A raindrop for whenyoudesertme!

[stormies]

Title: When our planets aligned
Pairing(s): Ohno/Sho
Genres: Fluff, comedy, romance
Rating: G
Summary: During the final day of the planet earth, realizing that you’re in love is probably the last thing you’ll ever do…
Author’s note: This is based on the 2012 world ending prediction. ENJOY!

———————————

‘If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you do?’

For Sho, he’ll most likely pack his bags, head straight back to his hometown and stay with his family and closest friends. Along the way, he would grab all the foods and drinks that he had always wanted to eat— all the steaks, burgers and even chips. During that one day of absolute freedom and absolute chaos, Sho would definitely make the most out of it and do everything that makes him happy.

However, it did not come across his mind to include in his pre-apocalyptic list the: ‘confession to your first love.’

It only happens in young adult romance movies, even in some disaster tragedy films but for him to experience that in real life was somewhat unexpected.

“I heard that by December, the world would be ending so I wanted to tell you that I have always liked you.” 

This is the confession that welcomed him right after stepping foot outside of the University to buy some snacks. A man that he probably had never seen in his life rushed towards him and gave the most unusual pick-up line that he could ever think of.

Sho made a quick glance at his left and right, checking if the “you” in the man’s confession was referring to him. Unfortunately, no matter how much he denied it, the lack of people and the fact that he’s the only one present in front of University gate all implied that he was the recipient of this unlikely love proclamation.

For starters, there’s a big possibility that he might have misheard it. He even heard something along the lines of ‘world ending.’ Too unreal, if you ask him. He wondered whether it was a hallucination brought about by his long exposure to the chemicals that he had been using.

“I—I’m sorry?”, Sho took a step back, surveying his surroundings for some signs of people wandering around the sideway, desperately hoping that the man would not turn out to be a creepy stalker of some sort.

Despite the worry expressed by Sho, the man was not fazed and with an unwavering gaze, he, once again, said, “With the world ending this year, I decided to finally confess to you.”

Sho was caught by surprise by his eagerness. To start off, if Sho were to consider his confession word-per-word, there were so many things off about what he just said. If he remembered correctly, what was featured in the news yesterday and earlier this morning were a collection of reports about corrupt government officials, some local boyband topping the charts and a bunch of cats being born. Nothing about any super volcano erupting or a comet possibly hitting the earth this year or anything that could end up destroying the earth.

It’s even too early for the world to be destroyed. The sun won’t become a red giant in the next billions of years. The expansion and cold death of the universe is nowhere near his present lifetime. And yes, meteors could be a threat but Sho’s pretty sure that NASA have plans on what to do about a big rock colliding with the planet earth.

If only he did not volunteer to buy snacks for the people in the laboratory, then maybe — just maybe — he would not be encountering this kind of situation. Or he’ll be seeing this confession in a better time when his state of being was not affected by the smell of chemicals that he had used earlier.

Heaving a sigh of exasperation, he replied back, “Maybe you got the wrong person. I have never seen you before.”

“Eh— You don’t remember me?” and the man removed his black and white cap that Sho seemingly recognized to be a hat that he often saw being displayed in several Don Quijote shops.

Squinting, he examined the man’s physique — a slightly tanned man, shorter in height, has a peculiar nose shape. Checking the upper parts, his hair was brown in color but that’s kind of hard to use as a distinction because he might have dyed it already. 

Work? Definitely not; unless he’s in a different college. His usual bar? Too many patrons for him to remember. 

Just as Sho was about to give up in trying to picture how this man had once been part of his life, he suddenly noticed the droopy eyes that were directed at him. Droopy, sleepy eyes that he had long since forgotten. The calm voice that had once called out his name several times. The long-haired boy that he had once looked up to.

“Ohno?!”

It was his senior back when he was a highschool student.

“You finally remembered me!” He grinned from ear to ear. “It’s been a long time, Sho!”

Ohno, then, stretched out his right arm and started to compare their heights. A small laugh escaped his lips. “You used to be small but look at you now. I need to raise my head just to talk to you!”

“Wai— Wha— You— How?? Why??” For a brief moment, Sho thought that his brain might have short-circuited. It has been a long time since he met his senior; furthermore, he even received a confession from him. Sho could not wrap his mind around whether this was all a prank or something that he should believe in.

Ohno burst out in laughter. He came close and reached out to pat Sho’s head. “You’re still the same as ever,” a gentle smile appeared on his face and Sho managed to calm down a little just by the sight of it. 

Ohno, then, pulled out his phone from his pocket and asked for his phone number. “I’m not expecting anything but I want to talk to you some more so…”

Sho was quite amazed that he still had a sound mind to grab Ohno’s phone and input his number correctly. As for what happened next, it was very hazy. It was quite amusing how Ohno just appeared out of nowhere and disappeared in a flash. If not for the phone number that was saved on his device, then possibly, he’ll just assume that all of it was a fever dream of his.

As for the snacks, he did manage to buy it and distribute it to his colleagues. However, his mind was so caught up with what happened earlier that he decided to opt out and not continue with his pending experiments. Besides, he’ll be handling acids and with his current state, instead of the powder, he might end up dissolving his fingers, instead.

When he came to his senses, he was already sitting in the middle of his living room, with his yearbook opened to a particular page featuring some photos of him. Luckily there were images of him captured when he was actively visiting the art club.

His eyes caught sight of a student with long, brown-colored hair and a distinctive sleepy face look. Sho could not help but to chuckle. He remembered the way Ohno looked at him earlier, those droopy eyes directed at him — seemingly staring right into his soul. It’s still the same. It was really Ohno Satoshi. The same eyes, same face, same aura and same attitude, he just comes and goes.

Sho glossed over the pictures. “He said he has always liked me. Was it during these years?” 

The student council president that was praised by many and said to be the perfect embodiment of an honor student was lacking when it comes to arts and craft. Having to receive a C- on his art class and too afraid that his parents might scold him for that, he decided to seek assistance from the art club. There he met Ohno. 

When he opened the door of the clubroom, what welcomed him was a pierce gaze coming from a delinquent-looking senior. Terrified, Sho almost backed out on his attempt. However, the moment Ohno spoke, his first impression just changed in an instant. Ohno was not that big compared to his peers, he’s only average in size. But that average-sized existence was able to pull his attention towards him. 

“Can I hang out here, every now and then?” the little boy asked.

“…Sure.”

Attraction, admiration — Sho doesn’t know anymore.

It was one of the highlights of his high school years. Sho could even still remember the disaster that was his rendition of Totoro. Ohno laughed so hard that he could barely breathe and eventually caused him to fall off his chair.

“He's only seen my lame side. Why would he like me?” he mused.

If Sho were to list what he had done and said in front of Ohno, then he himself would not have a crush on his younger self. Sho could only ask, ‘Why?’ to Ohno.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. Startled, Sho stood up and quickly looked at his phone. It was a text from Ohno, fulfilling his promise from earlier.

“Tomorrow, want to have lunch with me?”

Sho was now torn whether to accept it or not. Everything and even Ohno’s reason for suddenly appearing didn’t make sense at all. But that was exactly why it’s more necessary to meet up and clarify some things.

“Okay,” he texted back, reasoning to himself that this meetup was supposed to be catching up and not a date — not sure if the other party thought the same. 

Ohno quickly replied. “Cool! Let’s meet up in front of the station at around 11?”

Sho ended the conversation with a big thumbs up emoji, wishing that tomorrow would pass by smoothly for him.

——————-

The next day, Sho and Ohno found themselves in a cute pancake shop that has been on trend recently and talked about frequently by his female coworkers ever since it opened. 

“I’ve always wanted to eat here,” Ohno said out loud as he placed a mouthful of blueberry pancake inside his mouth. “Delicious,” he muttered under his breath.

Sho had to agree. The food and the ambiance were worth the hype but that’s not what this is about. He had already noticed it when they entered the restaurant; but after finally seeing it up close, he confirmed that the place was filled with couples and groups of girls. As a pair of grown up middle-aged men, they clearly stood out among this crowd. Not to mention, how the waiter waiting outside the door mistakenly called out to them as “couple.”

“Do you not like the food?” Ohno looked at Sho’s barely touched meal. “Didn’t I tell you already that it’s better to try the classic flavor first before trying their special menu. Too bad you didn’t listen to me.”

Ohno cut up some portion of his pancake and placed it on Sho’s plate. “Here! I’m giving it to you. You’re missing out on the true flavor of this shop.”

It was quite amusing to watch Ohno be totally unbothered by the weird looks given to them. This caused Sho to chuckle. He, then, picked up the blueberry pancake that was given to him by Ohno and ate it. 

“I like it. I just spaced out just now.”

“Hmm… why?”

Sho coughed a little. Quite anxious of what he’s about to say next. “You said before that the world is ending, that's why you confessed?”

“Yeah,” Ohno replied with a serious tone. “You did not watch the movie?”

Sho raised a brow. “What movie?”

“2012? How the world would end by December. I’ve also seen articles about it, about the Mayan calendar and all.”

His senior was indeed a strange one. Faced with a serious Ohno, Sho firmly believed that he wasn’t joking about what he said earlier. He, himself, had heard about the December 21, 2012 world ending prediction. However, the word “conspiracy” and “fake news” were connected to it that he gave it minimal attention.

He decided not to dwell much on the subject or else his rational brain would explode. It’s probably a phase and Ohno will realize that when December passes by and the new year starts, everything about the 2012 prediction will just be buried in the failed doomsday prediction list.

In response, Sho simply humored him. “For a person who believes that the world would be ending this year, you’re quite nonchalant and happy.”

“I just think that each day must be done as if it’s the last,” Ohno proudly declared. “That’s why I made a list of what I could do for the upcoming months. I already checked out most of it. By the way, eating pancakes with you is included in it.”

“What? Specifically me?”

“Yeah because I know Sho would love pancakes. You’re quite a glutton when you’re in highschool. I guess that’s why you’re so tall now.” There was excitement in his voice.

Sho could only smile from the teasing. Ohno’s half-right, he ate a lot when he was in high school and even until now; but the tall part, probably his genes. 

He hummed in thought as he recalled their interactions when they were in high school. There was nothing profound to the point that love would occur between two parties. He did admire Ohno back then but it’s all because he’s a great senior— quite clumsy but still worthy to look up to. All they did when they were young was to converse normally and go home together occasionally. 

“What do you like about me?” he awkwardly asked. Sho made sure that he did not make eye contact with Ohno or else he’ll just panic and flee. “From what I recall all you saw was me being bad at everything. I can’t sew, I can’t draw, I can’t cook.”

“That’s why part of my list is to teach you how to cook.” Ohno chuckled and Sho was not sure whether he was teasing him or he had already come up with a plan on how to embarrass Sho even more.

“But really,” Ohno added. “I think the question is what’s not to like about you. Besides, I don’t need reasons. I just simply like you, all good and bad things included.”

That’s something Sho did not expect. Ohno must have lucked out for liking him that much. Or, more likely, the opposite: Sho must be so lucky to have an admirer like that — however, he tried to suppress any romantic ideas. He’ll not venture on that one, for now.

Feeling sappy about the atmosphere and how his heart was currently hammering in his ears, Sho tried to change the subject, “What other activities do you have there?”

Ohno’s face brightened up. He looked down at his list and started to enumerate them, “Yeah… Let’s see number 12 is to hug Sho, followed by to kiss Sho and then to have se—“ Sho’s hand, suddenly, covered Ohno’s mouth. 

“I’ll stop you right there.” Sho’s ears were clearly red.

Ohno laughed. “I’m just joking. I won’t force you."

Sho withdrew his hand and returned back to his seat, making sure not to make it visible that he’s blushing all over.

“How many are there in your list?” This is the second time in a row that Sho needed to divert the attention away from him.

Ohno, once again, glanced back at his notebook and moved his fingers along the page. “Around 20, I guess?”

“I actually expected more. You still have a lot of time for that.”

“Why wait when you can do it today?”

The one who’s the same as ever would definitely be Ohno. Spontaneity has always been in his nature.

“…You are probably right,” It might not be Sho’s thing but what Ohno said made sense.

By the end of their lunch, Sho already forgot his initial worries: the confession he got yesterday, the waiter who mistook them as a couple, the stares directed at them. Amazingly, the conversation he had with Ohno, strange as it may seem, calmed him down. It went smoothly as if there was never a gap in their relationship, as if they have been friends for a very long time.

And so, when they exited the store, he had a hard time parting with Ohno. As Ohno said his gratitude and goodbyes, Sho stopped him and pulled him to a corner, away from onlookers.

“I don’t know if what you said earlier is true but if there’s anything in that list that includes me then I’ll gladly do it with you.”

He immediately followed up. “Oh! Except for those… you know… sexual stuff… I can kiss you! But only on the cheeks and no se— se—“

Ohno began to laugh out loud. “You’re so funny!”

Flustered, Sho exclaimed, “What are you talking about?!”

Ohno wiped the tears that formed in his eyes because of his excessive laughter. He patted Sho’s shoulder. “You’re so nice and amazing, Sho!”

“I—I’m not!”

“But, I’m pretty sure you’ll change your mind soon, you know about those se—sexual stuff.” Ohno did not hold back in teasing Sho, by the end. Laughing out loud, Ohno finally took flight, leaving Sho behind with a mind that’s in complete chaos.

It was a rare eventful weekend, making Sho think that it might just be a dream that his tired self had concocted. It was after receiving Ohno’s chat by the evening that made him realize that everything that happened for the past two days were real.

————-

Sho unconsciously smiled as he saw the Line sticker of a fish saying “Good luck” that Ohno had sent. This unexpected expression was definitely not missed by Sho’s coworkers.

“Aiba, you gotta see this. Sakurai Sho is finally dating someone.”

Sho turned to his right and saw his two closest friends chatting up as if they’re highschool girls gossiping about others' love life.

He rolled his eyes, unamused by how his friends were acting. “Just because I smiled while looking at my phone doesn’t mean I’m dating someone. What if I just saw a funny video?”

“Yes, sure, you saw a funny video while typing on a Line chat,” Nino quickly retorted, causing Sho to move his phone screen away from Nino’s sight. 

“Besides, the workaholic you would never dare to go to twitter in the middle of working hours, plus you’re too afraid that professor would catch you,” Nino continued, remembering well how when he first started, he was surprised that Sho had a rule for himself that he would not check his phone during work hours unless he needed to search for a formulation of a certain buffer or any research-related stuff.

Sho placed down his phone, ignoring the knowing looks that were directed at him, “To clear out any misunderstandings, I want to point out that we’re just friends.”

Nino snickered and pointed at the man beside him. “That’s what Aiba said exactly last year and he even had the same smile on his face. Now look at him, proclaiming all the lovey-dovey stuff that they do.”

“No, Nino. I’m just proud of what my boyfriend does,” Aiba immediately defended himself. Sho’s eyes made their way to Aiba’s workspace and noticed the bento box beside the laptop. He heaved a sigh. Sho needed to brace himself for another day of continuously hearing the phrase: ‘my boyfriend can cook so well.’

“It’s the same,” Nino cut Aiba off. A smirk crawled up Nino’s face as he returned back to his desk. “I’m waiting for your report when it gets official. Just remember that when you do, it should be better than Aiba’s chicken and beer.”

Sho could only bury his face on his desk as he let his two friends falsely assume a relationship that's really just platonic. Aiba might have even texted his boyfriend already about his “relationship status.”

As he let Nino and Aiba bicker off in the background, his phone buzzed, once again. When he opened it, he was welcomed by an image of a pug. Sho wondered whether it’s Ohno’s or something that he had searched for on the internet. Still, it’s kind of cute and he saved it to his device.

Sho suddenly remembered their conversation about the 2012 movie. It has been a long time since he had watched it and by now, all he could recall were the tids and bits of the disasters that happened in the film. If he had time, he'd probably rent the DVD on his way home.

He sat up a little straighter in his seat. His eyes lazily fixated on the unfinished paper that he needed to submit before the Ph.D. application starts. He frowned knowing that he barely inputted a single word in the methodology part of his proposal.

The sudden silence and peace in the background made him notice that, finally, both Nino and Aiba have settled down and returned back to their work. 

Most likely prompted by what Ohno said yesterday and his attempt to watch the fictional disaster movie again, he started to ask, “Hey… what would you do if a giant rock hit the earth tomorrow?”

Nino paused and turned to Sho abruptly. “…Is your supposed lover causing you a hard time?”

Sho frowned. 

“I’m serious. I’m just saying… hypothetically.”

Nino sighed. He moved a few steps backwards to have a better view of Sho’s desk. And, he began to point at the stack of folders that was on the edge. “First things first, I’ll abandon that ton of whatever nonsense that is, walk out here and e—” 

It seemed that he wanted to say more but Nino got distracted by the sudden noise on his side, “Aiba! Stop getting my candies without permission. Next time, you’ll be paying for your share.”

Sho’s already used to this kind of scene. And to be honest, Nino’s coffee candies were really delicious. Good thing he’s sneaky enough to steal at least one or two candies from his jar every week and not be noticed by the owner.

He looked at Aiba, who was already placing the stolen candy into his mouth. “How about you?”

“Hmm… won’t it be romantic if I go running towards the person I love,” he replied and right after, threw the wrapper by shooting it to the nearest trash can.

“Cheesy,” Nino teased. “But if we really consider it tomorrow, then you’ll probably not be able to do that.”

“Huh, why?” Sho has been out of the loop about his friends’ private lives since last week due to the amount of overtime that he had to do.

“‘Cause his boyfriend has been in a bad mood recently.”

“He can’t contact the artist he's been handling recently,” Aiba mentioned while distracting himself by playing a little with his chair’s revolving mechanism.

All Sho knew about Aiba’s boyfriend was that he’s working in a publishing company that specializes on children’s book and picture book illustrations. It must be hard to deal with unresponsive artists especially when the deadline is quite near. The only thing Sho could do as a support for them was to cheer them on.

And as Sho decided to end the nonsense conversation that he started and be serious with his work, he saw the professor coming inside the lab, carrying with him a piece of paper. Sho gulped, hoping that it wasn’t him that he came here for.

“Sakurai.”

Exactly the opposite of what he had wished for. Sho forced a smile on his face as he looked up and faced his professor. 

“Do you have time this month? Would you be willing to handle the training for the new batch of undergraduates who’ll be joining us?” and the professor showed him the paper he’s carrying earlier with the names of the new members of the lab.

Sho made a quick glance at his own research paper that has yet to be completed. He breathed heavily. This is the kind of situation where it’s hard to say no; especially, when the professor before him is the one responsible for providing him with the recommendation letter for his doctoral studies.

Bracing himself for what’s to come, Sho took the list of undergraduate names from his professor and placed it in his file folder. “Yes sir. I’ll do my best with that,” Sho replied, assuring himself that it’s all for the benefit of his career.

“Good! I know I could count on you.”

Nino scooted close and showed his support. “Good luck.”

——————-

Sho’s already used to this. It’s the life that he had chosen and it’s part of the job that he had always dreamed of. Nino and Aiba were also in the same boat as him — overtime in the lab, rushing the research papers, working outside of working hours without pay but what he's a tiny bit jealous of was that whenever they both go off work, there would always be someone waiting for them. 

Those thoughts of his come and go; even more so when he’s stressed and burdened by work just like today. Too bad, what will surely welcome him when he comes home would be a six pack of beers, some cup noodles and probably, a new Netflix series to binge-watch.

Or so he thought…

Upon stepping outside of the University, what he saw was a familiar figure, smiling all over, rushing towards him in tiny quick struts making its way closer to Sho. 

“Eh?! Ohno, what are you doing here?” Sho tried to call to mind if he ever promised a dinner with Ohno tonight. Mixed up with his thoughts, he suddenly blurted out, “Are you waiting for me?”

Sho suddenly blushed after realizing what he had just said. That’s quite presumptuous on his part.

Ohno beamed and nodded. 

“Let's go! I’m getting hungry.”

Noticing how dark the sky was already, Sho quickly fished out his phone from his bag and checked for possible messages from Ohno. Furrowing his brow, he reprimanded him, “You should have contacted me. For someone who has a long list of things to do, you're wasting your time waiting for me.”

Ignoring the scolding, Ohno positioned himself behind Sho's back and started to lightly push him forward.

“It’s not a waste of time if it’s about you.” He peeked up at him with a proud look on his face, well-pleased that he said something romantic. “Besides, I wanted to surprise you.”

Sho snorted before commenting, "Haaa… How did you learn to say such lines…

You keep on saying the weirdest stuff—

—Ah!”, He paused and hurriedly turned around, afraid that Ohno might take it as an insult. To his surprise, Ohno was smiling, a chuckle was even heard. Relief washed over him. 

He then heard Ohno exclaim loudly, “For dinner, let’s go for Ramen… Let’s eat Ramen!”

His exhaustion seemed to have dissipated with the arrival of Ohno. His mood had gone up that any kind of food, even a meal that's as heavy as ramen, would be okay to fill his empty stomach.

“The only one that’s near here serves oily broth and soggy noodles. Still up for it?”, Sho asked.

“Sure!” and Ohno gladly took his invitation.

———————

As requested by Ohno, Sho brought him to the nearest ramen place in the area, which is a few meters away from the University entrance. Luckily, since it's the middle of the week, the students were quite busy with exams and school work so the popular eating spot was not as jam-packed as Sho had previously expected.

They managed to get good seats and have easily ordered a bowl of hot ramen each. As Ohno slurped a strand of noodles from his ramen bowl, he immediately chuckled, realizing that what Sho said about the sogginess was right, all along. Despite that, he still continued to eat his portion.

As they continue to partake in their dinner, Ohno began to mention his plans for his ‘list before the world ends.’

“Since you’re already willing to join me, should I add more activities with Sho?” he teased, though there was slight seriousness in his tone. “I did not even think you’re gonna join me for dinner.”

Sho gobbled up a huge chunk of meat from his bowl before defending himself, “You basically dragged me here...

I'm amazed how you're so dedicated to that list.”

“Isn’t that the point?” Ohno looked at him as if Sho said something that's so obvious.

Sho might have to agree with that. However, it’s Ohno who has a deadline and not him. What’s the use of making the most out of life when he’s sure enough that he could live the next year.

“Okay, since I’m involved, can we place some rules? I feel like you’ll be dragging me to Okinawa without any heads up.”

And Ohno laughed. “There’s a big possibility I’ll do that.”

Sho lifted his chopsticks and used them to point at Ohno. His eyes narrowed as he scolded him, “I’m warning you right now.”

Another laugh was heard from Ohno and Sho wondered whether Ohno took his warning seriously or not. For now, he seriously hoped that he would not see himself, one of these days, surfing in the tidal waves of Okinawa when he's supposed to be in the University, finishing up his research.

-------

The overcooked ramen bowl may have brought a not-so-good palate to their mouths, yet the two of them had a fun time with their dinner, coming up with their future plans (mostly Ohno's) and catching up on the olden days. Though Sho still failed in having Ohno tell him what he has been up to these days.

It was Ohno who suggested that they should head to the station together. After all, both of them would be taking the train back home. He took the lead and Sho allowed him to, assured that he knew the area well. 

However, that was a mistake on his part. He was so tired after a long day of work that he failed to notice that he's walking on a path that was not his usual route.

Glancing around, a boding feeling came over him after realizing that the scenery was unfamiliar. It became narrower and darker. He faced forward, checking if he's still following Ohno and yes, he still was.

For some reason, they're walking in a dark alley with only garbage cans to see, occasional stray cats and no presence of other people — it’s just the two of them. Isn't this the kind of place where pickpockets ambush unknowing and careless people?

However, when he looked at Ohno, his strides were confident, as if he knew what he was doing. Sho had a bad feeling about this.

Worried, he questioned him, “Is this part of your to-do list? ‘Going through a back-alley with Sho’? Because this is a very bad idea.”

Ohno turned to him, a grin appeared on his face, “Trust me, it’s safe. And it’s faster this way. You want to get back home quickly, right?”

“Well… yeah,” he reluctantly responded. “But I don’t want to get mugged.”

If this is part of his plan for a romantic date then Ohno's perception of what's romantic or not might be screwed up. The feeling of the heart thumping wasn't there. More like, it's beating fast because of the nerve-wrecking feeling of having the possibility of getting his money stolen. If Ohno wanted to go for a romantic night walk then he should have chosen a street filled with beautiful lights — Sho might appreciate it even more.

Deep in his thoughts, Sho flinched when Ohno suddenly faced him.

“Caught you!" Ohno said out loud.

Sho's eyes moved downwards and noticed that Ohno had already grabbed his hand.

"Would it be alright if I hold your hand?”

“You—! You’re doing it right now” A sigh escaped Sho's lips. Ohno has been getting unpredictable as time passes. 

He was about to shove his hand away when he saw Ohno looking at him with pleading eyes. How could he say ‘no’ to that?! 

“It’s part of my to-do list... I’ve always wanted to hold your hands like this. And I believe you prefer to do this when we’re alone instead of outside with many people.”

Sho was taken aback. Who would have thought that Ohno was keenly observing him last time? Was it evident that he's a person who's concerned enough with what others think?

To be honest, he does prefer to do intimate stuff when no onlookers are around; even more, when the one he's doing it with is of the same sex. Quite rude but he can't help it. 

Seeing how Ohno placed such an effort for him, he was tiny, TINY bit pleased with that. Feeling grateful, he decided not to shake him off.

He fully rested his hand on Ohno’s and gradually intertwined his fingers with his. "Here… happy?" Sho tried his best to sound casual. 

Sho was only met with silence; however, he could feel Ohno's grasp tightening. Gazing up, he saw Ohno smiling at him. And Sho couldn’t tear his eyes away. He desperately hoped that his slightly flushed face was not visible under the moonlight.

And as Ohno began to guide the both of them out of the alley, Sho simply, obediently followed his lead. His main focus was directed at their hands that were linked. It’s a big surprise that he agreed to this.

Unconsciously, he brushed his thumb over the skin of Ohno’s hand, tracing comfortable circles, as if caressing it. It gave him a comforting feeling causing him to repeat what he just did. It took him a minute or so before he realized what he was doing. His face flushed even more. 

Sho was expecting, at least, a teasing response from Ohno. However, throughout all of that, Ohno remained silent. When he gazed forward, he noticed a blush peeking out of Ohno's ears, even the back of his neck was tinted with red. To think that from just a simple touch, he elicited that kind of reaction from Ohno. He pressed his lips together, trying to suppress the growing smile. 

As they got nearer and nearer to the main road, Sho noticed that the sound of cars honking, the noises from a nearby road construction, the chatter of people got louder and visible to his ears. Yet, it barely eclipsed the increasing thammering of his heart. And, he wished to the heavens that Ohno would maintain his denseness during these times. He took back what he said earlier: this might be more romantic than walking under the blinding lights of the main road.

——————-

For the past weeks, Ohno was quite active in inviting Sho out, if not for dinner then they'll be having lunch together during the weekends. Fortunately, Ohno kept his promise of informing him beforehand if he ever planned on bringing him outside of the city. The recent one they did was river fishing.

Who would have thought that the once-sleepy senior of his would end up being so passionate about fishing. He had already seen a glimpse of this obsession of Ohno with his hobbies back during their high school years. It was exam season (midterms or finals, Sho could not recall anymore) when he heard a story about Ohno pulling up an all-nighter to draw a manga instead of studying — this led him to fail most of his subjects. And what’s even more surprising was that Ohno was not even bothered about the results. His nonchalant outlook in life was something that Sho would surely praise.

It seemed that when Ohno grew up and entered adulthood, his hobbies expanded and so was his compulsion to place all of his focus on it. And in that trip, Sho had his first-hand experience of Ohno’s fixation. On their way to the river, Ohno began to gush about the wonders of fishing and how it would be a good hobby that Sho could take. Ohno was quite adamant in making Sho his fishing buddy. 

Not only that, but somehow, throughout their trip, Sho had turned into a young master who’s greatly taken care of by his butler. Sho had even yet to start preparing his fishing poles when Ohno suddenly snatched his and volunteered that he'd be the one to fix it. All Sho needed to do was to wait during casting and call Ohno when the fish already took the bait. Truth be told, Sho had fun, pulling up the fish out of the water while he had a screaming Ohno by his side, cheering him on. Even the cleaning and cooking of the fishes they caught was done by Ohno. 

Recalling Ohno’s words that were directed to him, "I just want you to relax."

It dawned on Sho that Ohno had slowly turned into his get-away, a stress-reliever whenever he felt that work suddenly became too heavy.

However, whenever he finds himself enjoying his time, there was this unexplainable anxiety creeping up behind him, telling him that he shouldn't dilly-dally. After all, the Ph.D. application dates of the University he wanted to get to was just right around the corner.

And right now, as he sat in front of the laboratory computer, trying to complete the results and discussion part with a lazy energy of 50 words per hour, he might have regretted planning so many trips with Ohno the past few days. His mind was clouded with the exhilaration and thrill of the recent trip that they had and the eagerness to do it again.

To think that he could easily lose focus on the important things. Sho looked at his calendar and realized that he had yet to start the training plan for the incoming undergraduate in their laboratory. He was way behind his planned schedule. And even if he already took multiple overtimes, stayed in the lab for three whole days (almost making it his home), he has yet to complete what he ought to.

Nino and Aiba had already left their post and Sho remained in the laboratory, all alone, with the surrounding hallways and classrooms slowly emptying out as the skies gradually grew darker. He, then, repeatedly told himself that it’s part of his life already. This kind of situation would even get worse if he planned to pursue higher studies so he should get used to it by now.

Turning off his phone, he attempted to bring his full attention to his pending workload. His hands began typing on to the computer. Words gradually filled up his word file as time ticked minute-by-minute. What used to be a half-page written work had turned into a five-page one. Beside him were a dozen coffee cans, his trusted partner on this night of report making.

Focused on what he was doing, he failed to notice someone coming up from behind him. 

“Sakurai…”

All of a sudden, he jumped out of his seat. His hands accidentally banged down to the keyboard, out of fright, causing the keys to type several letters onto the screen. He hurriedly turned around and saw his professor looking down at him.

“Ha… Sir… you scared me there,” Sho held his hand over his chest, trying his best to calm himself down. “I thought it was a ghost.”

His professor snickered as if he intentionally did that to be sneaky. He sat on an empty chair that was nearest to Sho and began speaking, “How long have you been here?”

Sho averted his gaze, afraid that he would be reprimanded, “I—I don’t know… probably one— two or three days.”

A sigh was heard from his professor. Then, he placed his elbow over the table and rested his chin on his hand. “Down below… on the first floor, there’s someone waiting for you… good thing I passed by or else he might have waited the whole night.”

“Someone?”

Sho glanced back at the calendar and focused on the date today. He thought deeply. If memory serves him right, he called off all invitations and had turned down any request to hang out with him this week. Who is it andwhy is he here?

“He said his name is Ohno…”

Oh!

But then again, why?

He turned to his phone and remembered how he shut it down to prevent himself from getting distracted. Ohno’s probably calling him and might have gotten worried.

“He should understand that I’m busy,” he berated Ohno, even though the man wasn’t present to hear it.

Another sigh escaped his professor’s lips.

"Academe is a really hard path to take. There’s no set hours. Here, we work even during the weekends. Add to that the tons of papers to check if you're a professor. Because we are busy 24/7, we always forget about work-life balance.”

Sho’s professor moved his chair closer to Sho and patted him in the shoulder.

"I promise you a simple setback, a simple rest won't make much difference in how I view you as an excellent graduate student of mine. As long as you do what you’re supposed to, everyone’s happy.”

“It was partly my fault that I shoved all the work to you. I’ll distribute the responsibility of the training to the three of you so you could all share the load,” his professor continued. “Just say it out loud if you’re being burdened. The you, outside of work, is just as important as the you, during work.”

And after finishing up what he ought to say, his professor suddenly exclaimed out loud, “Alright!” Sho jolted up and watched as his professor stand up and walk back towards the laboratory entrance.

Before leaving, he turned around and gave another piece of advice. “What I really meant to tell you was to put aside those papers for now and go meet that man downstairs. He looks so pitiful that even I can’t leave him alone.”

And Sho could not help but to chuckle at his professor’s comment. He did not expect to have a sudden pep talk with his adviser; however, it might be what he needed for tonight to release himself slightly out of the anxiety that he had been feeling these days.

——————-

Following what his professor had mentioned, he hurriedly saved his work, turned on his phone and packed up his bag. It did not take long for him to go down three flights of stairs to arrive at the floor where Ohno was waiting. 

There at the far corner, he spotted Ohno sitting on a long bench near the main lecture hall. Steadily, Sho walked towards him.

Ohno's sights were down on his feet and so, when he felt someone approaching him, he raised his head up and was gladdened by what he saw.

Sho noticed Ohno's growing smile, how he beamed happily just by the sight of him. Ohno even waved his hands hard as if he was trying to get Sho's attention despite being the only person in the area. 

Sho approached him while being amused at his quirkiness. Somehow, being liked by Ohno feels good.

Upon coming closer, Ohno was the first one to speak out loud, “Finally you’re here!”

Sho recalled his professor's impression of Ohno. He does look lonely from afar.

“Sorry, I turned off my phone.”, Sho replied, feeling guilty about what he did earlier.

Ohno simply shrugged it off. “I know you’re busy enough to forget about dinner so here you go, I bought you food.”

Sho blinked fast and right after, started laughing. Amazingly, Sho was correct in saying that Ohno understands him.

Ohno handed the take-out food to him. Sho peeked inside the paper bag and saw that Ohno bought his favorite rice-in-a-box meal, his go-to food whenever he's stressed out. 

As he was about to thank him, he immediately noticed that Ohno's already putting on his backpack and preparing himself to leave.

"Eh? Where are you going?"

Dumbfounded by Sho's question, Ohno tilted his head. "Home? Aren't you busy?"

Sho made another laugh. Ohno truly knows him.

"You're not my Uber delivery guy. Let's go and eat together” and he gestured to the area leading to the cafeteria of the department building.

“Eh?! Don’t you have work to do?!”

Sho sighed. “How many times do I need to tell you, if you think the world is ending this year, then don’t waste your time waiting or rescheduling.”

Ohno remained speechless.

“Earlier, I was scolded for not living my life well and so here I am, learning how to live it. And staying with you, eating with you is how I decided to live my life tonight. So, let's just eat.”

Sho saw Ohno scratching the back of his head, his gaze trying its best to not meet his. “…that sounds like a confession…” Ohno’s voice trailed off, a small laugh accompanying it, seemingly not believing what Sho had said.

“Think whatever you want,” Sho simply shrugged it off. He forcefully held Ohno's hand and dragged him towards the cafeteria.

Sho did not look back. He kept his face forward that's why he wasn't aware of what Ohno's expression was; but he felt a warm sensation in their intertwined hands and that's already enough to assure himself that Ohno’s pleased with what he had done.

---------

And that had been a thing between them, a habit that both of them developed. If Sho was too busy, Ohno would come by and bring him food. Sho learned to take a break for a minute or two just to accompany Ohno for their dinner.

It has been a norm that he already got used to. Even during the weeks when he's preparing for his Ph.D. interview. Ohno never failed to visit him — Sho applauded him for the effort of coming to visit him everyday.

It made him comfortable.

Yes, too comfortable. That he forgot to turn on his alarm for one of the most significant days in his life. Even having several academic degrees, he could not help but admit that he can be quite an idiot.

Seeing the time, he rushed out of his apartment, after hurriedly dressing up in suits and stuffing in any papers that he could see right in his backpack. He did not even bother looking at the mirror a second longer to fix his hair properly.

Aware that riding a train would take him longer to arrive at the University compared to riding on the streets, he waited right in front of the train station for taxis. While waiting, he spotted at least three taxis passing by but all of them were already occupied.

He began stomping his feet, out of sheer frustration, as he began to see another taxi coming by with a passenger already seated at the back. At this point, maybe the train would be the best option.

And as he was about to give up and leave using the train, somebody called him up from behind.

Turning, he saw Ohno.

"Sho?! What are you doing here? Isn't today you—"

"I know! And it's my fault! I slept in and forgot to turn on my alarm! I'm so stupid! Ah!" Sho quickly interrupted, embarrassed enough that Ohno saw him in this state.

Ohno worriedly came close to him and patted him on his back. "Calm down, don't panic."

Sho was grateful for those assuring words; however, considering the situation he’s in, Sho felt that he had no reason NOT to panic. It's basically a chance of a lifetime; it's within his grasp but due to a careless mistake, it could fly away from him.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, he failed to realize that Ohno left his side and began scouting for alternatives.

Sho's sights scoured through the area and saw that Ohno was a few steps away from him, on the sidewalk, approaching a man with very distinct features. What was noticeable was the reluctant look on Ohno's face as he came close to the man.

Sho walked towards him, wanting to accompany Ohno in whatever he's meaning to do. However, he paused midway and flinched right after hearing the man shout out loud, "Wai-- Hey you! I've been trying to conta--"

"Sorry, Jun. I'll be borrowing your bike for now. I'll explain later," Ohno responded in a familiar manner, making Sho surprised.

He had so many questions in head. Do these two know each other?

But before he got deeper in his thoughts, Ohno snapped him out of his daze as he abruptly stopped the bike right in front of him and shouted, "Hop on!”

And Sho could only follow Ohno's lead. He rode behind him, wrapped his arms around Ohno's waist and tightened it. Ohno, then, started paddling as if his life depended on it.

"Hey! Ohno!" Jun, who was left behind, continued to chase them while screaming Ohno's name loudly. After blocks of continuous running, exhaustion finally took over and he finally decided to stop on his attempt to catch them. While looking towards the direction where Ohno and Sho set off, he muttered under his breath, "The other guy looks familiar…"

----------

Upon arriving at the venue, Sho spotted Nino and Aiba waiting outside of the University gate. It was quite scary to come close to them right now because clearly the latter one was greatly worried while the former was visibly fuming in rage.

As if on high alert, the both of them turned towards Sho's direction and stomped their way towards him, all ready to scold Sho thoroughly. Fortunately, the attempt was halted when they happened to glance at Sho's back and noticed Ohno's presence.

Aiba and Nino looked at each other knowingly and Sho wasn't amused by it at all.

Too bad, time was not adequate to properly introduce his friends and Ohno to each other. 

"This is Ohno and Ohno, they're the colleagues I frequently talk about," Sho quickly remarked before setting off inside the interview venue whilst dragging the two of his friends, who were unwilling to part from Ohno yet.

Sho managed to arrive on time before his set interview slot. Before going inside the room where a panel of professors were waiting, he took a deep breath, trying his best to calm himself down from that eventful morning.

Sho, maybe, is the type to panic on situations that could occur spontaneously but if he were to put his mind at what was needed, even with tremendous pressure, he could focus and think straight. With that, his interview ended splendidly.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips after setting foot outside of the room. The tense body he had earlier began to relax at once.

All that's left right now was to thank Ohno.

Yes, thank Ohno — wait. Didn't he just rush off and leave him behind, without giving any goodbyes or even a gratitude?! It was wrong of Sho to completely forgot the guy who supposedly “save” him.

Wishing that Ohno hadn't taken off yet, he ran fast towards the University gate. Not minding at all any professors he came across on the way, who are kind enough to call out to him and congratulate him for doing the interview. Instead, he continued to run until he reached the gate.

It was comforting that when he reached the gates of the University, Ohno was still there, distracted by the stray cats that were approaching him for food. Sho laughed while trying to catch his breath. It was a sight that placed him at ease after the anxieties that he had dealt with earlier.

He followed Ohno’s movements as he patted the stray cats and whispered something to them. Ohno, then, looked towards the direction of the University entrance and brightened up upon seeing Sho present right before him.

For whatever reason, recently, Ohno was always there beside him, both in the happy moments and the worst. And somehow, it irritates him that he could not do the same to him. Ohno’s the one who always approached him but the other way around… it hadn’t happened— and yes, Sho had to admit, it might partly be his fault.

He walked closer and closer until the edge of his shoes touched that of Ohno’s. He squatted down and looked at him directly.

“Ohno… listen to me.”

And Ohno looked at him quizzically.

“Who are you really?”

“What do you mean? I’m Ohno,” Ohno answered sincerely.

“That’s not it,” Sho placed his hand on Ohno’s knees and lightly gripped onto the pants covering it. His thoughts went back to the time when they met the man who was familiar with Ohno. 

“When I saw the man you called Jun earlier, I just realized that I know absolutely nothing about you. How you can easily steal his bike, how he shouted at you on why you're missing for several months. I don't even know where you live or where you are working. We've gone together to several places and still, I have no idea who you are except that you're my senior in highschool and your name is Ohno Satoshi.”

Sho, paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “I only know the you from high school. I barely know the present you... I'm not blaming you if you don't want to share. But, I'm just saying... maybe, JUST MAYBE, I might fall harder for you if I learned something about you.”

If he weren’t outside of the University, Sho might be tearing up right at this moment.

Ohno stared at him for a moment. He, then, smiled and patted him on the head, "You're still straightforward as ever."

"And I—" Sho, all of a sudden, covered his mouth, "I just want to throw up right now."

It took Ohno a quick half second to separate himself from Sho and come up to him from behind to stroke his back.

“Huh?! Eh?! Sho!!”

Ohno was greatly alarmed.

Sho held out his hand towards Ohno, panting at the same time, as he forced himself to keep on swallowing the impending vomit that was reaching up to his mouth. 

"No, no, don't panic. I just want to sleep. I pulled up an all nighter for this and my body just shut down after all the adrenaline rush," he continued to babble while he leaned on Ohno's side for support.

And right on cue, Sho's friends, who have been looking for him since earlier, appeared. Nino was in fury mode, once again.

"What is it this time?!" he asked with his arms crossed.

"He said he wants to vomit and sleep. Or both. Or he just needs to rest." Ohno, too, was confused about Sho's condition.

Nino sighed loudly. "What a handful…", he mused.

"I'll take you back to his apartment with my car," he immediately suggested and Nino strutted off, towards the parking lot where his car was situated.

Just as Nino left, Ohno remembered the bike beside him.

"Ah! The bike I st— I need to return."

Aiba, who was still present in the area, went near the bike and examined it closely.

"Hmm... I think I know the owner of this bike," he said.

And Ohno instantly raised his head up to look at Aiba. He met his gaze and the two shared a knowing look.

Aiba smiled and said, "Looks like Jun found you already."

Before Ohno could even speak up, a honk from an approaching car was heard. It stopped right beside them. 

As the window of the car went down, Nino peeked out and berated Ohno loudly, "Sho's more important than that bike so just get in here already."

Ohno nodded and lifted Sho up from the ground. As he walked towards the car, he glanced back and saw Aiba waving at him.

And as if to assure Ohno, Aiba said, "Let me take care of this bike. Don't worry."

Another nod was given by Ohno.

---------

Sho's memory was kind of hazy. He remembered scolding Ohno but after that, he could only vividly recall bits and pieces of what happened. There's Ohno panicking, Nino shouting (which is very typical of him) and Aiba calling out that Jun guy's name.

The next time he opened his eyes, he found himself atop his bed. Sho roamed his gaze around, checking whether he was truly inside his room. And after seeing the snowglobes in the small cabinet that he specifically custom-made, he was rest assured. His sight, then, landed on the man beside him.

It was Ohno.

His back was turned towards Sho, making him unaware that Sho was now partially awake. Sho sneakily scooted close and peeked from behind. He noticed that Ohno was looking down, a serious expression on his face. After seeing a glimpse of a pencil in his hand and a sketchbook on his lap, he, immediately, had a hunch of what Ohno was doing. 

Not wanting to disturb him, Sho, then, took his time to stare at Ohno's back. It dawned on him that his highschool senior had already grown up to the point that he might not recognize him if he's facing this way— heck, he did not even recognize him even if his face was in frontal view.

Many changed, even his long hair has now been replaced by a short one with protruding hairs on the back, making it look like a duck's tail.

Curiosity took over and he brought his hands up to touch it. Surprisingly, it was soft and unconsciously, he began to caress his hands over it.

Ohno was slightly startled and he immediately turned back towards him.

"You're awake…"

Sho retreated back his hand and covered up half of his face with a blanket, embarrassed that he got caught touching Ohno's hair.

Diverting the attention away from him, Sho asked, "What are you drawing?”

Seeing how timid Sho looks, Ohno wanted to mention that he did not mind having his hair touched, more so if it was Sho who's doing it.

"Squirrel," Ohno responded first to his question.

"Squirrel? Why?,” Sho pressed on.

"I'll tell you next time."

And Ohno went back to what he was doing earlier.

With Ohno's back facing him once again, it looked as if he was giving Sho permission to let his hair be touched. And Sho let himself get carried away. Just like earlier, his hand found itself ruffling Ohno's hair. Somehow, it calmed him down.

Sho, then, spoke, "Do you really believe that the world will end by the end of the year?"

"I believed that one during highschool, remember."

"Oh you're right", Sho chuckled, right after. "When it started raining and you said how it's already doomsday."

It was really funny how Ohno was quite gullible back then and maybe even now.

Ohno's gaze remained on his sketchbook; still, he continued to diligently respond to Sho. "It's no problem if I believe it. If the world remains safe by the end of the year, isn't that the best?"

"And Sho…", Ohno finally turned back to look at Sho.

"Hmmm??"

"Stop talking and go to sleep."

Sho stared blankly at Ohno, first, before letting out a chuckle. Ohno's right, it's time to rest.

Before Sho completely shut his eyes once again, he reminded Ohno, "Make sure to stay. I want to know more about the squirrels."

And he heard a soft fainted 'yes' just as when he was about to drift off to a complete slumber.

-------

After recovering his strength and having to rest for an adequate amount of time, Sho insisted that Ohno should stay for dinner. However, with his fridge all empty, they settled on some instant cup noodles that Sho had probably stored in his kitchen cabinet for months now. The good thing was that it’s not expired yet and Ohno’s not particular with what he eats.

And as they finished up prepping their own noodles and were about to partake in it, Ohno began to open up the conversation.

“You must be curious…”

Well, it’s true. Sho’s curiosity about Ohno’s present life was reaching up to the roofs. He had yet to even know where he’s staying and what his occupation was.

“I’m a children’s book illustrator and the one you met before… the guy named Jun, he’s my assigned editor.”

Now that Ohno mentioned it again, Sho seemed familiar with Jun’s name but he could not pinpoint where he heard it.

“…I already have one book that was published and it sold really well. However, when I’m about to do the next one. I seemed to not get my mind into it. There are too many expectations from my friends, families and even the publishing company. It’s like I’m in a slump and I frustratingly drew and drew until all my drafts went into trash. For once, I doubted whether I chose the right career.”

There was a tint of pensive sadness that could be seen in Ohno’s eyes and at that very moment, Sho wanted to bring the man into his embrace,

“I holed up in my room and only went out to take my meals. I was really irritated that I couldn't think of anything. Pretty lame, right?”

Sho gave him an assured smile. “No… not at all…” he replied immediately.

Sho’s response was enough to bring up Ohno’s mood for just a little bit.

“Just when I thought I had enough, I saw posts about the 2012 predictions and it put me into a perspective that I might have been wasting my life dreading over why I can't get my book published.”

Ohno, then, stared at Sho, with a contented smile on his face. “It was also around that time that I saw you walking down the stairs of the train station. From the moment I saw you, I knew it was not just love at first sight all over again. Probably because we've met way back and I’ve always been attracted to you. All I thought at that time was if the world would be ending, I should not be all alone inside the room getting frustrated on things that I can’t control. If the world were to end this year then I want it to be with this guy.”

Sho rubbed his hands on his face as he processed what Ohno had said. At least, it’s not as complicated as he initially thought.

Ohno began to laugh, his expression even brighter than before. “And thanks to you, I found the inspiration that I desperately tried to find for months now.”

Sho was still speechless but at least he managed to let out a sigh in response.

Grumbling under his breath, Sho said, “You should have said it sooner… I was worried for nothing…”

“Huh? What do you mean”

“I’m really gonna hit you if you just drop a bomb like you’re sick or something.”

“Eh?! Sick!” Ohno was clearly confused.

“I was afraid that this whole world ending fiasco that you did was because you have an illness and after appearing, you’ll just disappear and leave me.”

Ohno blinked fast and another round of laughter ensued. “No, I’m not! I’m here to stay. I’m not irresponsible enough to push my feelings and suddenly disappear from your life.”

And to assure him further, Ohno stretched out his hand and placed his hand over Sho’s. They laced their fingers in no more than a second. “Whether the world will end this year or in the future years, I’m always here to stay by your side.”

Ohno’s earnest words almost melted Sho that he ended up slumping down on the table, hiding his reddened face. He was happy, terribly happy with what he heard. A smile floated on his face and he tightened his grip over Ohno’s hands implying that he too, thinks the same as him.

---------

As for the squirrel, that’s another story to tell — a story to be written and illustrated by Ohno. A narrative of a stray squirrel who found a lost duck, traveled together in order to find their respective families and ended up being companions in life.

What Sho was aware of was that he was the pattern for the character design of the squirrel and so when the five of them got together and he heard Jun speaking loudly at Ohno’s face, “So, this is what you meant by that one text: "I found my squirrel." Would you please at least contact me about your progress even if you don't want to be disturbed?”

Sho could not help but to flush red. In particular, the “my squirrel” made him so elated.

By Jun’s side was Aiba who’s desperately calming down his boyfriend, “Don't worry, he's just worried about you. He's just too shy to say it out loud.”

“Stop it Masaki…” Jun retorted back.

Nino, who should have been busy playing his games, did not miss the chance to tease Sho. “And it’s funny how you did not recognize Jun. Aiba practically talks about him everyday.”

Sho quickly defended himself, “‘Cause you always mention him as ‘boyfriend’ rather than his name. So I forgot!”

It’s funny how this unlikely, rowdy group suddenly got formed because of the confession that Ohno did, earlier this year. From time to time, they got together and Jun would use those moments to scold Ohno about his deadlines and how he did not appear before him for approximately six months.

Tonight was all the same. Jun complaining, Aiba calming him down, Nino playing games in the background, Ohno just simply staying quiet and him… just laughing it out.

And as the night ends, Ohno and Sho parted from the group and started walking back to Sho’s apartment. These days, Ohno had been staying a lot at Sho’s place to the point that the only thing Ohno needed to do was to bring his fishing equipment and move there already.

On their way back, they happened to come across a path filled with illuminations, a great indicator that it’s already December and Christmas was already around. They decided to walk along the lighted path.

As they enjoyed the view around them, Ohno began to step a little faster compared to Sho. Sho stopped as he watched Ohno turn around and stare at him. The light from the illumination made Ohno’s serious face very visible to Sho. And he wondered, what’s up with him.

Ohno began to speak, “Hey, I know you just played along with me when I confessed to you before. So, I’m asking you again… even if December ends and another year comes, would you still go out on dinners with me, have lunch, drag you out on fishing trips, invite you for camping and make more plans with me?”

Sho chuckled, realizing that Ohno’s being dramatic again. He went straight beside Ohno, laced their fingers together and managed to sneak a kiss on his cheek before saying, “What are you talking about? I’ve already decided to stick with you with the intention that I’ll be with you regardless of whether the world were to end in December or not. So, take responsibility for that.”

Ohno’s facade almost fell instantly and Sho snickered after catching sight of the blush that’s building up on Ohno’s ears.

“Cheesy…” Ohno mumbled.

“Look who’s talking…” 

And they continued on their way home with hands held together.

Comments

[astrangestorm]

A sweet and slightly mysterious Ohno like this would be impossible to resist. I like that they were high school friends, but meeting up again led to something stronger. I like that Ohno was able to help Sho take breaks from overworking and that Sho ended up being Ohno's inspiration.