Tokyo Boys

TOKYO BOYS
Chapter 45



15 months later


Two months had passed since the high school graduation ceremony, and the first semester of the new school year was about to begin.

Daisuke spent the day with his younger brother in the arcade, before taking him to a family restaurant. Ever since Daisuke had moved out on his own the relationship between the siblings had gotten closer. For Akira it felt as though he now had two homes, and often came over to settle in his brother’s apartment and hog the game console. Daisuke’s apartment was only a walking distance and albeit much smaller than their parents’ house, he preferred bickering with his brother than with his parents.

“What do you want to drink?” He had to snap his fingers in front of his brother’s face to get his attention. The boy was busy playing with Daisuke’s phone while they were waiting for their orders.

“Ah, melon soda.” Akira didn’t even take his eyes off the phone.

Daisuke returned to the table with the drinks, and sat down again, taking a sip from his cola. Akira was still focused on his game, when suddenly the phone started ringing and he cursed, having his game interrupted. Daisuke chuckled. “Who is it?” he asked.

“Takano Hideki-san,” Akira read the caller ID.

“Give me that!” Daisuke suddenly stood up and snatched the phone from his younger brother. “Hey, Fuji Daisuke speaking,” he said quickly. After being adopted into his maternal grandfather’s family registry, Daisuke had taken his mother’s maiden name. He got up and left the restaurant so he could speak freely.


He returned after a few minutes, looking more cheerful than usual.

“Was that your boyfriend?” Akira asked as he played with the straw in his drink.

“Hell no!” Daisuke made a face. “Hide-san is my manager.”

“Manager?”

“I got accepted into a talent agency recently,” Daisuke explained. “He just told me I passed an audition. I got a modeling job!”

“Eh?” Akira remained shocked. “Seriously?!”

“Very.” Daisuke was pleased to see the stunned expression on the teen’s face. He took another sip from his drink.

“I thought you hated showbiz,” Akira noted after a moment.

“I did, but it pays really well even part time. Soon enough I won’t have to rely on grandfather for money at all. That’s what I’m aiming for.”

“Are you going to do acting too?” Akira asked, still in disbelief.

“Hide-san signed me up for acting lessons from the agency, it’s part of the contract.” Daisuke shrugged his shoulders. “I’m used to having girls all over me, might as well get paid for it.” He winked at his brother.

“Except now you like m—ouch!” Akira yelped when Daisuke stepped on his foot under the table. “It hurts, you bastard!”

Daisuke put a finger over his mouth. “From now on, let’s not mention that in public, okay? I don’t want to get into trouble when I just received my first job. And anyway, I still do like girls. Didn’t I date Kasumi-chan again this past year?”

“Uh, yeah…” Akira raised his eyes when the waitress arrived with their dishes.

After the two finished eating and paying, they stepped out into the crowded street. They walked tacitly for several minutes, when Daisuke suddenly stopped.

“What is it?” Akira asked.

“Do you recognize that building?” His older brother asked, pointing his finger at a tall office building, a few feet away from where they were standing. It was right in front a busy junction.

“Ah yeah.” the younger boy looked up. “Isn’t it where father works?”

“Exactly.” Daisuke smirked and then pointed at the building on the other side of the junction. A huge ad of a smiling youth covered half of the building. “You see that ad? One day I’ll seek to have my face over there. The old man would have no choice but to see my face whenever he gets in and out of the office… maybe even from his office’s window.” He cackled. “I would like to see his face when that happens.”

“Is that your real motivation?” Akira asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s an added value. It would be a nice revenge.” Daisuke shrugged and pulled out his cigarette box.

“I told him you were accepted into Waseda University’s school of commerce.” The younger brother revealed.

“Why?”

“Why… because I wanted to tell him? I thought he would’ve liked to know…” Akira mumbled. “Anyway, he didn’t say anything. But I think he’s glad. He didn’t yell at me for mentioning you.”

Daisuke huffed and sucked from his cigarette. He rested his hand on Akira’s head. “Don’t get yourself beat up because of me, okay?”

The two siblings continued to walk down the street to the train station. Their conversation changed to video games, new consoles and Akira’s basketball games.

~*~

Shouji entered the gallery. Yuuko-san wasn’t at the desk in the entrance and he walked inside the art gallery, looking for her. She had called him to come down and see the new pieces she had on show. Since the new school year hasn’t started yet, he quickly found a good time to stop by.

He stopped in front of the new show, at the center of the gallery. The round pillar presented interesting Japanese-style works he had not seen before. He stepped in to have a closer look. There was one artwork that grabbed his attention immediately. It was a breathtaking detailed image with soft colors. It depicted beautiful scenery of a small waterfall in the midst of a rocky forest, coming out from between the trees and the rocks, strong and foaming, like it was bursting out of the picture. The skill to draw such fine details on silk were simply phenomenal, he pondered. His eyes fell to the signature.

“Good morning, sensei.” He heard a familiar voice behind him. A voice he had not heard in a long time.

He turned out to see Yuuto, dressed in black, standing before his eyes. His hair was a lot more stylish, a little longer and dyed in light brown. He looked good, the teacher thought.

“Kaname-kun!” he called out in astonishment after a moment. “What a surprise seeing you here!”

Yuuto smiled, genuinely smiled, the largest smile Shouji had ever seen on the reclusive boy.

“I’ve returned last week,” the boy explained. “Yuuko-san accepted me for work right away, I’m really grateful.”

“She called me to— oh, so the new artworks on display are yours.” Shouji turned back to the painting he was admiring.

“Yes.” Yuuto stepped closer to the paintings on display. “I can’t say I’m oozing confidence now, sensei…” He turned to look at the taller man. “But I’m quite proud of these.”

“They’re really good.” The teacher nodded. “Especially this one. It caught my attention right away, the details are breathtaking.”

“Thank you, sensei.” Yuuto smiled again. “This one was my entry ticket to Geidai.”

“You’ve been accepted?! That’s great news!” Shouji was surprised once again. “Did you get the scholarship?”

Yuuto shook his head. “No. because of my missing semester I wasn’t eligible. My brother in law is going to pay for my tuition, and I’m working to pay him back in time.”

“That’s great, Kaname-kun, I’m really happy you’re doing well.” Shouji smiled. “Daisuke didn’t tell me you’ve come back. I just met him a couple of days ago.”

“Ah, he doesn’t know…” Yuuto looked away. “I haven’t contacted him.”

“How come?”

Yuuto shrugged and looked at his artwork again. “It’s been a long time. I’m sure he’s just gone on with his life…”

“He has.” Shouji stepped in next to Yuuto. He rested his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “But so have you, isn’t that right?”

“It’s just… we haven’t kept in touch at all,” Yuuto sighed. “Well except for birthday emails, I guess. But coming back into his life all of a sudden feels…”

“Don’t worry too much. Daisuke spent the last year studying hard to get accepted into a good university, it’s true he’s not exactly the same as he used to be. But I’m sure he looks forward to seeing you again,” Shouji spoke softly.

“Thank you, sensei.” Yuuto sighed. The truth was he wanted to ask if the two were still in a relationship, but felt it would be impolite to address the subject.

“How much is this one?” Shouji asked, snapping Yuuto out of his thoughts.

The boy looked at the painting his teacher pointed at. The masterpiece that earned him an entrance to the prestigious art school he only dreamed of.

“I’m sorry, sensei. This one,” he said, smiling with tight lips, “is not for sale. It’s something I’ve promised to give to a dear friend.”

~*~

Daisuke rested limply on the tatami floor of his apartment and smoked. It had been a busy year. He devoted himself to his studies, which made his mother and Moriyama-sensei very happy and got accepted into a rather prestigious private university all on his own, which made his grandfather proud. With the exception of his younger brother, no one knew yet of his new occupation. He wanted to surprise them once the first job was done.

With the cigarette stub still in his mouth, Daisuke picked up his phone. He had promised his brother to go downtown to the arcade, but he wasn’t really up for it anymore. He just felt like staying in and laze around. His brother’s disappointed reply came in fast and Daisuke promised to make it up for him.

He let the phone fall from his hand as he spread his arms and closed his eyes.

The doorbell rang and he sat up in a surprise and crushed his cigarette butt in the ashtray, before getting up and brushing his pants.

“Coming!” he barked when the bell rang again.

He opened the door and inhaled in surprise when he saw the familiar face. Even though Yuuto matured a bit and looked different, different hairstyle too, the round baby face was unmistakable.

“Yuu-chan…” he whispered, still staring at the shorter boy.

Yuuto was dressed in casual jeans and a long sleeved baseball shirt. He looked serious as he raised his eyes to Daisuke. “It’s been a while,” he said.

Daisuke nodded. “What took you so long?”

The shorter boy made a face and rubbed his head bashfully. “I got on the wrong train…”

“That’s so much like you…” Daisuke laughed and prodded the boy to enter.

“Ah, it stinks here!” Yuuto put a hand over his nose when he entered the apartment. “Why are you smoking inside?”

“Sorry, sorry… I’ll open a window.” Daisuke crossed the small room quickly and opened the window.

The sat down on the floor, facing each other. Daisuke scrutinized his childhood friend carefully. He could tell Yuuto was excited. He was glad to see he looked healthy. Much healthier than the last time they saw each other.

“Well?” Daisuke asked. “It might have been over a year, but I can still see in your face that you’ve got something you can’t wait to tell.”

“You do?” Yuuto asked, surprised how easily he slipped into conversation with Daisuke. “I got accepted into Geidai!” He almost shouted. He beamed at Daisuke. “I made it!”

“Really?! I knew you could do it!! Great job, Yuu-chan!” Daisuke leaped at him and grabbed him into a tight hug, as though they had never spent the year apart.

Yuuto fell back with Daisuke on top of him. Daisuke supported himself with his elbows and looked at Yuuto, his heart skipping a beat.

He leaned in to move the bangs from Yuuto’s eyes.

“I’m proud of you…” he whispered and sighed, “Ah, I really missed you…”

Yuuto was holding his breath as he looked at Daisuke. He raised a shaky hand to touch Daisuke’s smooth face, dwelling on his cheek before running it over his scarred eyebrow.

“I did too…” Yuuto lowered his hand to Daisuke’s mouth, trailing his fingers on the soft, partially opened lips.

Daisuke moved away from Yuuto and sat up. “Let’s go for a walk… it’s really stuffy in here.”

They went out to the fresh air. Yuuto enjoyed the soft breeze stroking his face and the view of the blooming cherry trees that greeted them outside. They walked quietly for a while, along a small canal, not far from where their high school had been.

“So you got into Waseda University, huh?”

“Yeah, I’m going to study business management.” Daisuke nodded. “It’s funny how things work out, I definitely didn’t intend to follow in my father’s footsteps.”

He stopped walking. “But I’m not going to work in an office.” He threw Yuuto a glance. “I started to work as a model recently. I’m going to make it big.”

“Ahh…” Yuuto raised his eyes in surprise. He knew Daisuke had always rejected the idea of joining the fashion world or show business, even though it seemed natural for everyone that he belonged in it, with his looks, personality and hoards of fans. “Well… if anyone can do it, it’s you.” He just smiled.

“So, what are your plans? Where are you staying?” Daisuke asked, throwing a brief glance at Yuuto.

“Ah, for the moment I’m staying at my uncle’s house, and then…”

“Move in with me,” Daisuke interrupted him.

“Huh?”

“I’m serious. Didn’t we say that if we both stayed in the Tokyo area we’ll move in together?”

“But…” Yuuto looked around the street, but no one was paying attention to them.

“We could find a larger apartment, so you could have space for your drawing. What do you say?” Daisuke insisted.

“That’s going to be too expensive…” the younger boy hesitated. “I need to save so I can—“

“Don’t worry about it, my grandfather will help.”

“There is another condition…” Yuuto stopped walking.

“Hm?”

Yuuto stepped closer to Daisuke. “No smoking inside.”

Daisuke laughed. “I think I can manage that.”

“Then, I’ll think about it.” Yuuto smiled back and giggled when Daisuke let out a huff.

“That again…”

They ended their stroll in front of a small suburban coffee shop and entered. The sun had already set and they decided it was a good time for dinner.

Yuuto sighed. His mind was still reeling with thoughts. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he showed up at Daisuke’s door. Did he think Daisuke would scoop him into his arms and continue from where they had left off?

It was obvious Daisuke had changed in the past year. There was something different about him. He was more serious, more mature and far less hedonistic than Yuuto had remembered. But then again, Daisuke had always announced he was aiming to have fun until he had no choice but to face life.

On one hand, Yuuto felt he was hanging out with Daisuke as though nothing had changed, but on the other hand, it felt too different, as though he was talking to a stranger.

“Yuuto, is everything all right?” Daisuke asked, snapping the boy out of his thoughts.

“Ah sorry…” Yuuto blushed when he realized Daisuke was watching him closely. “I’m just… thinking.”

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