Chapter Text
October 7th, 2012
Shinjiro’s side
Shinjiro is walking with Rio’s college boyfriend, and their loved ones are ahead so that they won’t overhear their private conversation.
“So, how did you meet Koto’s friend?” Shinjiro wondered.
“Good question. I met Rio at the college training camp. I worked as an assistant to the coach in charge of training new college students in their first year. She was the most elegant and beautiful person I have ever met. I like her type. Especially on how she is very active in tennis, warms up, nd gets along with her classmates. That’s what I love about her,” says Akira, nostalgically.
“Okay, but how did you two meet face to face, I mean? A proper first meeting.” Shinjiro tries to clarify his question.
“Oh, that. I met her in person when she was training hard on her tennis skills alone at night, when everyone was sleeping. She seems to be angry for some reason that her hands were covered with blisters from swinging her tennis racket for too long. As I was about to intervene for what she was doing… She accidentally hit her tennis ball on my crouch hard.” Akira explained how he met Rio.
“That seems an unexpected outcome of how you two met…” says Shinjiro sarcastically.
“She did apologize afterward when she noticed me on the ground in pain. So she took me to the nurse's office to help me lie down until I recovered…” Akira continued.
A year ago…
Iwatodai College Training Camp - Late Night
Akira, who was twenty years old. He has short spiky brown hair with red tips. He wore a black-and-gray jogging suit with black-and-white sneakers. He is attempting to rest after his crotch got hit with a tennis ball. Rio, who was 18, had her hair tied back in a high ponytail. She wore the same jogging suit as him, except she wore white sneakers. She found an ice bag to give to Akira, still lying down in bed. She also grabs some bandage wraps and antibiotic ointment for her hands after she has already washed them with mild soap and warm water. He placed the ice bag on his crotch, which helps the swelling to go down. Rio decides to sit next to him in an empty chair.
“I am so sorry for what I did. I didn’t expect anyone to be awake at this hour. Is your private part okay?” says Rio, worriedly.
“Haha…It’s fine. I've been worse. This isn't the first time I've gotten hit on my crotch.” Akira chuckled, still in pain. “I could say the same thing to you. I’m Akira Shunjū-Barasawa. In case you haven’t forgotten since you joined the college training program. We met on the first day of this course.” He casually extended his hand to her.
“I remember you. I could not be. You were standing next to the coach. I’m Rio Iwasaki. I’m going to be in my first year at Nippon Sport Science University.” Rio introduced herself. She does the same thing and shakes his hand before both of them let go.
“No way, I’m a student at Nippon Sport Science University as well! It’s good that maybe we can see each other. I might help by giving you a tour around the university.” Akira seems pleased.
“Yeah. A surprise coincidence that we attend the same university.” Rio faintly smiles.
“By the way, why are you training hard this late? Shouldn’t you have been sleeping for the next training tomorrow morning like the rest of the newcomers?” Akira wondered.
Rio rolls her eyes in dismay. “*sigh* I wasn’t able to sleep. So, I thought training my tennis skills might help me get tired out. I guess it didn’t work…”
“Is there someone or something in your mind that you're channeling your anger into your tennis?”
Rio rolls her eyes back at him when he asks her. She was a bit surprised at first until she retained her calm composure before she could give him a proper answer. “Yes. There was. It was my childhood friend I grew up with. I used to have a crush on him. I was considering confessing my feelings for him… until he told me that he is into older women. Not like women who are a year or two… I mean, adult women who are several years older than him.” She continued applying ointment to both hands for her blisters while talking to Akira about her former crush.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure he would understand how you feel about him.” Akira tries to comfort her, but his words don't reach her.
“I did in my second year, and he was still clueless as ever. He told me to my face that he likes me as much as he likes ramen, which is his favorite food. Though my team, who helped me work up the courage to confess, got angry at him. I wasn't mad, but I was pleased in a way,” says Rio with a dejected look.
“Then why do you channel your anger out in your tennis?” Akira wondered. Once Rio is done, she tries to wrap her right hand, but it comes undone easily.
“*sigh* It was from a year ago… He was dating a woman outside of school. She was a college student whom he briefly dated during Spring Break. He lied about his age to date her. She leeched off his money for smoking or drugs until he ran dry. He even attempted to steal money from his friends, including me, to stay in a relationship with her. By the time spring break was over, she had already cheated on him with another man who was richer than he was, which is why I couldn’t afford to go to the college training camp during spring break because he is obsessed with getting hitched to his potential soul mate. Over the months, he had more bad luck with older women, both at school with the new teachers and outside of school. He was desperately trying to find love. I tried to reason with him that he needed to avoid hanging out with the bad crowds and focus on school so he could graduate with his friends and go to a better college. We ended up in a big fight when he accused me of ruining my happiness so I would be single and lonely like me. What he said made me so mad that I punched him in the face and ran off.” Rio explained about her past with Kenji. She seemed hurt when she mentioned her fight with him. “You could say he was blinded by love…”
“I’m sorry about your fallout with your childhood friend. It must have been hard for you. I understand what you are feeling right now.” Akira comforts her kindly.
“What would you know? We just met, and how could you know what I’m feeling?” Rio demanded him.
“Because I have a childhood friend growing up just like you. She was a very kind and lovely person I ever met growing up. She gets along with my parents because they are friends. We were inseparable and always had each other’s backs. This was when I started to have romantic feelings for her. In high school, I decided to work up the courage to confess my love for her on the rooftop. When I did, she kindly rejected my confession when she confessed to me that… she’s lesbian.” Akira admitted.
Rio reacted in shock, then felt guilty for what she had done to him. “I’m sorry… I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have said that…”
“It’s okay. I’m already over it. We continue to have a brother-and-sister relationship like we had growing up. She’s already in a relationship with another woman who is the same age as her. She seems to be a good person at heart. My advice is to find something or someone to help you relieve your anger and focus on what’s in front of you. That’s how my dads helped me with my first heartbreak.”
“You’re dads? Did one of your parents hire a surrogate, or were you adopted?” Rio wondered.
“I was born from a surrogate mother that my dads selected, and the sperm used was my dad, who works at his family's inn. I have a younger sister who is adopted.” Akira chuckled. “It’s no worries. Not many people have same sex parents who are raising a child together.”
“Maybe… I have a lot to learn from you, Shunjū-Barasawa-san. Thanks… Ah!” Rio felt a slight pain in the palm of her hand when she tried to wrap her other hand. Akira decides to help her by gently wrapping bandages around both her hands.
“You know, you can always ask for help, you know. There are no wrong answers.” Akira says with a smile. He finished patching up Rio’s hands.
Rio smiles hopefully back.
Present
October 7th, 2012
“And that’s how we started as friends and then a few months later, we decided to start dating. We both have unrequited childhood crushes, but the only thing we love most is sports. Since then, Rio has gotten a lot better and has already moved on from her past crush. She doesn’t take out her anger on her tennis anymore. Just calm and relaxation.” Akira noted.
“Ya should have an unusual way of starting to go out just because you two have a similar situation with each other,” says Shinjiro, brutally honest.
“Well… we both care for our teammates, friends, and common goals in physical sports. Rio’s interest in tennis and me being an athlete. I have one more year until I complete my athletic course,” says Akira, being frank. “Well, how did you and Kotone-san meet and hook up? Rio mentioned it around 2009. I’m sure it’s similar to mine in a way.” Akira asked him.
“Tch… Normally, I wouldn't brag about my relationship with anyone I just met. If ya really want to know, be my guest, since it might gross you out since you haven’t taken your girlfriend’s purity yet,” says Shinjiro, annoyingly.
“Well, Rio wasn’t ready to lose her virginity yet. She wanted to focus on completing her course as soon as possible. She is mainly focused on her classes and studies rather than sex. I feel the same way,” says Akira, honestly. “How bad could it be? We are adults, and there is no shame in talking about sex.”
“I warn you, but you ask for it…” Shinjiro warned him.
Kotone’s side
“Rio, are you alright with it? You haven't seen Tomochika-kun since graduation after you two had a falling out.” Kotone worryingly asked Rio.
“He seems like he has changed a lot after a year has passed. He seems very sorry for what happened. I heard from Yuko that Kenji has been taking therapy to help with his love sickness once a week. We even planned to hang out next year during New Year's Eve. We are still keeping in touch through text and phone calls as we used to.” Rio tells her. “It makes me wonder if this is a sign of maturity that he has grown as an adult, or if he just wanted to get over his recent breakup?”
“I think it’s the latter, but I’m worried about you. It’s good that he is trying to redeem himself, but please don’t take advantage of your past crush, thinking he might develop feelings for you. He’s not worth it. He didn't even know that you liked him.” Kotone gave notice to her friend.
“I’m not going to. I have a boyfriend who cares for me. I will never cheat on him for Kenji. I love Akira a lot. We will plan ahead for our future, and I promise I won’t let my past crush get to me or cloud my judgment. I’m not like Kenji.” Rio reassures her.
“Okay. I believe you. Just promise me that you will never pursue Tomochika-kun, even if he’s single or he has another girlfriend. This is his life, not yours.”
“And that’s how we started to date,” says Shinjiro’s voice.
“Wow. So, like, after she confessed her love for you and made many attempts to admit it, you just played the bad boy and started making out with her and sleeping together! You have my respect, Aragaki-san,” says Akira’s voice, impressed. Rio and Kotone turn around and see their husband and boyfriend getting along unexpectedly.
“It seems your husband has gained another friend.” Rio playfully teased her.
“*chuckles* I knew he would.” Kotone agrees with her.
Shinjiro and Akira decide to catch up with their loved ones. Mainly since they are almost close to returning to the inn. While Rio and her college boyfriend are talking, Kotone whispers into Shinjiro’s left ear.
“So, what did you two guys talk about? Hopefully, it’s not about something inappropriate, like you know, our first time,” says Kotone, in a flirtatious manner.
“*chuckles* You don’t need to worry, I didn’t mention our first time to him. These romantic memories of our first time belong to us alone. I just told him a shorter version.” Shinjiro smirked at her. He looks at her with a calm expression before he kisses her on her right cheek affectionately. “Maybe getting along with your friend’s boyfriends or partner won’t be so bad.”
Meanwhile, at Iwatodai…
After Akihiko left with Kojiro and Shiro to head back home, Ren decides to go as well since he doesn’t miss his dorm’s curfew.
“Thanks for hanging out with me today, Ren. You've been a good help to me in looking after Kojiro and Koromaru’s sons,” says Ken, thankfully.
“You’re welcome. Happy to help. Do you know that there will be new students staying there starting next year? Are Koromaru and Yuma going to be alright when more students come here?” Ren reminded me.
“I’m aware, the dorm manager says that Koromaru and Yuma are still welcome to stay, but as for the other students… It depends on whether they love or dislike dogs. Or if one of them has a dog allergy. That would be a problem. There are only eight vacancies in the dorm. If the school had enough money, it could expand and remodel the dormitory.” Ken guessed.
“There are only eight vacancies in the dorm. If the school had enough money, it could expand and remodel the dormitory. I don’t mind moving here next year if you want me to.” Ren suggested.
“I wouldn't mind either way. However, this is still a dormitory for high school students of all ages. Koromaru and I were the only exceptions since we used to stay in this dorm from 2009 to 2010. We moved back this year after the dorm was reopened.”
While Ken and Ren are talking about dorms, Koromaru speaks to his son privately in the lounge.
“Arrr… Arrff? (Yuma, were you the one who stole Kojiro-san’s dolls?).” Koromaru growled at Yuma.
“Arf. Arf. Arf. ( I thought it would be helpful if I took his dolls, he will have the motive to walk on his own. I’m sorry, Dada.” Yuma seems regretful of his actions.
“Woof. Woof. Woof. (I forgive you, son. Just don't do it again. I care deeply for him. He is the son of my two favorite people in the world. I will be sad if something bad happens to him. Do you understand?” Koromaru scolded him.
“*whimper* Awwwooo… (I understand… Dada)” Yuma whimpered sadly. “Arf. Arf. Arf. (I wanna try the strange magic I experienced last night.) It would be so cool. I had to try it.”
“Awo? (What magic?)” Koromaru seems puzzled.
“Bark. (I can move things with my mind.)” Yuma says quietly.