I’ll be off now,” Tsuyoshi declared without regarding Koichi’s question. “See you.”
With that he was out the door.




_______________________________________________________________________________________




“It’s been five days,” Koichi explained agitatedly. “Tsuyoshi never gets sick. Let alone for an entire working week.”
“Well, maybe he just never really fell ill very bad before, that’s why now it’s all the worse,” Nagase suggested.
“Nah,” Koichi waved him off, shaking his head. “I don’t think that’s what it is. It all started with his girlfriend and….”
“What?!?!?!?!?!” Nagase started up.
Koichi blinked at him in surprise. “What?!”
“Did you just say his girlfriend?” Nagase inquired.
The other boy nodded warily.




“Oh,” Nagase laughed nervously. “Sorry, I just thought….”
“Yes?” Koichi asked.
“Never mind,” Nagase waved him off. “Anyway, what about his girlfriend. Trouble?”
“I think so,” Koichi confirmed. “He said he broke up with her.”
“Ah,” Nagase sighed. “Heartache.” He patted the smaller boy’s shoulder. “Can take a while.”
“Yeah, well, I understand if you’re the one who’s left,” Koichi agreed. “But he said he broke up because he liked someone else. So, why be depressed?”
“He said he liked someone else,” Nagase repeated, musing.
“Yes.”




“And he told you that and after that he fell into depression and didn’t show for work?” the TOKIO vocalist investigated further.
Koichi nodded.
“Say,” Nagase said, patting Koichi’s shoulder again. “Could it be you told him how you feel about him?”
The smaller boy stiffened at that. “Don’t tell me.” He looked at Nagase, panic in his eyes. “He feels worked up about me and that’s why he keeps avoiding me.”
“He might well be worked up, but in a different way than you are thinking now,” Nagase explained.




“What do you mean?” Koichi asked.
“Well, seeing how he had a girlfriend, I’d guess that he didn’t react very well to your confession,” Nagase stated.
“So?” Koichi shrugged.
“I think he panicked,” the taller boy explained.
“Eh?”
“Well, you told him you liked him. You might have caught him off guard and he just panicked.”




“But I never did anything, really,” Koichi said desperately. “I promised I’d never mention it again.”
Nagase shook his head. “It’s not your confession he panicked over,” he explained. “Well, at first, maybe. But I think what can really hit you bad is when you eventually find that you like the person back.”
There was a short silence. Koichi looked intensely at his friend.
“What, you mean,” he tried warily, “you mean….”




“I mean he likes you back,” Nagase nodded. “It fits pretty well. First you tell him you like him. In an act of desperation he gets himself the next best girl. And when he finds she cannot distract him from you he breaks down and breaks up with her. He even told you he liked someone else. That’s like a back confession.”
“He didn’t say anything about that other person,” Koichi opposed.
“All the more suspicious if he presented his other girlfriend so openly to you,” Nagase explained. “And you’re right. If you break up over liking someone else, why hide at home – unless you don’t know how to go about it.”
“I don’t get the big deal of it all,” Koichi said shaking his head.
“You know,” the taller boy smiled, “not everybody can take things as easily as yourself.”
“What do you mean,” Koichi asked pointedly.




“Just that you easily accepted that you like Tsuyoshi,” Nagase shrugged. “It’s just not the same for everybody. Some people find it very difficult to accept that they like guys. Because there’s a lot of discrimination against homosexuals, because they can never get married or have kids. Some have a lot of trouble with their family. And from what I’ve heard Tsuyoshi is in the rough department when it comes to that.”
“How so?” Koichi wanted to know.




“Well, he doesn’t talk about it much,” Nagase told him. “And I can see why. It’s pretty annoying. But Taichi-kun’s dad works with Tsuyoshi’s dad. And Taichi told me that he’s really the traditional type. There seems to be a lot of trouble because Tsuyoshi really wants to stay in the agency and become an artist rather than take care of the family business.”
“I didn’t know that,” Koichi said in shock.




“Well again, Tsuyoshi doesn’t talk about it. Taichi told us. There has also been an incident not too long ago, where Tsuyoshi’s dad made a riot in school because one of Tsuyoshi’s classmates was found snogging with his tutor. At first his dad wanted the kid expelled, or at least transferred to another class. Can you imagine that? Of course, the school refused. It seems, though, that Tsuyoshi is not allowed direct contact with the boy – meaning conversation, doing homework or even sit at the same lunch table. Now try to imagine what it’s like to find out you’re gay when you have such a father sitting at home.”




Koichi sat there in silence. “But,” he said, shaking is head, “he kept saying how off it is to kiss and touch a boy. How he would rather just get it over with when it’s unavoidable. How he doesn’t like me back…” he choked as tears came to his eyes.
“Hey, hey,” his friends soothed him, hugging him affectionately. “Try to see his stand. He must be totally freaked out. And even so – while he couldn’t actually put it in words, he gave you the clue that he too likes you.”
At that Koichi’s eyes shot open. “He said he liked someone else,” he tried to recall the situation in detail.
Koichi closed his eyes in despair. “Oh my god, it’s like he screamed out to me.”
“Eh?”
“Now that I think back on it,” the smaller boy explained, “it feels like he was begging me to understand what he actually wanted to say. I’m so stupid!” he exclaimed, angry with himself. “Why didn’t I see it?”




“You guys just kept passing each other without really seeing each other,” Nagase told him. “Go, break the spell. You might free him from something that keeps him restrained.”
“But how to do that?” Koichi asked. “He won’t even come to work.”
“I’m very sure he’ll be in next week,” the taller boy declared. “He is very determined when it comes to work. And you don’t have to run him over. Think it through carefully. Prepare something. Like, make it an occasion where you can determine all the details.”
“Like what?” Koichi asked.
“Hm,” Nagase mused. “Isn’t your birthday coming up?”




“So?”
“So?” the taller boy parroted. “That’s perfect. Send your parents off to an Onsen, or something and invite him over.”
“He won’t come,” Koichi stated pouting.
Nagase sighed. “You don’t have to sell it as a date,” he explained. “Just tell him it’s a birthday party. When nobody else is there it’ll be too late for him to run.”
“That…” Koichi began, then paused. “… that might work,” he concluded finally.
“But you had better work out something good. He really needs to listen this time.”
Koichi nodded in agreement. “I think I’ve got an idea there…”



______________________________________________________________________________________




“So, please come,” Koichi said in a pleading voice, bowing politely.
Tsuyoshi blinked. “Ano… Thank you for inviting me,” he muttered. “I’m not much of a party person, though.”
“Not to worry,” Koichi laughed. “Neither am I. It’s just a light gathering of a few friends.”
“And who will I be facing?” Tsuyoshi said jokingly.
“Ano,” Koichi fake mused, trying to come up with a few names fast. “Tomo-chan,” he began to count.
“Of course,” Tsuyoshi smiled.
“Then Tsubasa-kun. And seeing how he always drags Takizawa-kun along… Anyway, then I’m thinking Aiba-kun and Hiro-chan and Ichirou from school.”
“Sounds like a light enough group,” Tsuyoshi analysed.
“Told you,” the older boy smiled at him.




“Right then,” Tsuyoshi nodded. “Ano… would it be okay if I bring Jun-chan?”
Koichi stiffened. “Eh?”
“Just a thought.”
“Well…” Koichi stuttered, licking his lips.
“Ah, the more, the merrier, ne Ko-chan?” Nagase burst in, flinging an arm around his friend. “About your birthday, right? Let’s have some fun there.”
Koichi blinked up at him. As Nagase nodded reassuringly, he turned back to Tsuyoshi.
“Fine then,” he said. “You can bring him if you like.”
“Alright,” Tsuyoshi smiled. “Cool. I’ll see you there, then.”




“Yes, see you,” Koichi replied, watching as his band mate left the room. Then he turned back to Nagase. “Now what?!?!”
“Don’t get worked up,” Nagase soothed him. “Okada won’t come.”
“Eh?” Koichi blinked.
“I’ll tip him off on it,” the taller boy explained. “So when Tsuyoshi asks him he’ll be `busy´ and unfortunately unable to come. You just keep working on your plan. Everything will be okay. You will see.”
“Okay…” Koichi said, not sounding too pleased with being so organised and secretive about all of it, but yet determined to pull through.




_________________________________________________________________________________________




“Ah, Koichi!!!!!”
Koichi found himself squeezed in a tight embrace.
“Nee-chan,” he gasped. “Please, I need some air.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Koichi’s sister blurted out, releasing him. “It’s just you come by so seldomly.”
“Yeah, well, sorry about that,” Koichi muttered, blushing. “I’ll try harder.”
“It’s okay,” she told him. “I’m happy you’re here. Want some tea?”
“Thank you,” Koichi said, nodding.
“Do sit down,” she told him as she went into the kitchen.
A few minutes later they were both sitting in his sister’s dining room, each a cup of tea in hands.
“So, what is new with you?” Koichi’s sister wanted to know.
“Ano…” Koichi mumbled. “I’m sorry, I… I came with a request,” he told her.
“Yes?” she said, smiling.




“I was kinda wondering… If you could not ask me about it I’d really appreciate it, but I doubt that’s possible. I still wanted to ask you, so… Do you by change still have your school uniform?”
At that his sister blinked. She just stared at him, not moving or saying anything.
“Yuri?” Koichi asked carefully.
That brought her back to reality. Shaking her head clear she looked warily at her brother.
“What would you do with my school uniform?” she asked uncomfortably.




Koichi sighed. “I’m very sorry to bother you with this. I know it’s gonna burden you too now, but I don’t think I can carry this by myself, so please forgive me. I want to wear it.”
Again Yuri just blinked. “Is it for work?” she tried desperately.
“Do you think I would come to you for that and be so worked up?” Koichi asked pointedly. “Isn’t it obvious it’s not for work?”
“So,” Yuri pointed out carefully, “you want to wear girl’s clothes in private.”
“Well, it’s not like I’m particularly keen on it,” Koichi explained and it seemed like his sister visibly relaxed at that. “I mean I get enough of that at work, really. Don’t jump around in relief just yet, though. The thing is, I want to wear it for someone I like. First off, I’m gay. And there is this guy that I’m really totally crazy about. But it’s difficult. It’s hard to explain. But I think it would help…”




“So you really like guys,” Yuri breathed out.
Koichi nodded.
His sister laughed nervously. “Mom said something about that not too long ago. But I didn’t really think…”
“What?!” Koichi exclaimed in shock. “Mom knows?!”
“It’s more like… she’s suspecting. Mother’s intuition, I suppose,” she shrugged. “Back to your request for now. Listen, I… I guess it will be fine eventually. But if a guy likes girls, you cannot manipulate him like that. It won’t work.”
“It’s not like that,” Koichi informed her. “I told you, it’s hard to explain. Can I please borrow it? If you still have it, that is.”
“I do,” his sister sighed. “I… well, if you think it’ll get you anywhere…”
Koichi nodded wildly. “Yes, please.”




“Very well, then, you can have it, if you like,” she told him.
“Thank you so much,” Koichi beamed.
“How long?” Yuri asked.
“Sorry?”
“How long have you liked that boy now?” she wanted to know.
“Ano…” Koichi considered. “Several months.”
“And who is it? Someone from work? School?”
“You know the guy they’ve teamed me up with?”
“Ah, the one who has the same surname as us, right?” Yuri recalled. “What was his full name again?”
“Domoto Tsuyoshi,” Koichi answered. “He is the one I like.”




“I see,” his sister smiled seeing her brother’s eyes gleam with adoration. “But aren’t you making one huge effort for this guy? I mean, don’t you think that someone else might be easier to catch attention from?”
“There is nobody else,” Koichi informed her.
She kept smiling. “There never is,” she explained.
Koichi gave her a dirty look.




She waved him off. “No, no, it’s fine. I know, your first love is always special. I just mean to consider your options. First love is impressive, but it’s hardly the person for life.”
“That one is,” Koichi insisted.
“If you say so,” Yuri mused.
“No,” Koichi said, getting worked up. “I mean it. Do you think I say such things lightly? I’m aware of the meaning. Maybe it didn’t happen for you. And maybe it happens like one time out of ten thousand, but Tsuyoshi is… I won’t love anyone else the way I love him. I just know that.”
At that Yuri serenely smiled. “Well, then I had better go iron that uniform before you take it. Should make a good impression, ne?” she winked as she got up.
“Domou, na,” Koichi said thankfully.
“You had better be successful, though,” Yuri told him with a smile.
Koichi nodded, smiling back.




___________________________________________________________________________________________




“Door’s open, do come in,” Koichi’s voice sounded from within.
Tsuyoshi scratched the back of his head, but then shrugged and went inside.
“Ou-jama shimasu,” he declared as he pulled off his shoes.
“Take a drink from the table, if you like,” Koichi’s voice sounded again. “I’m in the living room.”
Tsuyoshi looked over at the small hallway table where several cups with lemonade were neatly lined up. Grasping one of the cups he made his way towards where he thought Koichi’s voice had come from.




“You still busy with preparations, or what?” he grinned. “Aren’t you slow?”
He took a sip from his cup. As he walked into the living room he almost spit it back out, but fortunately his first impulse was restrained by utter shock and the second one was to gulp anyway. There in front of the living room table stood Koichi, white stockings up to his knees, a neatly ironed red skirt and for top a white blouse with a beige jacket. He must have felt very uncomfortable, for he kept shifting under both his spectator’s gaze as well as the ill-fitting clothes.




“What is this?” Tsuyoshi gaped.
“Ano…” Koichi said, licking his lips. “This is kind of a last try. And it’s taking a wild guess too. So, for all I know I’m just making the world’s greatest fool out of myself.”
“Hold on there,” Tsuyoshi blinked. “You mean… you set all of this up? To get me here?”
“Well, I…” Koichi tried to explain.
“And let me guess. No one else is coming?” the younger boy asked pointedly. “Damn, I should have known when Jun said he won’t come.”
He was just about to turn around, when Koichi spoke up again.
“Please, don’t run,” he pleaded in a voice that made Tsuyoshi’s heart ache. “I’m sorry I tricked you like this. But I really didn’t know what else to do and I’m really begging you to listen to me.”




“Okay, I’ll listen,” Tsuyoshi said flatly. “But I wonder what you have to say. A last try, is it? Like, what – do you want to make me like you by posing as a girl? You’ve got to be kidding me. I bet you were glad I broke up with my girlfriend. To do something like this.”
“Well, I needed to catch your attention,” Koichi explained.
“Mission accomplished,” Tsuyoshi bit back.
“Well, good. Because… well, truth be told I was jealous of that girl. But after you’d broken up with her… I don’t know. The way you behaved… It was like you didn’t really like her. And then you said you like someone else and I might have mistaken you, but I really think that you like me. And if you do I’d be more than happy to have you show me your affection. This is why I wanted you to come here. I wanted to tell you that I still like you and that I can’t just stop it. I’ve tried. And I think so have you…”




“What makes you think I like you?” Tsuyoshi demanded, blushing a bit.
“Well, you didn’t tell me who it is,” Koichi explained.
“Maybe I don’t want you to know. Maybe you were the reason my last relationship didn’t last. You’re awfully clingy, you know.”
Koichi flinched at that. “No, that’s not what it is,” he stated firmly.
“You’re just making assumptions,” Tsuyoshi told him.




“Nagase,” the older boy threw in.
“Sorry?”
“Nagase told me… well, about your dad,” he said silently.
At that Tsuyoshi stiffened visibly. “What ever…?”
“Taichi-kun’s dad is working with your dad. He seems to catch a lot of what’s going on with you.”
“Like what?” Tsuyoshi dared.
“Like your dad doesn’t want you to stay in the Jimusho. And he’s a huge homophobe, so it would be difficult…” Koichi broke up, looking at Tsuyoshi.
There was a longer silence. Tsuyoshi tried to keep Koichi’s gaze, but the desperation in his eyes stung him deeply, so he averted his eyes.
“Tsuyoshi,” Koichi tried again.




“What do you know?” Tsuyoshi demanded, looking back up, tears in his eyes. “As long as I can remember I’ve been told that queers are sick and twisted and abnormal and how they weren’t raised properly and how they were no better than animals, living such perverted urges. I’m not well-protected little Koichi who always got his head patted when there was trouble and who got the cream when only he pouted sweetly enough.”




“Why do you say such stuff?” Koichi asked, tears stinging his own eyes.
“Well, look at yourself,” Tsuyoshi pointed at him. “Is this your sister’s?”
“So?”
“I don’t expect you stole it,” Tsuyoshi sneered. “So you borrowed it. Does your sister know what you’re doing with it?”
No answer.
“Do you see?” he said sarcastically. “You can talk with her about this stuff. Our worlds are like light years apart. Maybe you can afford to live as you please, but I can’t. That’s my reality.”




“You can too,” Koichi demanded. “You are a Johnny and you don’t mean to quit, do you? If you can do that, you can love who want as well.”
“You don’t get it, do you?” Tsuyoshi bit out harshly. “I’m not like you. It’s not like my parents won’t ask me about my preferences in gender. They won’t even ask me when they arrange my marriage. I most supposedly won’t even see the poor girl I’m getting hooked up with. I’ll most probably despise her and make her feel it too. There will be no consideration of my needs or wishes and I…”




Tsuyoshi broke off as his air was cut from his lungs as Koichi flung himself at him, embracing him tightly.
“Then we’ll run,” he whispered to Tsuyoshi, holding him tightly. “We’ll run off together.”
The younger boy started to shake in his arms.
“Where to?” Tsuyoshi asked without any drive.
“I don’t know yet,” he choked out. “But we’ll work hard. And we’ll become the most popular group Johnny’s has ever seen. We’re gonna tour the entire country and even Taiwan and Korea. Everybody will know our name and we will make it so that nobody can force their will on us.”
“Do you really believe that?” Tsuyoshi pressed out.
“Yes!” Koichi stated firmly, gripping the other tighter still. “But I can’t do it without you. Please, stay with me.”




“What if I don’t like you, after all?” Tsuyoshi asked.
Koichi pulled back to look at him. “Do you not?”
The younger boy bit his lip. “I’m just scared.”
Koichi nodded in understanding. “I know. I’m a bit scared too.”
“Of what?” Tsuyoshi wanted to know.
“That you will reject me after all,” Koichi admitted.




At that Tsuyoshi crushed the other boy against him once more, holding on tightly.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked desperately. “How do you do this to me?”
“I don’t know,” Koichi stated simply, hugging the other boy back. “But I do know that if you will let me, I’ll pat your head when you need it. I’ll take care of you and love you and support you with everything that I’ve got. Because I want you to be happy.”
Tsuyoshi snorted. “You’re such a stupid romanticist.”
“Can’t help it,” Koichi laughed back.




They pulled back a little, smiling at each other. Then Tsuyoshi’s look turned stern again, though.
“What is it?” Koichi asked, worried.
“I’m sorry,” Tsuyoshi said.
Koichi’s heart began to sink again, but then Tsuyoshi’s hold on him tightened.
“I’m sorry, I lied to you,” the younger boy explained. “You said openly how you liked me and I just…. I’m sorry I hurt you so. I just didn’t know what to do. If anything, I’d have expected you to despise me for that.”
Koichi shook his head slowly. “After what you’ve been through… I don’t know what I would have done in your place. It must still be difficult.”




“Yes,” Tsuyoshi confirmed. “But…” he paused for a moment, looking intensely at Koichi. “I do like you. I really like you. So, if you still care…”
“I do,” Koichi answered immediately.
Tsuyoshi smiled thankfully at him. Just as he was about to pull back, Koichi pulled him closer once more.
“Ano…” he said, blushing. “Will you kiss me?”
“Eh?” Tsuyoshi made, blushing too. “Well… If you like…”




The older boy nodded. Licking his lips nervously, Tsuyoshi moved forward and reached out a hand to cup Koichi’s face. The latter boy kept perfectly still as the other moved in on him, closing his eyes only just before their lips touched in a light caress. His arms came up again to embrace the younger boy and he felt Tsuyoshi snake his arms around his neck. Sighing happily, Koichi leaned into the kiss, lips opening in the slightest fashion, nipping at the other’s. They kept standing there, just holding each other and exchanging light kisses until Koichi decided that his neck hurt too bad to continue.




“Don’t you want to get changed?” Tsuyoshi mused, looking at his costume.
“You don’t like it?” Koichi asked playfully.
“It kinda suits you,” the younger boy admitted. “You sure have legs that you can show off. But there’s no need to pretend you’re a girl…” he took a deep breath, “because I happen to like guys.”
“Well, then, if it’s okay for you, I’ll put on a pair of jeans,” Koichi suggested.
“I’d much appreciate it,” Tsuyoshi told him, smiling.
“Okay, I’ll be right back. Ano… I don’t know. I have nobody else coming over and my parents will be gone until tomorrow…”




“Are you suggesting something?” Tsuyoshi asked teasingly.
“What?! No!” Koichi waved him off. “I just meant to say, since there’s nobody else around, we can do whatever you like doing.”
“Oh, I see,” Tsuyoshi mused. “Well… the kissing was nice. Why don’t we do some more of that?” he suggested.
“Gladly,” Koichi smiled. “If you like… there’s this movie on tonight. Katori-senpai in the leading role. Some sort of human drama. I’ve got popcorn too.”
“Sounds nice,” Tsuyoshi nodded.




Smiling happily Koichi flew upstairs to get changed. Not too long after that the two boys were comfortably snuggled up on the living room couch, exchanging light caresses, feeding each other popcorn and stealing kisses. They felt so comfortable they didn’t want to break their session and go to bed, so that at some point they fell asleep on the couch, TV still running, hands joined in a light grasp.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Episode 2 finished. ^_^ v Yays!

Comments

[johnny-s-love.livejournal.com]

“I like someone else.” Tsuyoshiiiiii! Why you do not tell Kochan " I love you ! Please, marry me ! " ?!
"I mean he likes you back" Nagase ? I love you !! xD Play Cupid for me please ~
Koichi in high school student?! * _______*

"Not too long after that the two boys were comfortably snuggled up on the living room couch, exchanging light caresses, feeding each other popcorn and stealing kisses." *Stupid smile* I love I love I loooooooooooooooooove ~

Thank you (^0^)