Work Text:
One of Hiromis favorite parts about his job was the joy he helped spread to his clients. He could use his knowledge and creativity to make something beautiful that would make people smile. Contrary to his persona at S, he was actually a softie at heart, after all.
-
Making large, fragrant bouquets with different meanings, different intentions, color schemes and types of flowers were an everyday thing to him. He had just finished his usual Thursday-carnation bouquet for the lovely older lady who always brings a small treat and a sweet smile, when another familiar face showed up with another bright smile.
“Welcome!” Hiromi sang out of habit, even showing off his customer service smile. It was a little embarrassing to be honest. He knew this man; he had just never really showed him this side of himself before.
“Hey, man. Can’t believe I’ve never come here and seen you like this before.” Joe laughed.
Hiromi felt his ears grow slightly warm at that. He laughed sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck.
“Yeah, you might be sad about that, but I’m not” he mumbled.
Joe gave a light laugh and tapped his shoulder. “Don’t worry, man. I won’t rat you out at S. I know all about wanting to keep some part of yourself private from all that”. Hiromi was grateful at that. He was sure most people there did.
“So, what can I do for you? I assume you came here for a reason, and not to see me.” he smiled, a little more relaxed and personal, rather than his usual customer-pleasing one. Joe took a step back, looking around and taking a deep breath. He looked a very strange combination of calm and nervous all at once. How is that even possible?
“Yeah, I did. Not that seeing you like this didn’t brighten my day, but as much as it saddens me to say, it’s not why I’m here. Though I am sure a request for a bouquet is hardly that big of a surprise either.” he laughed bashfully. It wasn’t. They’re in a flower shop, after all. “I was hoping you could help me make one? I have a few flowers I want in it, but there is no way I could make it pretty. It’s also a surprise, so if I could have it delivered for tomorrow, at noon, that would be absolutely amazing.” He said, giving a soft, genuine smile Hiromi wasn’t entirely used to seeing.
“Sure, man, no worries. What flowers do you want?” he walked over to the counter and started getting it ready for work.
“There are a few. But if you have any ideas as to flowers that work better together, you’re free to just change it up. I am clueless in this department. But mainly, I was thinking cherry blossoms, pink lilies, hot pink carnations and white freesias. If you have anything to add, please do.” Joe listed off his request and Hiromi couldn’t help but be a little impressed. This was a nice combination. He did have a few ideas of stuff to add, though.
“For a guy who’s clueless in this department you sure know what you want, Joe” Hiromi spoke, unusually friendly, or at least than what Joe would be used to.
“Dude, just call me Kojiro. Joe exists only the mountain, remember?” Kojiro winked. “And yeah, no, I am clueless, I just know these are a good match.” He shrugged.
“Alright, sure. And yes, they are. Truly. However, I think a few pink and white spray carnations will bring this bouquet together, since you already want the regular ones in there. It’ll just tie it together a bit more. Color wise as well. Maybe add just a few bride veil flowers, too, just to lighten it a little.” He kept suggesting as he started putting it together. The mix already looked incredibly pretty. Whoever was on the receiving end of this sure was lucky.
Kojiro just smiled and hummed in agreement while he watched, a look of satisfaction on his face. He was clearly giving Hiromi all the reigns here. He loved those customers; he could just play as he wanted. This mix of flowers was truly a vision, however. He was quite pleased with himself.
“Oh, and also, could I add a card to this?” Kojiro asked suddenly, a slight blush dusting his cheeks. With his green hair looking like a mess and being all over the place, it was quite a funny look on him, with this mans build and usual confidence and all that.
“Of course, do you wanna write it yourself or do you just want to write your message on a note for us to put on one?” Hiromi was getting increasingly curious as to who this was for, and part of him hoped he would be able to read the message himself. Maybe even deliver it to the person.
“Is it cool if I just write it down on a note? I want it to look pretty, and it most definitely will not with my handwriting.” Kojiro laughed heartily. Hiromi just nodded as he laughed, finishing up the last few touches before securing the flowers with an elastic. He gave Kojiro a notepad and pen and left him to it while he busied himself with wrapping the flowers in paper, waiting with the cellophane until he could put the card in. He kept stealing a few glances at Kojiro while he wrote, though, seeing the man blushing and looking bashful being something entirely new to him and needing to confirm it actually being real every time he turned around again.
When he finished, they exchanged a few words, Kojiro paid and thanked Hiromi before walking out. Nice, time to look at that note and finish that card, he thought.
Looking at the note Kojiro had left, he suddenly felt a blush spread through his face, feeling like this was entirely out of his place to read. This was not an unusual thing for him to do. This was not new. It’s just that this note was written by his friend. To someone he clearly had deep feelings for. It was incredibly soft and sweet, both wholly surprising and yet not at the same time. Kojiro was a flirt, he walked around with different women on both arms all the time, he knew he probably had girlfriends. But this seemed a whole lot more tender and personal and deep than any quick fling or short-term girlfriend would warrant. Did Kojiro have a long-term partner? The note all but pointed to that.
“I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my dearest. You’ve worked so hard this week, I hope this will bring you happiness and a smile on that gorgeous face of yours, much like you bring to me every day. For years. I will have a warm meal waiting for you at home. Let me ease your worries once more, let me take care of you. You deserve this, my love.
Love, Kojiro”
Quickly glancing an address at the bottom for it to be delivered to, Hiromi all but rushed to finish transcribing the note to a small card before tucking it into the flowers, wrapping it in cellophane and putting it in the cooler. Kojiro had a partner? Long-term? Who was okay with his flirting? Granted, he had never, not once, seen him leave with one of them, never seen him kiss them. The women sometimes kissed his cheeks, but he always laughed it away and excused himself then. How had he never connected the dots? He prayed he got to deliver these flowers tomorrow.
-
He did not deliver them, after all. It was early Friday morning, and the store was full of customers, ready to brighten their weekends with flowers. His manager had rushed all the deliveries into the car and sped off at the speed of light to manage them in time to save him from taking on the rush alone. Shame, he had been this close to finding out who had won Kojiros- the Joes, heart. He had even forgotten the address. Not that he was that much a creep as to look that up, but knowing the offer wasn’t there, it left him with a sigh either way.
-
The studio smelled incredible. The sudden delivery had surprised him, but clearly, that was Kojiros intent all along. He had hidden his smile behind the flowers as he read the card attached. The flowers were beautiful. The mix of colors and different flowers making it look rather soft and elegant. He was well and truly impressed. The gorilla had actually managed to find a place that made custom bouquets with all the right flowers. And they looked absolutely stunning against his deep wooden interior. The classical style, minimalistic and traditional looking more enhanced and rich with these on display.
“I hope this will bring you happiness and a smile” he said. It made him feel warm all over his chest. It made him feel giddy, made him feel lighter than a feather, and that was a feat in and of itself after this dreadful week. Kojiro had told him to let him take care of him. He wanted to pay this back. He would. In so many ways. He wasn’t the only one who deserved to be shown this much love, after all.
He smelled the bouquet one last time before putting them in a vase at his workstation. The fragrance was soft and sweet. Much like the man who had gifted them. These were, of course, words that would never be admitted out loud, especially not to him, but by the Gods did he mean them. There wasn’t any other person out there who was sweeter than Kojiro was. He was well and truly the kindest man he had ever met. Others could flirt, hang onto him, ask him out all they wanted. But Kojiro belonged to only one person. And he never held back in showing him how true that was.
-
Coming in on Monday didn’t feel as much as a chore as most people made it out to be. Again, Hiromi genuinely enjoyed his job, so to him, it was fine. Besides, after the weekend it was nice to have something calm to come back to. He absolutely loved S, and he loved being Shadow, but as much as he did, he used a lot of energy doing both. He might be only 24, but he sure wasn’t 17, like Reki or Langa, anymore. He was an adult, he got tired, sue him. It had been a lot of fun, though.
The whole gang had met up at Sia La Luce for a light snack before going and they had all got there together. He made sure not to make any sharp remarks towards Reki, even as much as he meant them as a joke, he too had noticed his absence back then and felt bad for contributing to his low self-esteem. He still joked, but not at his skills, not anymore. As reluctant as he was to admit it, he cared for the stupid kid. Joe and Cherry had been calmer, bickering a little less than usual and most of the time had a conversation at a normal speaking level. Not always, but it was at least a little bit calmer. He knew they were older, but sometimes Hiromi definitely felt like the older one of the group.
It got him thinking, however. He knew they had known each other for a long time, they had founded S together, after all. With ADAM, even. He knew they went way back. Not how far, though. But clearly for a while, he wasn’t the only one who had noticed their behavior during the tournament, after all. Cherry’s smug and confident look and attitude towards Joe winning against SNOW, like it was a given. He was wrong, but he knew how the man skated better than anyone else there. Joe’s look of concern when Cherry was picked to beef against ADAM. Everyone noticed that, he thinks. And of course, Joes reaction of pure anger when Cherry was hit by ADAMs board. Which, to be honest, fair. He wouldn’t really be all that happy if he watched his friend of God-knows-how-many-years take a skateboard to the face at top speed. He’s almost surprised Joe hadn’t punched ADAMs face in right there.
Come to think of it, that whole trip to the hospital had been quite something as well. Joe had been in the back with an in-and-out-of-consciousness-Cherry, holding him in his arms. He had whispered things Hiromi hadn’t been able to hear clearly, too busy flooring it at a barely legal speed to the hospital. But he could tell it had calmed Cherry. He had stopped shaking as bad as he had started out as, he had even managed to even out his breathing a little with Joes help, which also surprised Hiromi greatly. How did Joe know how to do that? But most of all, Joe had held Cherrys hand the entire way, squeezed it every time he felt like Cherry was drifting off even just a little.
When they had reached the hospital, Joe had rushed inside with Cherry first while Hiromi parked, but he had gone inside to meet with Joe in case he needed something. He had been met with Joe in a waiting room chair, looking quite disheveled. He had sat down beside him, and they had chatted for a while, an easy light conversation to ease the stress-level they were both fighting. When a doctor had called “Sakurayashiki Kaoru”, Hiromi hadn’t thought all that much about it, but Joe had shot up from his seat and Hiromi had once again been reminded of the fact that he didn’t know them as well as he sometimes fooled himself to believe. And now that he thinks about it, Joes partner must be quite something, not only accepting his flirty behavior, but also not being upset over him spending his entire night at the hospital with his friend. Hiromi had eventually left after Joe had reassured him he would be fine on his own.
Wow, I haven’t really given this enough thought before, have I? he thought to himself as he absentmindedly cut the stems of the flowers he was arranging. He could do this in his sleep, anyway. Hiromi didn’t want to seem weird for thinking of his friends and their relationship, but he also kept coming back to Kojiros purchase a few days prior. It had been incredibly sweet, and Hiromi was still itching to know more about his partner. It hadn’t escaped him that Kojiro had conveniently not mentioned crap about them. He shook his head, as if to physically shake the thoughts out of his head. No, this wasn’t right. If he wanted him to know, he would’ve told him, right? But then, why so secret?
“Excuse me, am I interrupting something?” he heard a voice deadpan in front of him. He jerked his head up, so fast he almost got a whiplash. A flat look met him, sharp amber eyes, with a tiny hint of amusement hidden behind those glasses.
“Oh, Sakurayashiki, I’m so sorry, I didn’t hear you enter!” Hiromi hurried to say. He offered an apologetic smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. Cherry gave a small smile, but it was mostly hidden behind his fan.
“No worries, I know I tend to be quiet. I am also the only one here, so I do believe you are good.” He said, that amusement showing even in his voice. It might even be a tiny bit mocking.
“What can I do for you today, Sakurayashiki?” Hiromi asked, his usual customer service voice back.
“It sounds weird hearing my name like that from you, just call me Kaoru, please.” Kaoru said with an eyebrow arched. Alright, he could do that. He gave a hum and a nod in response, and waved for him to continue. “I would like to request a bouquet, to be delivered, preferably.” He continued.
“Of course. Any requests as to what flowers should be used?” Hiromi smiled back. It almost felt like a déjà vu.
Kaoru hummed, tapping the now closed fan on his chin and he racked his brain. “Definitely sunflowers. And daisies. I believe that will be a nice combination.”
Hiromi was once again taken aback by his friends. This one also knew how to combine flowers to make something pretty. He walked to collect the flowers as he hummed, picking up a few other kinds to make a pretty combination. A few bridal veil flowers and some green would do nicely. He put them together, laid them out evenly to create a bright, happy creation. They looked quite nice actually, if he could be so honest. It wasn’t the biggest, but it was colorful and fun, definitely an eye-catcher and would demand attention in every room.
“How is this?” he asked brightly.
Kaoru looked like he was analyzing the placement of every flower carefully, before nodding with a pleased look on his face, “It’s perfect. You’re quite skilled at this, Higa.” Kaoru complimented. Hiromi didn’t want to admit it, but it made him blush, just a little bit. He didn’t give compliments unless there were grounds for it, after all.
“Might I also trouble you to add a card?”
Hiromi froze for a second before nodding, “Oh, absolutely! Would you like to write on it yourself?” he asked, but internally begged him to let Hiromi fix it.
“Yes, please.”
Hiromi hid his pout by turning around to pick out a card for him, turning back and handing it to Kaoru, who waited with a pen already ready in his hand. What were the odds? Both of his still-not-all-that-close friends had come by to buy flowers in four days. He was curious as to who these were to. Could Kaoru also have a partner? He didn’t strike him as a womanizer, not like Kojiro. Sure, he had fans, but he had not once seen him give any of them the time of day. He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard Kaoru put the pen down, clearly finished with his message.
“You always this jumpy on Mondays?” he raised an eyebrow, and his mouth quirked at the edges.
“Perhaps I just need a coffee to wake up properly” Hiromi joked back.
A snort left Kaoru and Hiromi sighed low, picking up the card. He saw a little note underneath with an address, understanding that’s where he wanted it delivered after he left. “Is it possible to have this delivered by the afternoon?” Kaoru asked.
“Afternoon? Yeah, sure is.” Hiromi was only a tiny bit disappointed. He would be done by then, missing this one chance as well.
“Perfect, thank you for your help.” Kaoru gave a small nod, showing an unusual amount of courtesy that he was clearly used to showing in public, but Hiromi had never really had to see it.
They exchanged goodbyes and Kaoru paid for his purchase, and just like that he was out the door. Hiromi was dying of curiosity. He still hadn’t wrapped the flowers in cellophane, the card was still on the counter beside them. He couldn’t help reading it before he added it to the bright bouquet. They were friends, right? It was fine then, right? He would never do this to any other customers.
“I know this week will be rough, but I know you can push through. You’re my rock, after all. Please, accept these and let them brighten your day, like you do mine. I’m always cheering you on.
Love, Kaoru”
Nope, no way. There was no way. How did his friends have these relationships he never knew about? He already regretted reading the card. This was personal. It was sweet, and soft, and to Kaorus standards, this was vulnerable. Hiromi blushed at his own shame, tucked the card in the flowers and wrapped them up, getting them ready to be sent to yet another mystery partner.
-
He tried not to, he really did. It was an invasion of privacy, and he was crossing a line he never even knew existed. But Hiromi was all but human, and he well and truly couldn’t help himself. He was so incredibly curious, he just kept thinking about it, theorizing in his own head about his friends’ relationships. Which was stupid, because he didn’t even know how close his two friends were to each other, let alone what kind of people they’d be seeing. He knew, had understood a long time ago, that they were closer than they had originally let on. The people at S who didn’t spend time with them like their group probably wouldn’t notice, but they had far too much knowledge about the other to not be at least a little close. At the very least, they didn’t hate each other, no matter how much they pretended to do so.
But as far as he knew, most people in their personal lives didn’t really know much either. Him being one of them. The kids, too. He also knew they were close by the way Kaoru always seemed to be around Kojiros restaurant. He even had a special seat, the usual chair removed during the time Kaoru used a wheelchair after the incident, to make space for it. No way Kojiro would do that for just anyone. Let alone someone he claimed to hate. But then again, Kojiro was kinder than he let on. He was probably one of the more patient and calm people Hiromi had ever met. He was fair and good to people and those goddamn flowers just proved to Hiromi what a true romantic the hunk was. Truly annoying how he wasn’t just all muscle. He really was, objectively, good boyfriend-material. Maybe Hiromi could ask for tips.
And Kaoru, he moved about the restaurant as if he belonged there. He walked in while it was closed with no shame, almost expecting to be expected. He walked around with familiarity and confidence in there, confidence Hiromi often only saw while he was skating. He also looked more at ease there. Hiromi didn’t think he’d seen him as calm anywhere else as he was there, almost like he softened. It was strange. If anyone knew about their respective partners, it would be them, right? Maybe he should just bite the bullet and ask? But like, ask Kojiro about Kaorus and Kaoru about Kojiros, of course. He had made flowers for them both, after all. He could ask if the other had heard how they were received. That wouldn’t be weird, right?
He could just.. happen to accidentally meet one of them and ask. Yeah, that would make sense. That could work. It’d just have to be natural. It’s not like he could just pull up to the skatepark anymore and meet one of them. They were all a bit too old for that. And S was still almost a week away. Would it be unnatural for him to just take a stroll around town? He didn’t even know where either of them usually hung out when in public. He didn’t even know if they did hang out in public. Damn, he really needed to talk to his friends more. But surely they had to shop somewhere. A market or supermarket somewhere. He only actually knew where Kaorus studio and Kojiros restaurants were. And the studio was just something he happened to find out by chance when talking to the kids one day. How it wasn’t that far from Dope Sketch, and that Langa and Reki had first properly met outside it that time.
That could work, actually. He could go to Dope Sketch, he could pretend to look for a sticker or some bullshit, say hi to the kids and Oka, if he was there, because they were also friends now, apparently. And then he could just stroll for a bit, maybe just cruise lightly on his board, to “test a new feature” or “make sure it works right” while he’s in the area, and maybe just stumble upon Kaoru at his studio. He had the entire Tuesday off, after all-
Oh God, he cannot believe he has just spent his Monday evening, his precious after-work time, to plan a stupid plan to meet a friend by “chance” so he could ask said friend about his friends’ relationship. How creepy, how utterly embarrassing. How easy this would be.
-
He was surprised when the woman came in to deliver the bouquet. He hadn’t expected that. He definitely had not expected the card. He couldn’t help but smile brightly, though, sunflowers were his favorite. They were bright and cheery; he felt like they fit him. The bouquet as a whole was also incredibly pretty, the flowers working in perfect harmony, the daisies bringing a sweeter element to it. No surprise there, Kaoru really knew his stuff.
He sniffed them, taking in the fragrance of summer. It made him want to open the door and every window around, just to feel the breeze from all around. Kaoru was right, this week was going to be tough, with all the events that were planned and all the evenings he would have to put in. This really gave him a lot of motivation, though. It was perfect.
He found a simple vase; he didn’t want it to take the attention away from the flowers. He tucked the card into his chest pocket, planning to reread it later. It really made him feel all sorts of soft and mushy. He put it on the bar, wanting to have it in perfect view, to keep motivating him even during the rush, knowing Kaoru had wanted him to work hard.
His wonderful Kaoru. He was moody and grumpy, but he knew that was just a façade, knowing how soft he truly was. He was prim and proper to others, but to him, when it was just them, he was soft and honest, kind and almost sweet. The world saw Kaoru as the perfect gentleman, an elegant master, but he knew better. As much as this was true, Kaoru was also full of emotion, he struggled with anxiety and couldn’t sleep alone without playing a lullaby to lull him to sleep. But even then, he slept the best in his arms. That was home, for both of them. Kaoru belonged there; it was just how it was.
-
Hiromi woke up easily enough, washed up, had breakfast, all the normal stuff. And then he groaned, simply because he had a plan for the day, a rather stupid one, one he had spent too much of his time before falling asleep perfecting. He felt so unbelievably ridiculous, he felt like he seemed desperate. Which he was not. Just curious. They were his friends, after all. He wanted to know more about them. But asking directly is just not something he will do. They never shared this themselves, after all.
So, he got dressed, a casual outfit today; ripped jeans, of course, a semi-long sleeved white shirt with light green flowers on them. He did work in a flower shop, after all. He grabbed his board and lazily skated towards Dope Sketch, since it wasn’t really all that far, and the weather was very much in his favor today. It was sunny, not a cloud in the sky, the heat was just right, perfect paired with the slow wind passing him while he skated. He stopped by a vending machine to get a refreshing drink while he went along, some music playing in his headphones. He felt rather good today, actually, despite how embarrassed about himself he had felt when he woke up.
He arrived at Dope Sketch a little before noon, having decided not to rush anything. He had the whole day off and didn’t really think he was in a hurry to make his plan go along. It was quiet at this time of day, and he realized while walking inside that the kids wouldn’t be here at this time of day. They were, as good kids should, at school still, and so the only person inside to greet him with a smile was Oka.
“Welcome!” he exclaimed, openly smiling and happy to see him. “What brings you here this early on a Tuesday?”.
“I actually have today off and wanted to skate around a bit, seeing how nice the weather was today” Hiromi said nervously, not really sure if he should share his plan. It was a bit private, the information he was seeking, and he was out to find it rather sneakily.
“Yeah, I am a bit envious of you for being able to be outside right now. What I would give to just leave for a little breather” Oka laughed.
“Once the kids come around, just leave them to do the work. They have so much free time outside of this, they can’t complain too loudly about it.” Hiromi smirked, walking around the store, looking for something to add to his board. Anything, really. Just a sticker would be nice.
Him and Oka didn’t really talk all that much, but they had the kids in common and he was nice, so conversation flowed rather easily. He asked about new arrivals, checking out new wheels, the equipment and accessories, like stickers. He even asked Oka if he had some interesting custom boards in the making, curious to see if anyone new had wanted a board even half as rad as his own. No one had, but hey, that’s their loss. He found a sticker; Oka helped him put it on and he was back outside. He took a very deep breath, trying to make this as natural as possible. He stepped on his board and headed in the direction of Sakurayashiki Calligraphy Studio; his carefully thought-through plan ready to be set in motion.
-
It was really calm and pretty in this neighborhood. Hiromi didn’t usually come here, so he was almost seeing this place for the first time. He stepped off his board and decided to stroll for a little instead, starting to feel the nerves. There was a cat by the side of the road, so he hunched down and pet it a little. He was a secret softie, after all. He soon reached the studio, however. It looked traditional and pretty, very elegant, even from the outside. The front door was open, and he could hear the wind chimes singing in the breeze. It was incredibly peaceful.
“Higa, is that you?” he heard a familiar voice ask. He jumped and turned towards the voice, coming from the entrance of the studio. Kaoru stood there in his usual traditional attire, the yukata flowing effortlessly down his body, but he looked like he held himself even straighter here. His yukata was a deep maroon today, though and the sleeves were tided back. He looked quite handsome like this. Hiromi almost felt envious; he could not pull off that look.
“Yeah, hi! I was just admiring your studio, I’m just taking a little walk in the nice weather” Hiromi hurried to say, trying a little too hard to sound casual, his voice coming out a little higher pitched, even to his own ears.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow and lifted his fan to cover half his face, “Thank you. The weather does indeed feel like it’d be perfect for a walk.”
Hiromi just hummed and nodded in response. He hadn’t really thought about how to small talk his way to his question. Kaoru raised his brow slightly higher, but lowered his fan with a small smile.
“Would you like to come in for some tea? I have some free time before my next lesson” Kaoru offered.
“I’d love to” Hiromi blurted, maybe a little too fast, but if Kaoru wondered about that he didn’t show it.
He was shown into the lobby of the studio; it was just as elegant as the outside. The dark wood complimenting the white paper walls beautifully. The art on them immaculate. He was led into a room further back, smaller, but more used. There were papers stacked neatly in piles on shelves, brushes neatly put in different stands on display and a workstation, a little messier than the rest of the room. There were two cushions, one on each side, ready to be put to use. And right behind it was a sideboard, with books and- Hiromi felt his breath catch in his throat.
He stared, he knew he did. Kaoru signaled him to sit down, so he did, and he left to fetch the tea. This gave Hiromi time to study the flowers in silence, by himself, for a few seconds. The bouquet on his sideboard was pretty, it was elegant, the colors soft and the fragrance emanating from it was sweet and light. He recognized it immediately. His heart sped up, beating almost like a rabbit. He swallowed, forcing himself to act calm once Kaoru returned with his tea. He accepted it and immediately took a sip, feeling his throat dry from the realization. He had seen them before, he had made the bouquet himself, after all. For Kojiro.
He pretended like nothing for that whole visit, thankfully not that long, as Kaoru did indeed have a lesson to prepare for. Once he stepped out, he was so grateful he had brought his skateboard. He hopped on, a little dazed, much like he had been that whole visit, and skated towards home. He had so much to think about.
-
He wouldn’t say he rushed home, but he rushed home. He threw himself on the couch after opening the windows, needing to cool down. Ok, so what did he know? What had he found out?
Number one, Kojiro had bought flowers and a card that Hiromi wrote for him, last week.
Number two, said flowers were now proudly displayed in Kaorus work-study.
Number three, Kojiro and Kaoru were either closer than he thought, or they had fucked up the delivery.
Hiromi suddenly remembered the message in the card very clearly. It was so romantic. “My love”, he had said. “Waiting for you at home”, it had said. Hiromi was pretty sure he had also called his face “gorgeous”. He was no expert, clearly, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t platonic. He sure as hell wouldn’t say any of that to his friends. Especially not a same-sex friend. He didn’t mind if they were gay, truly did not care, that was their business, and he just wants them happy with whoever they are with, but he had never pinned Kojiro for gay. Not even bisexual, if he was being honest. Kaoru he could see. He never showed women any interest, but still. There was also the possibility that this was a coincidence. He wasn’t sure, though, he needed more info. He needed to know more. He suddenly craved Italian for dinner.
-
Maybe this had gotten a little far. He thought maybe it had. This was none of his business and his friends had kept quiet about their private lives for a reason, so he felt a little guilty now. But he was already here, outside Sia La Luce, even dressed like a normal person, seeing as this was during regular working hours and showing up in his Shadow get-up would seriously injure his ego. And perhaps Sias’ reputation. And he couldn’t really do that to Kojiro, no matter how curious he was.
He came alone, which maybe he should’ve thought of a little sooner, he would look like the biggest loser, eating by himself. Oh well. He walks through the door almost hoping Kaoru is there, so he won’t look like a complete loner. But he doesn’t really think about it too much as he walks in, being greeted by the sweet hostess. She smiles kindly and asks if he is here alone or waiting for company, to which he has to, pathetically admit to this girl that he is, in fact, here alone. If she pitied him, she didn’t show it. She smiled brightly and led him to the bar, only a seat in between the one Kaoru usually sat at. He was surprised to see it empty. For now, at least.
He looked around, seeing all the happy and satisfied diners, smelling the air around him. It did indeed smell inviting and good. The light gave the whole restaurant a warm glow, and seeing it almost fully packed, for once, gave the whole room a very homey atmosphere. It was a nice restaurant, but not so high-end as to not come here on a regular weekday. The foreign cuisine making it more interesting for the locals and the amazing food something for people to want more of and crave. Hiromi could definitely agree to that, he did truly enjoy coming here before S for dinner or when Kojiro had invited the gang to try out new dishes for new menus. His cooking is no joke.
He looked at his menu and let out a sigh, feeling his shoulders relax, coming here feeling familiar and soft. He didn’t really know why he kept looking at the menu, he already knew what he wanted. A few weeks ago, Kojiro had asked the gang over to taste-test a new dish, a risotto, he wanted to add to the menu. It had immediately become Hiromis’ new favorite dish, and he had genuinely craved it since. He knew it had made the menu, and he couldn’t wait to have it again. A sparkling water on the side sounded like absolute heaven. His usual, more or less, since the last taste-test.
A waitress took his order, and he finally looked up. And he was met with the brightest of colors. He admired it for a good three seconds before his mind caught up. It was a very pretty bouquet of flowers. Sunflowers and daisies, to be exact. His jaw dropped. He knew this just as well as the former one, having made this one, as well.
“While this isn’t a Michelin star restaurant, it’s still a nice establishment. How about closing that mouth, hm?” he heard a voice to his right say.
He jumped a little off his chair with a small, and hopefully not easily heard, squeak. He looked up and was met with a bright smile and a raised eyebrow. And his food. He quickly closed his mouth and cleared his throat.
“My bad, I just, eh, remembered something I think I forgot to finish at work yesterday” Hiromi quickly said with a sheepish smile. Kojiro just snorted and gave him his food. “I didn’t think the chef himself would serve me today.” Hiromi commented, trying very unsubtly to change the subject.
“Well, you’re lucky today. One of my favorite parts about this job is seeing people enjoy my food, being happily fed, so I try as often as I can to serve the dishes myself. I usually can’t before a little later into dinner service, though.” Kojiro laughed.
This didn’t surprise Hiromi at all. Working in customer service himself, he knew very well what Kojiro meant and could very much agree with this. He also liked the look on his customers’ faces when he made them the perfect bouquet.
“Yeah, I get that. I’ve been craving this damn risotto for weeks, I finally had to give in today.” Hiromi admitted.
Kojiro gave a soft smile, “Thanks, man. I hope it’s as good as you remember.” He gave Hiromi a pat on the shoulder before heading back inside the kitchen.
Hiromi wasn’t joking, he really was excited about this. He took a bite and almost, almost, moaned a little in pure ecstasy at the flavor bomb in his mouth. He managed to stop it in time, though, it was a very near thing. The texture and the spices were absolutely perfect, just like last time. He took his time with his food, for once, to savor every bite, as was deserved. He took his time so much, that the restaurant was almost entirely empty by the time he almost finished. The only ones left being an old couple getting ready to pay and chatting a little with their waitress before leaving.
“I agree the risotto is wonderful, but the carbonara will always be the better dish.” He heard someone say beside him. He looked up, and while he shouldn’t be surprised, he still almost choked on his rice. Kaoru quickly handed him his glass so he could clear up his airways. He did give him a very puzzled expression, though.
“I’m sorry, I just didn’t hear you coming.” Hiromi all but coughed out.
“I apologize for startling you.” Kaoru offered a look of concern, probably at Hiromis very strange behavior today.
“No, no, I was just enjoying my food.” Hiromi scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.
“Yeah, I saw that.” Kaoru smirked. He smirked. He could be downright evil sometimes.
Before Hiromi could say anything else, a plate of steaming pasta and a glass of cold white wine was sat down in front of Kaoru. He had just sat down, though?
“Hm, thank you.” He said with a small smile. He didn’t look up at Kojiro.
“You’re welcome. Now, if only you’d pay like our good friend here, it’d be a great ending to my day.” Kojiro said flatly. Hiromi really couldn’t get a proper read on these two.
“Why should I? I help with accounting and menu design. Surely I deserve a meal for my work.” Kaoru replied, just as dry. Kojiro scoffed, “You’re lucky I’m such a nice guy, Princess, you’d be broke having eaten here so much, if I didn’t give you free meals. That, and the fact that you’d starve if not for me.” Kojiro smirked.
Kaoru looked at him, his eyes narrowing while he took a sip of his wine, “I can cook.” was all he offered as a response.
“Sure, but you’ve always left it to me, even back in junior high, whenever I came over and your parents were still out, you asked me to cook.” Kojiro countered. Middle school? How far back did they go?
“Only because that meant I didn’t have to.” Kaoru took a bite of his food and visibly relaxed his entire body. Hiromi wasn’t even sure if he knew he did it himself. He looked awfully comfortable, eating his food as if this was his home. Kojiro just looked at him, a small smile curving his lips. Hiromi felt like the ultimate third wheel. These two men felt so at ease here, so natural. Their banter was much the same. If it wasn’t for the fact that he still had food left on his plate, and actual intention to pay, he would probably try to subtly leave.
“I am so sorry, I know I have no right to ask, but I need to know. How far back do the two of you go?” Hiromi blurted. He felt his ears heat, probably a deep red if he looked in a mirror. Thankfully, he had none, or any intention to find one.
Both Kojiro and Kaoru turned to look at him, Kaoru with a slight puzzled look and Kojiro with a little amusement glinting in his eyes, “Nah, it’s fine. We’ve actually wondered if none of you were ever curious, you’re the first to ask.” Kojiro smiled.
“I’ve had the displeasure of being stuck with this gorilla since kindergarten, actually.” Kaoru looked down, but it was clear that he was only trying to hide the fondness in his voice. Hiromi almost choked.
“Is.. Is that a joke?” he couldn’t help but ask. Kindergarten? That is like, almost all of their lives, was all he could think.
“Of course not. We were, what, three?” Kojiro furrowed his brows, clearly trying to be exact.
“Yes, three. I’m impressed you remember that, with your brainless head and all.” Kaoru all but smirked into his wine glass, taking a sip.
“But that is like.. Two whole decades? You’ve actually been friends that whole time?” Hiromi was, at the bottom of it all, impressed. Keeping a friendship for that long isn’t easy.
“Yup, two decades. It’s the reason we bicker all the time, we can’t have any secrets. Or we could, but I mean, I can read Kaoru like a book, so we make fun of it. It’s also all harmless. I’d never say anything that actually hurt him.” Kojiro looked at Kaoru with such fond eyes, Hiromi couldn’t look at him. He looked at his empty plate instead and took a sip of his drink.
“Wait, no secrets?” Hiromi whipped his head to his side and looked at Kaoru.
Kaoru arched a single brow, “No secrets. It’s not like he could lie to save his life anyway.” Kaoru said.
“So, you know about his wife? Or girlfriend?” Hiromi didn’t even think before asking.
Kojiro choked on nothing but air, and both of Kaorus brows shot up his forehead. Then he snorted and looked at Kojiro with a blank expression, “I sure hope I would know about that.” He said flatly.
Kojiro started laughing, wiping tears from his eyes, “Hiromi, dude,” He wheezed. He had to take a few seconds to compose himself, take a few deep breaths before continuing, “Didn’t you visit Kaorus studio today?”.
“Yeah? How’d you know?” Hiromi asked.
“We tell each other everything, and you showing up like that isn’t an everyday occurrence. Anyway, didn’t you see the flowers?” Kojiro looked softer now, leaning on the bar on his forearms, crossed.
“Yeah.. Yeah, I-uh, I did.” Hiromi looked at his plate again, feeling his face heat up.
“The bouquet I bought is literally right there.” Kaoru pointed to the flowers on the bar.
“I asked you to write my card, cause the recipient wouldn’t like my handwriting. He’s a picky one. There is no way you didn’t suspect anything.” Kojiro chuckled. Kaoru rolled his eyes at him, “We were wondering how long it would take you to find out.” Kaoru sipped his wine again.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried, but I also haven’t really figured out shit. Are you two dating?” He asked cautiously.
Kaoru turned to him and gave him yet another flat look. Hiromi felt so scrutinized under those sharp, amber eyes, the glasses only highlighting them, “Actually, we dated in high school. A little after we started S. And then the muscle-pile went to Italy, leaving Okinawa to study,” Kaoru looked at Kojiro the whole time while telling the story, “And I had to visit during the breaks. Long distance sucked, but like he said, we have no secrets, and we have been together for a long time, so we managed. The last time I visited before he returned, he asked me to design him a tattoo.” Hiromi looked at Kojiro. He was looking at Kaoru as if he hung the stars.
“You designed his tattoo?” Hiromi asked.
“Yes, he did. He had just finished his calligraphy studies, and I wanted to be the first person to have one of his pieces. He knows me better than anyone, so I didn’t specify anything. He knows I love sunflowers, and when I saw his design, I immediately had to get it.” Kojiro explained. He was looking at the flower bouquet now.
That made sense. His sun tattoo was inspired by sunflowers. How had Hiromi not connected the dots earlier?
“Anyway, he got it while I was there and once he finished, he asked me to marry him. We had just turned 21 back then, been together for almost two decades, so I saw no reason to not. So, we got married before I came back to Okinawa.” Kaoru fiddled with his Carla bracelet.
“Oh my God, you’re married?” Hiromi could guess from the start that they were close, but he would never have guessed that. No wonder Kaoru had snorted when he asked if Kojiro had a wife. Or girlfriend.
“Yeah, so no. No wife, no girlfriend, but I do have a husband. And I do give him flowers now and then.” Kojiro laughed softly. Kaoru turned his face away, hiding his blush that Hiromi could see creeping up his cheeks.
Kaoru coughed a little into his sleeve, “We have wanted to tell the group for a while, but it’s not really all that important, so we didn’t want to make a big deal about it. We also didn’t know how you’d all react to it. We are both men, after all. Hence, the flowers. We figured you’d realize.” That was fair, but he also didn’t figure it out. He started to suspect they might be dating, but never in a million years would he have guessed they were married. But it did make sense when he thought about it. They always arrived and left S together, Kaoru was always at Sia La Luce, they were comfortable and safe together. That whole drive to the hospital after the incident suddenly made a lot more sense to him, too. Oh, dear God, Kojiro must have been so scared.
“We figured you might be onto us when you showed up at his studio today. And then you showed up here, as well. I hope we didn’t make it hard on you.” Kojiro scratched the back of his head, blushing a little.
“Oh, no! I just, I felt a little bad, since I figured there were things I never knew about you two. We’re friends, and I felt like I might have been a bad one, not knowing you had partners. I was a little surprised, but I guess I sort of started to suspect it? I don’t mind you two being married, though, I am just glad you’re happy. But, when my curiosity took over, I justified my own reasons in my head to not feel so guilty. But looking back, I should’ve guessed it earlier. Especially after..” Hiromi looked down; he didn’t really want to mention it again. He knew they had tried to be civil with ADAM, but he also knew they weren’t really all that fond of him still. With good reason, too.
“Yeah, that was quite a night.” Kojiro took Kaorus hand, and Kaoru looked at him, almost concerned. “You know I’m fine now. It’s all in the past.” He rubbed his thumb in soothing circles over Kojiros hand, a rare display of tenderness in the almost empty restaurant. Kojiro smiled at him, squeezing his hand a little tighter, humming in response.
Again, Hiromi felt like a third wheel. Memories were being brought up, ones he wasn’t part of or knew about and he felt like these were ones they should be able to keep to themselves, “Well, regardless, I am happy you wanted to share this with me. I apologize for being nosy about it, though.”
“Nonsense, we did that on purpose. We’re just grateful you still accept us.” Kaoru sounded softer than usual. He was still holding Kojiros hand, looking for support. Hiromi guessed he had been nervous about his reaction.
“Yeah, man, absolutely. Love is love, that is all that matters.” Hiromi said quietly, barely above a whisper. He was sincere about this. He truly didn’t care what gender his friends liked. He just wanted them happy, and if that was with each other, then all the better.
Kojiro gave him a smile, one that showed his kindness, and Hiromi could see how grateful he was.
The mood in the restaurant had suddenly gotten a lot more serious than Hiromi had anticipated when he came in earlier that night, but it was still calm and familiar. Still nice and warm. But he did feel like it was time to get home. He had learned so many new things today and his plan had derailed so hard, he just wanted to lie in his bed and not think for a day. He got up and paid for his food, like a good customer, and when he got to the door he turned to the couple by the bar, “Oh, by the way. I don’t think you need to worry about the kids’ reaction.” He said with a small laugh.
“Why is that?” Kaoru asked.
“Because two of them are clearly in love and the other willingly suffers through dealing with it.” Hiromi laughed.
Kojiro laughed heartily, “Haha, ain’t that the truth?”.
Kaoru rolled his eyes, but a small smile showed on his lips, “I suppose that is true.”
Hiromi laughed a little more before waving his goodbyes. He got home a whole lot later than he had planned, but he felt a lot more satisfied than he had planned too, so he guessed it was a win after all.
-
A bath and nightly routine later, he was in his bed, going through everything in his head. They had been worried about his reaction to them, but had they not seen the two teenagers who drooled over each other at every chance they got? Maybe he’d have to do something about that.
Maybe that would be his next personal mission. Get those stupid kids to just confess already and let the rest of them get some peace from their obvious pining.
What flowers would fit them? He’d have to check out the stock tomorrow. What a hopeless romantic he was. He was a softie, after all.