CHAPTER 1

Not used in sleeping for long, he took a bath and readied himself for the meeting even though the sun is still sleeping.  He managed to cook a small dish for his lunch and eat a piece of bread with margarine.  He was saving for something and for someone who made way to his life.  Though his life is complicated and lots of pain, which person managed to make him smile.

Arriving early at the meeting place, he went to look for a sofa but stopped when he noticed that a member has already been there. 

“Ohayo, Sho-kun.”  He greeted the older person.

Having heard the greeting and the owner of the voice, Sho looked at him with an unreadable expression. 

“Come here, Nino.  I want you to read this article.” Calm, but strong voice that always creeps his very soul out of his system.  Meaning, something in the article is not written well.  Only Sho can do this to him, why?  He, too, doesn’t know. 

“What is it, Sho-kun?” he asked while walking towards the man with the newspaper.  The latter didn’t respond, hence, he just gave Nino the article.

The idol of the century giving not only the pleasure of voice to the fans but also pleasure of the night?

Ninomiya Kazunari, a well-known member of boyband Arashi and an actor, was caught entering a hotel with a non-showbiz woman two days ago.  Evidence shows that the woman was a regular at a club and admittedly said that the singer/actor was with her the whole night in the hotel.  The woman, named Hiroiki Nami said, “Ninomiya-san was visiting the club recently and being the popular, many approached him.  Lucky me, he booked me and even invited me to stay the whole night. “It is also been revealed that Hiroiki Nami is also the woman who spent some nights with Ninomiya Kazunari.  Is there a secret relationship going on between the two?  Is Ninomiya Kazunari already found his true love?

Having read enough, he placed the article on the middle table and absently went to a fridge.  Picking an ice coffee, he open it and leaned at the wall while drinking and ignoring Sho’s heavy stare.

“Nino, care to explain what that article said?”  Sho’s trying his best to calm down, though it’s very obvious to Nino’s ears that the man was upset.

“It’s nothing.  The usual, I think?  Writers put all the words and pictures they can find in an article for them to keep their job.  No big deal.” He replied as if the article is nothing.

“Nino,” the man said while rubbing his temples, visible that the man couldn’t comprehend what he was trying to say.  “Look, I know you have lots of jobs to do and that you have no time for yourself.  We are here and if there is something bothering you, you…”

“Why do you think something is bothering me?” he asked.

“In this past few months, I thought you were just stressed or something.  I even had this thought that you don’t give yourself a rest.  The woman in the article is the same woman in the past few months, right?”

“Yes.  We are just friends and I liked her company.” He defended. 

“Are you sure?  Just friends, no strings attached?”  Sho clarified.

“Yes.  Nothing scandalous about that.  Don’t worry yourself, Sho-kun.”  He said while lying on the sofa covering his eyes with one arm while the other was used as a pillow, trying to look asleep while waiting for the rest of the members. 

~~~

He felt someone rubbing his cheeks.  Familiar long, smooth fingers caressing from his jaw back to his cheeks.  When occasions like this happens, Nino made sure that he will stay asleep for another minute or two, remembering the strokes of the fingers, before opening his eyes revealing his most desire.  Whenever Nino opens his eyes and looks at Ohno’s heavy stare, Nino didn’t know if there is some hidden message to it.  He always keeps in mind that the man he loves is straight. 

“Oh-chan.” He plainly said.  Few seconds after, the heavy stare became soft smiling face.

“Nino.  The others were waiting for us.  They’re already at the studio.”  Ohno said while standing up, hand extending towards him.

“Sorry.  Sho-kun should have kept me awake or the others should have woke me up.”  He said while rubbing his hair.  Ohno swatted Nino’s hands and in return, he fixed the latter’s hair.  While doing so, Nino’s eyes kept his eyes closed again, afraid that if he looked at the man, he might do or say something that is bad.  He needs to keep his sanity.

“Nino, come on.  Your hair is fine now.”

They used an elevator to reach the top floor.  Inside, Nino kept his distance from Ohno and tried closing his eyes again, until he felt familiar hands on his cheeks.

“Nino, is there something wrong?”

Maintaining his position, he replied, “Nothing’s wrong.  Does it look like there’s something’s wrong with me?  Sho-kun asked me that too.” 

“I’ve read the article.  The other members were worried, too.  It’s not like you to keep seeing the same non-showbiz woman, unless you’re attracted to her.  Are you?”

“No!  Of course, not.  She’s just a friend.  Someone who can be relied on.”  Feeling pressurized because of the constant same question throwing at him, he forgot to check the words he used.  Looking at Ohno, you cannot see an expression or any emotions at all.

“So, are you saying we, the members, can’t be relied on?  That I can’t be relied on?  I know there should still have a boundary between private lives but what you’ve said means something more.”  Cold voice that sends shivers direct to your spine makes him want to cry.  He didn’t know what to feel anymore.  He might explode any minute if the man in front of him consistently asking him about his private life.  Nobody has ever heard their leader speaks this way, until now.  “So, Ninomiya-san, aren’t I should be consider as your best friend?  Someone WHO you can rely on?”  Clearly, the man was upset. Best friend?  I want more than that.

“Shit Ohno!  You know you are my best friend.  For pete’s sake! I respect you more than you know but please respect my decision for keeping a single secret to you and the others.  I… I promise to let you know if the right time comes.”  Like I’ve said before, I need to keep a little bit of sanity in me.

Minutes of silence between you and Sho-kun could be considering as creepy, sending shivers down to your spine.  However, in Ohno’s case, I might collapse.  No words have been spoken since I last talked.  We didn’t talked after that and I was literally avoiding him the whole taping. 

That little conversation should be a piece of a cake to Ohno, but why is it that the man is making it a big deal?  Of course, every man has his own secrets in life and Ohno should know that. 

I do not know if this keeping a secret might be the cause of my soon heart attack or insanity, at least it is far worse than having a rejection.